MORE than two months after the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo, charges of multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder, and multiple attempted murder were filed yesterday against the alleged mastermind, suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., by the National Bureau of Investigation before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Aside from Degamo, nine others died in the March 4 attack at the governor’s residence in the town of Pamplona.
NBI agents brought boxes of documents to the DOJ for the filing of the case.
NBI Director Medardo de Lemos declined to comment and referred reporters to the office of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.
Earlier in the day, Remulla confirmed the filing. “It’s ongoing right now. The NBI is here already. I was told by NBI Director Medardo de Lemos that they were coming over to file the complaint,” he told reporters.
Teves, who has not returned to the country since March, has consistently denied involvement in the attack. Yesterday, he rapped Remulla for saying, quoting sources, that the lawmaker might return yesterday. He called Remulla’s announcement “fake news.”
Up until yesterday, the suspended lawmaker faced no complaint regarding Degamo’s murder but he is facing murder cases before the DOJ in connection with the 2019 killing of three persons in Negros Oriental, and cases for illegal possession of firearms and explosives. These cases are undergoing preliminary investigation.
The DOJ has not released a copy of the complaint filed yesterday although an earlier resolution indicting Teves’ former aide Marvin Miranda said there were two prior attempts to assassinate Degamo — in December 2022 and February 2023 — using a sniper rifle and a rocket-propelled grenade. It said that on both occasions, Miranda called Teves to explain why the attempt failed and to ask for more men and resources to carry out the plot.
Remulla has tagged Teves as the mastermind in the attack, adding that in the movies, Teves is the “executive producer and producer” of the plot to kill Degamo. He said seven to eight of 11 suspects in custody have pointed to the involvement of Teves in the killing.
Earlier this week, Remulla said several suspects have clammed up after they were provided with private lawyers.
‘FAKE NEWS’
On Tuesday, Remulla citing “reliable source” with “access to flight data” said Teves may be coming home Wednesday, only for the latter to refute this, saying it was “fake news.”
Teves, according to Remulla, tried to seek political asylum in Timor-Leste but was rejected, and given five days to leave the country.
Teves, in a radio interview, said, “You want a more reliable source? Sino bang (Who is the) reliable source, their source or me? They should’ve asked me before talking about my decisions, right?”
He refused to confirm he applied for political asylum. “Just ask Boying (Remulla). He probably knows that. He knows more than I do.”
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said he was hoping the House committee on ethics can resolve the matter before Teves’ 60-day suspension for disorderly behavior ends on May 22.
“We hope the committee on ethics will have some action on it. As you know, we still don’t have a precedent on this, there has been no similar situation in the House before,” Velasco told reporters.
Velasco said one of the actions that the committee can recommend to the plenary is the expulsion of Teves, who still refused to return to the country, fearing for his life.
He said the recommendation will need a two-thirds vote of all members on the floor.
The House will adjourn sine die on June 2, marking the end of the First Regular Session of the ongoing 19th Congress.
“So it’s really up to the committee on ethics to submit their recommendations and then it has to be voted upon by the plenary no. So we hope that by the end of this session, there will be some action on the part of the Committee on Ethics and the plenary of the House of Representatives,” Velasco said.
Rep. Felipe Espares (PL, COOP-NATCCO), chair of the House ethics panel, said the committee will convene on May 23 to discuss possible recommendations for Teves’ continued absence without travel authority.
Espares said Teves’ reported attempt to apply for political asylum will greatly affect the panel’s decision in choosing what additional sanctions will be imposed on the embattled lawmaker.
TICKET
Remulla defended his claim, saying the sources told him Teves already got ticket for his return flight.
“Ang alam kasi namin ticketed na siya. We have sources who tell us his movements,” he said.
And if Teves still refused to return, Remulla said, “Well, flight is an indication of guilt. By any language, by any jurisdiction, legal system. It is an indication of guilt,” he said.
“He has to come home or they will file the case in court and a warrant will be issued in absentia,” he added.
Remulla said Teves will be at the losing end if he insists on hiding abroad, adding that once the cases are filed in court, the DOJ will seek the cancellation of his passports.
The DOJ has also moved to designate Teves as a terrorist under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 due to his alleged involvement in several high-profile killings and other criminal activities in Negros Oriental.
PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr said the PNP is ready to provide security to Teves and has made preparations for this return.
“We made some preparations to make sure nothing will happen to him, if there is a threat against him,” said Acorda.
The PNP offered police security to Teves in March after the lawmaker disclosed a “very grave threat” to his life, The PNP and even the Armed Forces said they have not monitored any threat.
Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, chief of the PNP Public Information Office, said the PNP Aviation Security Group has coordinated with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines for Teves’ possible return. — With Wendell Vigilia and Victor Reyes
