Dumaguete City—Pryde Henry Teves, the former governor of Negros Oriental, officially filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Friday for the gubernatorial seat in the upcoming May 2025 mid-term elections, marking a significant attempt to reclaim his previous office.

According to Philippines News Agency, Teves, a member of the Liberal Party (LP), was joined by Dumaguete Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo and other party colleagues during the COC filing at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office. His previous stint as governor in 2022 was short-lived due to a recount that overturned his electoral victory. Teves expressed a resilient outlook to reporters, stating in Cebuano, "Whatever is my destiny, whatever God gives to me, then I will accept it. We have no choice."

Teves's initial tenure as governor was abruptly ended when the Comelec annulled his proclamation following a recount initiated by a disqualification case against another candidate, Ruel Degamo, filed by the late Gov. Roel Degamo, who was seeking reelection at the time. The Comelec later ruled that Ruel Degamo was a nuisance candidate, reallocating his votes to Roel Degamo, which resulted in Roel surpassing Teves in the vote count and being declared the winner.

The political landscape in Negros Oriental has been tumultuous, highlighted by the assassination of Roel Degamo in March 2023, an incident that also resulted in the deaths of nine others. Pryde Teves's brother, Arnolfo Teves Jr., formerly a representative of Negros Oriental's 3rd district, has been implicated as the alleged mastermind behind the assassination. Arnolfo Teves Jr. is currently detained in East Timor, facing murder charges related to the attack in Pamplona and an extradition case.

As the election approaches, Pryde Teves is poised to continue the initiatives he began during his brief three-month governance, pending the outcome of a highly anticipated and contentious race.