Police raid houses of Rep. Teves in Negros Oriental for firearms
MANILA, Philippines — Police raided Friday morning the houses of Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. (Negros Oriental) in search of illegal firearms.
In separate interviews on DZBB, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and Teves’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio confirmed the raid on Teves’ houses in Negros Oriental.
“His documents even before were spurious. That’s why I’m telling the [Firearms and Explosives Office,] ‘Why can’t you take those firearms because their documents are spurious? He should not have the right to carry a gun,” Abalos said in Filipino.
Abalos said five houses were raided, although not all of them belonged to Teves.
The interior chief said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group applied for the search warrant which the court approved.
‘Not yet clear’
Teves' lawyer, Topacio, however said he could only confirm that a raid occurred at the houses of Teves and cannot say yet whether there was a search warrant although he assumes there is one.
“It’s not yet clear to us who or what they are looking for,” Topacio said in Filipino, adding that they have “predicted” that this would happen a month ago.
He said occupants of the houses were told to vacate the premises and were not allowed to reenter.
“I am saddened because when the raiding party arrived, there were people on standby, but they were allegedly told to leave, even the lawyers were told to leave and were not allowed to enter,” he said.
Topacio said he is still trying to inform Teves about the raid, but could not do so because of time differences between the Philippines and the US, where the lawmaker is said to be staying for medical reasons.
The travel clearance from the House of Representatives for Teves’ “personal trip to the United States” expired on March 9.
‘Return my firearms’
The Philippine National Police revoked in January the license for Teves’ 12 firearms due to lack of documents. It then recalled his police escorts a week after because they did not come from the Police Security and Protection Group.
Teves is currently facing complaints for three counts of murder over killings that supposedly happened on March 25 in Dumaguete, May 26 in Basay and June 23 in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental in 2019.
Two suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo were also shown on TV tagging a certain “Congressman Teves” as the mastermind behind the local chief executive’s murder, but it was unclear if they were referring to the incumbent Rep. Teves or his brother Pryde Henry who was the province’s governor before being unseated following a recount.
In a video posted Monday, Teves said Degamo’s killing was terrifying. Addressing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who called Degamo his “political ally,” Teves appealed: “Please tell your people to return my firearms license for my and my family’s protection.” — Xave Gregorio
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