MANILA, Philippines — The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) may freeze the assets of suspended congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. if he is designated as a terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC), according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the ATC might begin proceedings to determine whether Teves would be officially tagged as terrorist as soon as murder charges are filed against him in court for the March 4 killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and several others.
“We have to build our case, lay down our case, finish the proceedings before everything else. We have to finish all the legal theories behind the cases... There are many cases that we are filing and are still about to file. So, when everything is said and done, we can go to the ATC,” Remulla said.
“About the designation (as terrorist), there are many elements that have come into play, like the Anti-Money Laundering Council having cognizance of the case. You can freeze assets already,” Remulla added.
The justice secretary also stressed it would be best for Teves to come home and answer questions.
At this point, Remulla said the ATC could push for his designation as a terrorist even if he surrenders to the jurisdiction of the courts.
“Can be. It will all depend on our cases later on. But this is the best way to get him back to the country,” he added.
Remulla also emphasized that the Anti-Terrorism Act is being used as an “ally in our pursuit of justice” and not as an instrument of oppression.
“If you read the law, it’s very clear; it’s very neutral. It does not really speak about anybody being charged. It does not speak about any ideology. It speaks about terrorism,” he added.
Yesterday, Remulla chided Teves for laughing off being possibly tagged as a terrorist, saying there’s “nothing funny” about the prospect.
“There is nothing funny about nine people getting killed. The people are/were terrorized and are/were living in fear as long as he is not in legal custody. We are guarding against that capability to wreak havoc and destruction to people’s lives,” Remulla said in a message to reporters.
At a virtual press briefing on Monday, Teves said he found it funny that the government was raising the possibility of his being labeled as a terrorist just to force him to show up. He was on a medical leave in the US when the Dagamo assassination took place. The House of Representatives suspended him for defying orders for him to return to the country.
“Multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder, multiple attempted murder are among the cases, besides the illegal firearms and explosives. That is not funny at all,” he said.
“Considering that the highest ranked local official was killed in his own home while serving his constituents, by highly trained gunmen recruited for that purpose, was what happened to Gov. Degamo funny in any way?”
As Teves continues to defy calls for his to return to the country, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos assured him yesterday of “100 percent safety” if he finally decides to show up to face the charges against him.
“I will personally provide security. I assure you that 100 percent,” Abalos said.
At the same time, Abalos, who heads the Special Task Force Degamo, said they are expected to complete their investigation very soon.
“The Task Force is in the last chapter of the investigation. We are strengthening all the evidence in preparation for the filing of a criminal case against the remaining suspects, including the suspected mastermind,” Abalos added.
Different Teves in Korea
During a hearing of the Senate committee on public order yesterday, panel chair Sen. Ronald dela Rosa said it was TGP party list Rep. Jose Bong Teves Jr. and not Arnolfo Teves who was spotted eating at a buffet restaurant in a hotel in South Korea recently.
“The undersigned would like to manifest and express that this representation was also in South Korea on official business, together with fellow members of the committee on rules from April 12 to 16, 2023, and was billeted at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, South Korea,” Jose Teves said in a letter read by Dela Rosa to the committee.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, who earlier divulged information that Arnie Teves was spotted by some of his friends in South Korea, manifested that he had the chance to talk again yesterday to his friends who insisted they saw Arnolfo Teves.
“They saw Arnie Teves, with the pictures they sent me. But again, this representation would like again to clarify…that we wanted to inform the authorities and we asked already the embassy of our country in South Korea to check and find out if it is true,” Villanueva said.
He stressed he had no intention of dragging other people into the issue, especially Bong Teves, a fraternity brother.
Villanueva said one of the four persons who saw Arnie Teves claimed she saw the suspended lawmaker up close and without mask while he was getting a cup of coffee.
Also at the hearing, Sen. Francis Tolentino proposed that the DOJ create a special task force of prosecutors to investigate about 20 killings in Negros Oriental linked to the suspended lawmaker.
“Compile all the cases presented during the hearing and ask the DOJ for an update on each of the cases. At the end of the day, we will have a complete story from period A to Z. Segregate each case. All the underlying conditions will be considered. If we complete the picture, we can aspire to achieve justice,” Tolentino said.
Meanwhile, Degamo’s widow and Pamplona Mayor Janice Vallega-Degamo told the panel that the Teveses had been involved in several killings in the province since 2011.
“Rest assured that we will expeditiously act. And I think your request is very much so as taken and we will immediately implement this committee’s request,” Jesse Andres, National Prosecution Service (NPS) head, said in response to the panel’s proposal. “We will ask for a status report from each of the cases,” Andres pointed out.
“We are not accusing, but based on the testimonies of the resource persons, everyone is afraid,” Dela Rosa said.
“We will address the matter. If there is a need even to transfer the preliminary investigation cases to the DOJ proper, we will,” Andres told Dela Rosa. – Cecille Suerte-Felipe, Bella Cariaso
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