THE PNP yesterday reiterated its offer to provide security to Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr who has cited grave threats to his life in seeking a two-month leave of absence from the House of Representatives.
“We are now coordinating with the sergeant-at-arms of the House of Representatives,” PNP spokesman Col. Jean Fajardo told a press briefing at the PNP national headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Teves, who is still out of the county, is asking the House leadership to grant him two months leave due to “very grave threat” to his life and to his family.
Teves is being linked to the March 4 killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo. Some of the arrested suspects have alleged he ordered the killing.
Meanwhile, Degamo was laid to rest yesterday in his hometown in Siaton town in Negros Oriental. Thousands gathered at the St. Vincent Parish Church to attend the requiem mass.
Many of Degamo’s supporters called for justice.
Malacañang has declared March 16 as special non-working holiday in Negros Oriental “to allow the community to grieve and honor the memory of Governor Degamo and the other victims.”
Teves has said he had nothing to do with the killing.
Speaker Martin Romualdez has issued a travel authority to Teves covering the period February 28 to March 9. Teves has said he went to the US for a medical treatment.
Fajardo said Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr and PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin have assured Teves of his safety when he returns to the country.
“As soon as he is back from abroad, the PNP is ready to provide him security, including his immediate family,” said Fajardo.
Some of the arrested suspects in the March 4 murder of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo have tagged Teves in the governor’s killing.
Teves has yet to be charged in connection with the case but about a week ago, he and five others were charged by the PNP with murder before the Department of Justice in connection with three killings in Negros Oriental in 2019.
On Wednesday, the PNP also filed charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives against Teves and his two sons in connection with a series of raids conducted by policemen and soldiers on Friday last week.
Six people were arrested and subsequently charged with the same offenses last Sunday.
Two of the suspects, Teves’ secretary Hannah Mae Oray and Jose Gimarangan, were ordered released by the PNP on Wednesday.
Oray was ordered released by the DOJ for lack of probable cause.
The PNP said Gimarangan was ordered released “after DOJ resolved that charges against him and Congressman Teves be referred for preliminary investigation set on March 22.”
“Four more respondents in separate criminal charges remain under police custody,” the PNP said, referring to Heracleo Sangalin Oray, Roland Aguisanda Pablia, Jojo Maturan, and Joseph Kyle Catan Maturan.
The PNP said Oray and Gimarangan were released from PNP custody “after undergoing the procedural medical examination.”
“The PNP fully respects the findings of the DOJ prosecutors and will abide by the legal orders as mandated in our laws,” the PNP said adding it will “aggressively continue to pursue the campaign against loose firearms especially those in the hands of private armed groups wherever they may be in the country.”
Fajardo said the PNP has yet to receive any surrender feelers from several suspects who remain at large.
She also said efforts are continuing for the identification of other suspects who were directly involved in the attack.
“We expect that the NBI, in the coming days, will be filing the corresponding criminal case for these unaccounted suspects, including the alleged mastermind,” she said.
LEAVE REQUEST
The Office of the House Secretary will not be able to act on Teves’ request for a two-month leave because the House committee on ethics and privileges has assumed jurisdiction over issues hounding him.
House secretary general Reginald Velasco said his office has referred Teves’ letter to the ethics panel, which has given Teves five days to explain why he has not returned to the country even if the travel authority granted to him by the House of Representatives expired on March 9.
“It’s up to the panel to decide on this (request for leave) and any other requests Cong. Teves may make since it has already acquired jurisdiction on the matter,” Velasco said in a statement.
Teves is facing sanctions ranging from a simple reprimand to suspension or expulsion, depending on the decision of the committee chaired by Rep. Felimon Espares (PL, COOP NATCO).
In a separate statement on Wednesday night, House majority leader Manuel Jose Dalipe said, “Please be informed that the Committee on Ethics and Privileges in its meeting held today, 15 March 2023, has decided to acquire jurisdiction and to conduct motu proprio investigation over Representative of the third district of Negros Oriental, Honorable Arnolfo “Arnie” A. Teves, Jr.’s failure to return to the country despite the direct order of the Honorable Speaker and the expiration of his travel clearance dated 27 February 2023.”
“Pending submission of the report by the committee on ethics to the plenary, we leave it to the sound discretion of the Committee to investigate and recommend imposition of the appropriate disciplinary action,” Dalipe said.
Romualdez said Teves’ lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, met with him “to personally relay some concerns of his client” but Romualdez said he “reiterated my stand that Cong. Arnie should return to the country and report for work at once.”
“I strongly urge Cong. Arnie to reconsider his decision not to return. It does not sit well for a House Member to flee the country rather than avail himself of all the legal remedies available to him,” he said.
The House leader said he relayed to Topacio the ethics panel’s move to investigate Teves’ “refusal to heed a direct order from the Speaker for him to come back home after the expiration of his travel authority last March 9.”
“The committee on ethics has already acquired jurisdiction on Cong. Arnie’s case. I will act accordingly after the Committee wraps up its investigation and submits its recommendation to the House leadership,” the Speaker said. “I also reiterated the assurance that the Speaker and the entire House leadership will exert all means necessary to pave the way for Cong. Arnie’s safe return to the country.” — With Wendell Vigilia
