Teves no-show at Manila court hearing

MANILA, Philippines — Expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. did not show up at the hearing set by a court in Manila yesterday.

Teves’ lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, arrived at the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 51 in his stead, along with lawyers for 15 of his co-accused for the murder of the late Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo.

Also present at the hearing was the camp of Degamo’s widow, Pamplona, Negros Oriental Mayor Janice Degamo, represented by lawyer Andrei Bon Tagum.

Presiding Judge Merianthe Pacita Zuraek ordered Teves’ arraignment reset to Nov. 29, according to Topacio.

The deferment may have been prompted by the filing by Teves’ camp of a petition for review before the Department of Justice last Sept. 21, Topacio said.

Tagum said that while Degamo’s widow was hoping “the proceedings will take a faster rate, we have to yield to the demands of the rules of court and of course the rules of procedure. We have to be patient.”

A month ago, the Manila RTC Branch 51 issued an electronic arrest warrant against Teves, Angelo Palagtiw and an alias “Gee Ann” or “Jie-Ann” only identified as a “sister” of Palagtiw, as well as Capt. Lloyd Cruz Garcia II.

Teves – who was expelled as a member of the House of Representatives and has been tagged a terrorist – was spotted during an event attended by former senator Manny Pacquiao in Timor-Leste in late September.

Meanwhile, the arraignment of 11 other men charged in connection with the shooting spree that killed Degamo and nine others last March 4 has been delayed since May.