Pryde Henry Teves addressing his supporters from the steps of the provincial Capitol in Dumaguete City before stepping down as governor of Negros Oriental on Tuesday afternoon, October 11.*Alex Pal photo
Pryde Henry Teves voluntarily stepped down as governor of Negros Oriental Tuesday afternoon, October 11, to allow a peaceful transfer of leadership to Roel Degamo, pending a Supreme Court (SC) ruling on his bid for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).
Teves left the Capitol shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday after speaking to his supporters, some of whom were teary eyed, from the steps of the provincial Capitol in Dumaguete City.
Degamo, the former governor of Negros Oriental, is expected to assume his post as governor at the Capitol on Wednesday, October 12.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed Degamo the duly elected governor of Negros Oriental on October 3, after it declared candidate Ruel Degamo a nuisance.
The votes of the nuisance candidate that were credited to Roel Degamo gave him a total of 331,726 votes to defeat Teves who had 301,319.
Teves has filed a petition before the SC seeking a TRO to halt the Comelec en banc’s order to unseat him.
Teves, who earlier refused to step down, said he would wait for the SC ruling on his petition that he expected on Tuesday.
However, the SC on Tuesday granted the motion filed by the Office of the Solicitor General seeking 30 days to file a comment for the Comelec, which Teves had named as a co-respondent of Roel Degamo.
The SC took no action on the application of Teves for a TRO.
Teves told his supporters he was stepping down so that the services of the provincial government and salaries of its employees would not be disrupted by a standoff.
But he said “it is not yet over” as the SC has yet to rule on his petition.
Interior and Local Government Regional Director Leocadio Trovela assured him that he would be reinstated should the SC eventually rule in his favor, he added.
Degamo has been temporarily holding office as governor at the Sidlakang Negros Village in Dumaguete City.*