Pryde Henry Teves

Pryde Henry Teves (born December 18, 1972) is a Filipino politician who is the current Mayor of Bayawan City, Negros Oriental. He was also a member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines representing the 3rd District of Negros Oriental. He was elected as a Philippine legislator on May 14, 2007 and was re-elected in 2010. Both of his eardrums and legs were severely damaged by the blast that hit the Congress building on November 13, 2007.

Philippine Congress bombing[]

Congressman Teves was one of the 3 Philippine representatives, others were Luzviminda Ilagan of GABRIELA partylist and Wahab Akbar of the lone district of Basilan, that were victimized by the explosion. Congressman Wahab Akbar of Basilan was killed in the incident while both Teves and Congresswoman Luzviminda Ilagan experienced severe injuries.

About 62% of his body sustained 2nd and 3rd degree burns, and his left foot was badly fractured.^[1] In earlier reports, Doctors announced that Teves' legs would be amputated, but later decided this would not be necessary. Vercita Garcia, staff member of Rep. Pryde Henry Teves died at 6:30 p.m. due to cardiac arrest at St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon, City on December 17, 2007.

On December 18, 2007, after 35 days, Teves was moved out of the intensive care unit of St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City to a private room thereat, and recuperated from destroyed eardrum, fractured leg and sustained deep burns in his arms from the Batasang Pambansa bombing.^[2]

On January 31, 2008, Teves, 35, reported for work at the House of Representatives, against doctors' advice. Teves, still in a wheelchair, wore black cotton gloves to protect his burned hands, and he could not shake hands or use his cellular phone. He stated:

I feel all the senses in my body that I don't want to feel, all the unwanted pain. I really got depressed. And my (burned) skin (including face) is extra sensitive. When it's hot I feel the heat and when it's cold I also feel very cold. My left foot was shattered in 10 places. It's all held together by screws. Hopefully, after 20 weeks (since Nov. 13) the bones will heal; I’m still under heavy medication. And I still take pain relievers. The pain is terrible.Three days ago (Jan. 26), I had two shrapnels removed from my body. They were all concrete nails.

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