Following the proclamation of Commission on Elections’ special provincial board of canvassers declaring Roel Degamo as the winner of the 2022 Negros Oriental gubernatorial race, Negros Oriental Governor Henry Teves stressed that he will abide with the order issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government for him to step down.
In a statement, the governor said that he will obey the DILG’s order through a proper court order.
“I am a government official, and a law abiding citizen. And I have a lot of respect for our DILG,” Teves said.
He also appealed to his constituents to remain calm and not resort to what his political opponent did after the last elections such as “barricading himself inside his office” and surrounded by his supporters.
The governor assured the people of Negros Oriental that it should be the law that would prevail in their province, adding that the case is now up in the Supreme Court.
During the last May elections, two Degamos ran for a gubernatorial post, one was the incumbent governor, Roel Degamo. Teves was among the contenders.
The election resulted in Teves winning as Negros Oriental governor. He was officially declared by the Commission on Elections as the winner and he assumed his post.
The Degamos’ political dispute dragged Teves into the case, although the governor maintained that he is not a party to it.
Teves earlier questioned the DILG regional director who presented him a Comelec order for him to vacate his post. He said that the Comelec order is “defective” for it’s the court that has proper authority to “uninstall” him.
Teves added that it should be the court that must order the DILG to implement its decision and not that of the Comelec.
He said that if the court’s order says that he would step down as governor, then he would abide by it.