A MANILA court has ordered the transfer in detention of expelled Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. to the Manila City jail.
But National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Jaime Santiago said he halted Teves’ transfer, saying he will stay at the detention cell inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City for now as they await the decision of other courts on where he will be jailed.
Teves is currently detained at the NBP, where a detention cell was made available to the NBI by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) while the former’s main office and detention facility are being built.
“One court in Manila has already issued a commitment order directing us to commit the person of Congressman Teves to the Manila City jail,” Santiago told reporters in a press briefing yesterday afternoon.
However, he said that since the former lawmaker is facing multiple cases in various courts, the NBI opted to keep him temporarily at its detention facility in the national penitentiary.
“Baka mamaya ‘yung isang court na ‘yun na natanggap namin, sa BJMP Manila (ang order). ‘Yung isa naman sa Bicutan. So sabi ko sa aking warden, i-hold niyo muna ‘yan pansamantala (It could happen that one of the courts will order his detention at BJMP Manila, while another in Bicutan. So, I told my warden to hold the transfer for now),” Santiago explained.
An updated list of cases and the courts handling them provided by the NBI showed that Teves is facing 10 counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder, four counts of attempted murder before the Manila regional trial court Branch 51 for the 2023 killing of the late Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine others; a murder case before the Manila RTC Branch 12; a murder case before the Manila RTC Branch 15; a murder case before the Bayawan City, Negros Oriental RTC Branch 63; illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of explosives before the Manila RTC Branch 12; and violation of the Terrorist Financing, Prevention, and Suppression Act before the Quezon City RTC Branch 77.
Santiago said Teves is scheduled for arraignment today, June 5, before the Manila RTC Branch 12 for the illegal possession of firearms and explosives charges.
He said that while the NBI is prepared to secure the former lawmaker for the arraignment, defense lawyers have requested the court to conduct the arraignment via Zoom.
Degamo’s widow, former Pamplona mayor and incoming Negros Oriental Rep. Janice Degamo said Teves should be committed to the Manila City jail as ordered by the court.
“I welcome the Manila court’s order directing the National Bureau of Investigation to transfer Arnie Teves to the Manila City Jail. This is a necessary and long-overdue step toward ensuring that he faces the law not as a former politician, but as an accused individual in a mass murder case,” Degamo said in a post on her social media account.
She said Teves must not be given special treatment and should be transferred to the city jail in compliance with the court order.
“Justice must be equal. There can be no special lanes, no soft landings, no ‘padrino’ system for those accused of heinous crimes, especially when multiple witnesses have named them as the mastermind behind a massacre that took the lives of innocent civilians, including my husband, Governor Roel Degamo,” she also said.
She added that their family and the families of the other victims are closely following the development in the case.
CONSOLIDATION
In a related development, Santiago said Teves, through his lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, has filed a motion seeking the consolidation of the cases before the Manila trial court.
“Napag-alaman namin ‘yung attorney ni congressman Teves ay nag file na ng motion sa city of Manila na ma-consolidate ang mga kaso at once and for all, para malaman namin kung saan talaga ite-turnover si Cong. Teves (We were informed that the attorney of Congressman Teves has filed a motion before the city of Manila seeking the consolidation of his cases [so that] once and for all, we will know where to turn him over),” he said.
Santiago said the NBI will comply with whatever order the courts issue.
On Tuesday, DOJ Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano said they would support the consolidation of the cases against Teves, though he added, they would leave the matter to Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon to decide.
NO VIP TREATMENT
Santiago reiterated his assurance to the public that Teves is not being accorded VIP treatment or special privileges in the NBI detention.
He said the former lawmaker is being held with two other detainees inside the NBI detention cell at the NBP.
He also assured Teves’ family that his constitutional rights are being respected while ensuring his safety.
