Teves faces multiple raps over Degamo slay

MANILA, Philippines — Multiple murder charges were filed yesterday against suspended congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the March 4 attack in Pamplona, Negros Oriental that killed then-governor Roel Degamo and nine other people.

Tagged as the mastermind in the case known as the “Pamplona massacre,” Teves was also slapped with frustrated murder and attempted murder charges over the wounding of 16 others present when gunmen opened fire at the governor’s residence.

Bearing boxes of evidence, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) led by Director Medardo de Lemos filed the charges before the special panel of prosecutors handling the probe into the bloodiest political killing in the province’s history.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla underscored that the charges brought against Teves are non-bailable.

Teves, who left the country four days before the commando-style attack on his family’s political rival, has since refused to return to the country until two days ago when Remulla told media that the congressman was due to fly back yesterday.

Teves said this was “fake news.”

“He has to come home, or they will file the case in court and a warrant will be issued in absentia… Preliminary investigations tend to be quick in absentia,” Remulla told reporters yesterday as he publicly warned Teves against extending his overseas stay.

Although the murders were carried out by several gunmen, most of whom are already arrested and detained, the charges filed by the NBI yesterday pertain only to Teves and his supposed participation in the attack.

Remulla explained to reporters that further investigations are still underway “for other cases and other suspects and other roles and crimes” in relation to the March 4 bloodbath.

Earlier, the DOJ secretary revealed that after most of the 10 suspects in custody pointed to Teves as the mastermind of the attack on Degamo, six of them have recently lawyered up and refrained from cooperating with investigating authorities.

He expressed suspicion that some of the gunmen who implicated Teves in exchange for witness protection may end up recanting their confessions.

Remulla said this was the reason why it took until Wednesday for the NBI to finally file charges against the congressman, more than a month after declaring the case “99-percent solved.”

“The subpoenas will be served, and then he (Teves) has to file a counter-affidavit. But if he doesn’t come home, he can’t file a counter-affidavit in absentia,” said Remulla.

Teves has been jumping from country to country and in order to force him to return, the DOJ sought his designation as a terrorist before the Anti-Terrorism Council.

An Interpol notice has also been issued against him, allowing Philippine authorities to be informed of his every move by countries that he enters.

Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, said police units are preparing for Teves’ possible return after he ordered them to ensure the lawmaker’s safety.

“It is better that we will provide all the appropriate security to make sure Congressman Teves will be properly accorded with these security arrangements,” said Acorda, who was cognizant of Teves’ insistence of a threat to his life if he returned.

Among the units on alert for his return are the Aviation Security Group, which Acorda instructed to coordinate with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

He said if the court orders Teves’ arrest, the PNP would comply.

Meanwhile, the PNP also confirmed the arrest of a police sergeant allegedly moonlighting as a gunman for the Teves family inside the PNP’s headquarters at Camp Crame, Quezon City the other day.

Staff Sergeant Noel Alabata Jr. was nabbed by a team of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in front of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) building at 8:50 a.m. on Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr., CIDG director, said Alabata was the subject of arrest warrants issued by two courts in Dumaguete City for attempted murder and attempted homicide, with his bail set at P120,000 and P36,000, respectively.

Caramat said that based on the charges, Alabata, who was previously assigned to the PDEG, is an alleged hit man tagged by investigators in the attack on a certain “Ong,” reportedly a business rival of the Teves family in Dumaguete City.

Since being relieved from the PDEG over his alleged involvement with the Teveses and the crimes they are charged with, Alabata has been on floating status at the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management’s Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit.

“Sgt. Alabata has been under restrictive custody at the PNP in Crame because we’ve been anticipating the issuance of his warrants of arrest,” Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, PNP chief information officer, said.

At present, he is being detained by the CIDG at its district special operations unit while awaiting the commitment orders from the courts.

‘Airtight’

Ferdinand Topacio, Teves’ counsel, said “it’s about time” the NBI filed its complaint, but challenged whether it is the “airtight case” promised by the DOJ.“

If what Secretary Remulla’s saying that he wants the case airtight, that won’t happen because as I heard… there’s a recantation from the witnesses last March 31 when they declared the case 99.9 percent solved,” he said in Filipino when interviewed by CNN Philippines.

Teves’ lawyer, who has long criticized the “trial by publicity” without formal criminal charges against his client, disagreed with the insinuations made by Remulla that “moneyed” individuals were behind the lawyers now representing the other suspects.

“Now, it is said that the lawyers are funded. He (Remulla) has such a low regard for his colleagues in the profession, thinking that they will not help the accused without payment,” Topacio said, as he stressed that it is within the gunmen’s rights to seek legal representation of their choice.

Expulsion?

At the House of Representatives, COOP-NATCCO party-list Rep. Felimon Espares, who heads the committee on ethics and privileges, said their panel will meet next week to discuss the recommendation for Teves’ expulsion from Congress.

Teves, who represents the 3rd District of Negros Oriental, is serving a 60-day suspension which lapses on May 23, the day Espares’ panel will convene to decide his ultimate fate.

“We could not make advance statement right now, but with these developments… I mean there might be (reason for explusion), because his applying for political asylum is a more serious (offense),” said Espares, referring to Teves’ recent request for political asylum in Timor-Leste, following his suspension for defying a return-to-work order.

Asked about the request of the widow of slain the late governor Degamo, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, for Teves to be expelled, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon said the committee did not recognize her letter as a valid recommendation.

“Pursuant to our rules, the letter is not under oath so the committee treats it as not filed. That is the status now of the letter of Mayor Degamo,” said Bongalon, a member of the committee. – Emmanuel Tupas, Sheila Crisostomo