Degamo widow bucks Teves testimony by Zoom

MANILA, Philippines — The widow of slain Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo yesterday expressed dismay over the move of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs to allow Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. – alleged mastermind in the governor’s murder who went to the US on Feb. 28 – to testify via Zoom before an inquiry related to the case on Monday.

In a letter to Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, chairman of the committee, Mayor Janice Degamo of Pamplona, Negros Oriental appealed against letting Teves testify online. “Cong. Teves is a fugitive. He should not be afforded such an accommodation,” she said.

The decision of the panel, the widow said, has greatly affected the victims “who strongly disagree with such an accommodation.”

She said all participants in the hearing should be treated equally and given the same opportunity to attend personally, regardless of their position or status.

“Allowing some participants to attend through Zoom/teleconferencing undermines the value and importance of our presence in the hearing, and it is unfair to those who will be attending personally,” Degamo said.

Teves has been suspended by the leadership of the House of Representatives from his post as representative of the third district of Negros Oriental after he was tagged as mastermind in the assassination of Degamo last March 4 that left eight others dead and at least 15 injured.

Dela Rosa earlier this week said in an interview that Teves’ secretary confirmed his attendance online.

“I don’t know what his motivation is (in attending the hearing),” Dela Rosa told ANC, adding his attendance was a “good sign.”

Motion to dismiss

Meanwhile, Teves, through his lawyer, yesterday filed a motion to dismiss the illegal possession of firearms and explosives case filed against him before the Department of Justice (DOJ).

In his motion, Teves denied owning the firearms and the premises in Negros Oriental where the weapons were found by a police raiding team. Teves did not file a counter-affidavit, opting instead to file a motion to dismiss even though it is a prohibited motion under the DOJ’s revised manual for prosecutors.

Teves’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said his client was prejudged by government officials, including Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

He expressed hope that Teves would be given a chance to give his side virtually in the Senate hearing into the killing of Degamo.

In an ambush interview yesterday, Remulla denied that he and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos prejudged Teves by pinning him down as the mastermind in Degamo’s slay.

Remulla said it was not a matter of “partiality” but of “objectivity” based on the evidence that points to Teves and his right-hand man Marvin Miranda as the masterminds.

The justice secretary said he will attend the Senate hearing on Monday but said there are pieces of information that need to be withheld even in executive session so as not to affect the investigation. — With Marc Jayson Cayabyab