MANILA, Philippines — The Senate public order panel is set to start Monday its inquiry into the killing of former Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, alleged to have been masterminded by suspended Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. (Negros Oriental) who has yet to return to the country since he left for the US four days before the massacre that killed the local chief executive and eight others.
Teves had initially been allowed by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, committee chair, to attend remotely. The senator has since said he will consult his colleagues who are part of the panel first whether they will allow the attendance of the Negros Oriental congressman.
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The Department of Justice believes Teves is in Cambodia.
Speaking on ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo, Dela Rosa said he will be meeting members of the public order committee before the hearing for them to reach a decision on Teves’ attendance.
Degamo’s widow, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, has protested Teves' remote attendance, saying in a letter to Dela Rosa that this "undermines the value and importance of our presence" and is "unfair to those who will be attending personally."
Rule XI, Section 22 of the Rules of the Senate allows committees to conduct meetings or hearings remotely "due to force majeure or occurrence of an emergency as determined by the majority of all the members of the Senate which may prevent the senators from physically attending the committee meetings or hearings."
"[Congressman] Teves is a fugitive. He should not be afforded such an accommodation," Mayor Degamo said.
Technically, Teves would only be a fugutuve if a court issues a warrant for his arrest. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the DOJ is considering the lawmaker a fugitive as he has not shown up at any legal proceedings.
Teves has not come home supposedly out of fear for his life.
Dela Rosa said he will make sure that the committee hearing will not be used by any party for them to "gain undue advantage before the court of public opinion."
He added that the Senate is not competing with the Department of Justice’s investigation, but is complementing it.
"Whatever additional evidence that will come out during this hearing, the prosecution can use because all the testimonies here will be under oath," Dela Rosa said.
Watch the Senate inquiry LIVE at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 17, 2023.