Teves charged for Degamo slay

MANILA, Philippines — Murder charges have been filed against expelled congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. over the March 4 assassination of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

State prosecutors filed charges of murder, frustrated murder and attempted murder against Teves before a Manila court on Aug. 18, DOJ spokesman Mico Clavano said at a forum over the weekend.

Other murder charges have likewise been filed against Teves over the killing of three persons in Negros Oriental in 2019. These were filed in Bayawan City in Negros but the DOJ is asking for their transfer to Manila.

“We want the venue of the trial on neutral ground, and it will all be done here,” Clavano said in Filipino.

He said the DOJ hopes that the courts will issue an arrest warrant on the former Negros Oriental lawmaker “in the next few days.”

The killing of Degamo took place in his residential compound in Pamplona while he was distributing aid. Nine other people were killed in the attack.

Ten suspects are currently in the custody of the authorities, while one had been killed in an encounter with security forces.

One of the suspects named a certain “Cong. Teves” as the person behind the attack against Degamo.

In April, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Teves appeared to be the “main mastermind” in the killing of Degamo, likening him to an “executive producer of a movie.”

He has also dubbed Marvin Miranda, one of the alleged masterminds in the case, as a “director or casting director.”

In May, Remulla said Teves was in Timor-Leste to seek asylum. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Teves’ application was denied.

In August, the Anti-Terrorism Council designated Teves and 12 others as terrorists, citing several alleged killings and harassment in Negros Oriental.

According to Clavano, the designation as a terrorist was meant to “clip Teves’ wings and limit his financial capacity and financial transactions” as it would mean freezing the former lawmakers’ assets.

Teves was expelled on Aug. 16 from the House of Representatives for disorderly conduct and his continued absence despite an expired travel authority.

The former lawmaker earlier said he is not inclined to go home yet due to fears over his safety.

He has also appealed to authorities for fairness and asked them to look at all angles in the killing of Degamo.

When sought for comment, Teves’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said he has not yet read the DOJ resolution indicting his client. “May I reserve my comment until I’ve read it?” he said in a text message.