Speaker warns Teves of expulsion

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Martin Romualdez warned suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. yesterday that his stern refusal to return from overseas and report to work may force their hand in the House of Representatives to expel him.

“Should Cong. Arnie continue to defy the return to work order after the lapse of the 60-day period of his suspension, the House may be constrained to reconvene and consider another possible disciplinary action against him,” Romualdez said.

While the Speaker did not utter the word “expulsion,” the natural course of disciplinary action against a suspended member who fails to recompense would be just that.

“This is our recourse in order to preserve the dignity, integrity and reputation of the House of Representatives,” said Romualdez who was, in effect, serving notice to Teves of what severe penalty their colleagues may decide to impose on him.

Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, widow of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo who was killed in a commando-style attack on his residence last March 4, has filed a petition for Teves’ expulsion with the House committee on ethics and privileges headed by Rep. Felimon Espares.

By virtue of 292 lawmakers who voted to approve the administrative sanction, Teves was slapped with a 60-day suspension last March 22, which means the punishment will expire on May 22, or before Congress goes on its June 2 break.

Romualdez, who represents the 1st District of Leyte, currently serves as the caretaker-representative of the 3rd District in Negros Oriental while Teves remains in hiding abroad, claiming there is an imminent threat to his life in the Philippines.

“Rather than evade investigation by Philippine law enforcement agencies, Cong. Arnie should return home immediately… I had repeatedly assured him that the House will secure his personal safety upon his return,” said the Speaker.

While President Marcos was in Indonesia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit this week, Romualdez also commended the government of Timor-Leste for rejecting the request of Teves to seek political asylum in the country.

He said Timor-Leste is “on solid ground” with its decision and that Marcos, who is his cousin, might even express gratitude to the foreign government’s leaders for taking “the right course of action.”

Marcos, himself, told reporters on the flight back to Manila yesterday that Teves must come home and face the murder charges to be filed against him.

“Come home. That’s the best advice I can give him. Come home,” said the President as he confirmed that the congressman’s case was among the issues he had discussed with Timor-Leste Prime Minsiter Taur Matan Ruak.

The two leaders held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. “It turns out that Congressman Arnie Teves applied for political asylum but was denied. That’s it. So I think they will continue to go to the (appeals) process,” Marcos said.

Files for reconsideration

But Teves has filed a motion for reconsideration to obtain a protection visa in Timor-Leste after his bid for asylum was denied by the government.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla revealed that the Philippine embassy in Timor-Leste informed him that Teves is asking the Timorese government to reconsider its denial.

Teves has been in the capital city of Dili since last week, but has not returned home since charges were filed against him over weapons found in his properties, and since he was tagged as the mastermind in the so-called Pamplona massacre.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has since announced that authorities may soon process the cancellation of Teves’ passport once murder charges are filed against him over the deadly March 4 attack that killed Degamo and nine other people in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.

Remulla has also sought Teves’ designation as a terrorist to force him home and hinted at the filing of murder and frustrated murder charges against him as early as today.

Lawyer warns against graft raps

Meanwhile, lawyers looking out for Teves’ best interest warned that officials of the DOJ and the Department of Foreign Affairs may be charged with graft if the lawmaker’s passport is revoked.

However, Teves’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said none of the three grounds for passport cancellation apply to his client’s case.

“(His passport can only be canceled) when he is a fugitive from justice, which he is not; when he is convicted by final judgment; and if the passport has been tampered with or fraudulently secured by the holder,” Topacio told CNN Philippines in an interview.

The lawyer reiterated that Teves is “not a fugitive” since no arrest warrants have been issued against him, considering that most of his cases are still at the DOJ level and that the multiple murder and frustrated murder charges have yet to be filed against him.

Remulla, however, insists that “technically he’s been a fugitive because he’s been wanted for the legal processes that may be served upon him.” But Topacio was clear that if authorities push through with canceling Teves’ passport, “We may have recourse to the courts to annul the action; and to the Ombudsman because that would be a case of graft.”

Topacio also mentioned that if murder or illegal possession of firearms charges are to be filed in court, Teves might consider house arrest, where he could be safe.

Mayor’ tagged in slay

Meanwhile, a man who claims to have knowledge about Degamo’s assassination turned up at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters to tag a “Mayor Fritz” in the governor’s murder.

Marlon Layasan Quibod, a resident of Hinoba-an in the neighboring province of Negros Occidental, gave his sworn statement which was later shown to media.

In it, Quibod said he met a certain Arnel Libradilla, a member of the New People’s Army in October 2022, and that in January the NPA rebel convinced him to work for a certain “Brownie,” who had a “project” to kill Degamo.

Quibod said he refused to take part in the plot to kill the governor and later found out that after Degamo was gunned down on March 4, Libradilla was killed in a police operation two days later.

Based on his statement, Quibod found out later that the “Brownie” he had met was “Mayor Fritz,” whose complete identity was not disclosed.

There is a Mayor Fritz Diaz in the town of Siaton, Negros Oriental, associated with the group of Degamo and reported to have previously survived multiple attempts on his life which he has blamed on the Teves camp.

However, there is no confirmation from authorities if Diaz is the Mayor Fritz being alluded to by Quibod.

‘Bato’ blows top

In the Senate, where high-profile killings in Negros Oriental were being investigated, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa blew his top over a resource person who seemed to question his alleged association with either the Teves family or the Degamos.

Speaking in Filipino, Dela Rosa snapped back at resource person Collene Pepino, widow of slain journalist Rex Cornelio, saying: “Remember that you cannot deceive me here. There are only two groups here — the Degamos and the Teves group. Even if you are not directly connected to Teves, you are effectively on his side because you are accusing the Degamos.”

Although he apologized to Pepino later on, the former chief of the Philippine National Police and head of the panel said he was not saying she was “on Teves’ payroll” or side, but that he was aware that her lawyer is associated with Teves.

Pepino replied that she was only referred to that lawyer because she did not have money to pay for her own and asked Dela Rosa if he could provide her with one; but the senator declined in the interest of him staying neutral and objective.

During the hearing, Dela Rosa also questioned the daughter of lawyer Rommel Eramis who processed and posted bail for policeman Noel Alabata even though he used a different name, “Ronald Tan.”

Eramis said they were not Alabata’s lawyers but they were the only ones who posted bail since his sister presented them with complete requirements and IDs.

Dela Rosa seemed to lecture Eramis, saying: “Due diligence on your part should be exercised. You are performing your law profession. You allowed yourself to be used by people who used the wrong identity despite being a well-established law firm.”

Expressing his doubts over the testimony, the senator added: “It is hard to accept that you were fooled. Something must be wrong.”— Neil Jayson Servallos, Helen Flores, Ghio Ong, Cecille Suerte Felipe