MANILA, Philippines — Five more people have been named as respondents in the latest criminal complaint filed over the daylightassassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.
Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon said five names were included in the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation Wednesday where Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. (Negros Oriental) was also named as a respondent.
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A copy of the complaint has yet to be made public.
The involvement of the five other respondents, who are unidentified, also remains unclear but authorities earlier pointed to Teves as the alleged mastermind of the crime. Teves, who has stayed away from the country because of fears for his security, has denied involvement.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said that there would be a delay in the filing of murder raps against Teves as witness-suspects clammed up when they were given new lawyers—they were earlier represented by the Public Attorney’s Office—paid for by someone else.
Witnesses might recant
Remulla said they are expecting recantations, but he remains confident that testimonies investigators secured earlier are enough to build the case.
Lawyer Levito Baligod, counsel of the Degamo family, told CNN Philippines’ Thursday that they also remain confident in their case. “Even if the 11 (suspects) recant, we have two other very credible witnesses that we will present during the trial,” he said.
He also claimed that an unnamed former justice undersecretary is “working with some jail guards” at the NBI detention facility where detainees involved in the case were offered money.
He did not offer proof of his allegation but said he already brought this up with Remulla and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr.
Baligod said they requested “if there is a possibility of transferring” the detainees to the Philippine National Police Custodial Center from the NBI to “insulate them” from bribery to note cooperate with the government.
'Persecution, not prosecution'
Teves, who has repeatedly refused to return to the country, however decried the supposed persecution against him.
The Department of Foreign Affairs last week said the government of Timor-Leste rejected Teves’ request for political asylum. The suspended lawmaker said he would neither conform nor deny that he had applied for asylum.
His lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, however, told CNN Philippines’ "Politics as Usual" on Wednesday night that he would not blame his client for seeking asylum.
“Because it is very clear from the actuations of the present secretary of justice (Jesus Crispin Remulla) that this is no longer a prosecution but a persecution,” Topacio said.
The lawyer cited Remulla’s statement brushing off testimony of a supposed witness pointing to a different mastermind of the Degamo assassination and the
“This goes beyond the normal bounds of a criminal investigation… It can outrun the bounds of reason to result in sheer oppression,” Topacio continued.
Teves, meanwhile, questioned why the authorities “are hell bent” on getting him back to the Philippines.
The lawmaker pointed out that he still have no charges in court, adding that he “does not feel safe” in the Philippines.
RELATED: Teves refutes Remulla, says not flying to Manila yet
Aside from the murder complaints over the Degamo killing, Teves is also under preliminary investigation over separate murder raps over 2019 killings and illegal possession of firearms and of explosives.
The process to designate him as terrorist has also started.
The lawmaker has yet to return to Manila despite assurances even from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for his safety, and a warning of further disciplinary action for his continued absence at the House of Representatives.