Teves tagged as Degamo slay brains

DOJ chief: 3 to 4 people planned assassination

MANILA, Philippines — It was “Congressman Teves” who ordered the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo, according to two of the alleged suspects now in custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Suspects Joric Labrador, 50, and Benjie Rodriguez, 45, were shown on TV tagging “Congressman Teves” as the mastermind while they were being escorted to detention at the NBI headquarters in Manila after being moved from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

It was unclear if the two were referring to current Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. or his brother Pryde Henry who previously held the same post.

The two suspects said they readily agreed to the hit after Teves made them believe that their target was a drug lord in the province. Two other suspects – Osmundo Rivero and Joven Aber – are also in NBI custody. At least five others are still at large.

Teves’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio called on parties concerned to observe sobriety and avoid jumping to conclusions.

PNP spokesperson Jean Fajar­do said the two suspects were transferred to the NBI after they expressed readiness to give their extrajudicial confession on the March 4 attack, which also killed eight other people and wounded several others.

Labrador claimed he had no idea that their target was Degamo and that they had originally been offered job as VIP security. The former military man said his only role in Degamo’s assassination was to secure the perimeter and that he was not in the Degamo compound during the shooting.

Rodriguez, for his part, said they only communicated with a certain “Marvin” who directly gave them the hit order. But when asked who was giving orders to Marvin, Rodriguez said it was Teves.

The two suspects claimed they had no choice but to carry out the assassination as their handler may have sent someone to check their moves. They said they were paid P20,000 each as advance for their salary for one month.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed the two suspects’ tagging Teves but admitted he has not yet read their full statement, which would be used as basis for the filing of appropriate cases against them.

“It’s very likely we can file the cases promptly because this is now in the news, and we need a clearer picture of the situation,” Remulla said.

Earlier yesterday, Remulla said he has reason to believe at least three masterminds were behind the Degamo killing.

Remulla said the way the plan was crafted and how the attack was carried out suggest that several people were involved and which “definitely” had something to do with politics.

“That’s a conspiracy and that has to have a mastermind. We think about three to four people conspired together and they just drummed up for co-conspirators. That’s what we’re studying now and that is going to surface in the statements of the people who will be identified in this case,” Remulla told reporters.

“We cannot reveal the identities yet but definitely this had something to do with politics because the way it was carried out––how it was planned and executed––was different. Sometimes it’s beyond words. It’s very difficult to describe this because what happened was really outrageous,” he added.

Pattern of impunity

Remulla said the killing of Degamo, in light of the charges recently filed against Teves and others over 2019 assassinations, revealed a “pattern of impunity” in the province, where political killings figured prominently in previous elections.

The justice secretary, along with President Marcos and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, visited Degamo’s wake in Dumaguete City the other day, where he told the President that the NBI would call in individuals linked to the case as part of its efforts to uncover the brains behind the murder.

Asked whether Teves – whose brother was booted out of office following Degamo’s election protest victory before the Supreme Court –is among those being investigated for involvement in the deadly attack, Remulla said: “We’re investigating everybody who may have something to do with what has been happening in Negros Oriental, bar none. We are not exempting anybody.”

Teves earlier sought Marcos’ help to protect him and his family following Degamo’s assassination. Remulla said the lawmaker has yet to reach out to him.

Teves’ lawyer Topacio said allegations against his client were baseless, as the congressman himself had already denounced the killing. “We call on all concerned to observe sobriety in their pronouncements regarding the allegations against Rep. Arni Teves in the face of certain accusations against him in connection with the killing of Governor Roel Degamo and several other persons,” Topacio said in a statement.

“Verily, justice can only be done to the victims if and when the real perpetrators are brought before the bar of justice and convicted with finality. In the meantime, all must be mindful of the fact that our Supreme Court itself has already said that accusation is not synonymous with guilt, and the Constitution guarantees to every person the presumption of innocence,” he added.

Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson for the special investigation task group probing Degamo’s murder, said the governor was already under surveillance for several months beginning in December last year.

Based on the information they gathered, Pelare said the perpetrators came from different places, including parts of Mindanao

“Some came as early as December to conduct casing and surveillance,” he said at a press briefing.

The purpose of the surveillance, Pelare said, was to determine the nature of operation they would use against Degamo.

Pelare said they are not discounting the possibility that someone from the governor’s residential compound was a co-conspirator.

PNP spokesperson Fajardo said the PNP and the NBI are close to solving the crime as they continue gathering information and other evidence from the suspects.

On Remulla’s revelation that the suspects were in a video call with the mastermind, Fajardo said it is  material information in the case. “The revelation that there was a video call between the suspects and the mastermind has a big probative value,” she said.

She also said the investigation will also determine if there was “negligence or lapse in terms of providing the necessary security coverage.”  — Alexis Romero, Emmanuel Tupas, Gilbert Bayoran