Remulla cites ‘reliable source’; solon’s side
Suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. is expected to return to the country today, possibly ending over two months of staying abroad after the expiration of his official travel last March 9, Justice Secretary Jesus Remulla said yesterday.
Citing a “very reliable source,” Remula made the disclosure in a hastily called press conference a day before the National Bureau of Investigation is set to formally file a complaint against Teves today (Wednesday) in connection with the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and nine others last March 4.
“He’s usually a very reliable source for those who come in and out of the country… (He) may have access to flight data into the country,” the Justice chief said of his source.
Teves’ lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, declined to comment on Remulla’s statement. He later said in a TV Patrol report that his client’s return was “fake news.”
“We have no comment as of this time. We will just (wait for) events to show whether or not the information of the good Secretary is reliable or not,” Topacio told Manila Standard in a message.
Because of Teves’ anticipated return, Remulla said law enforcement agencies have already been placed on alert in order to avoid any untoward incident upon his arrival.
However, he clarified that Teves will not be arrested as there is still no standing warrant of arrest against the lawmaker yet.
“Law enforcement agencies have been placed on alert so he can be secured properly, so we would not be surprised by the arrival,” Remulla said.
The notice issued by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) could have prompted Teves to consider returning to the country, Remulla said.
Teves flew to the United States days before the attack on Degamo’s property. He has since transferred to Timor-Leste, which last week denied his application for political asylum. He was also rumored to have gone to Cambodia and South Korea.
“He’s already on Interpol notice and things are becoming more difficult for Mr. Teves to go around. That’s what was told to me by my reliable sources,” Remulla said.
“He will likely return, most probably because it’s difficult to go around the world now when you’re already on Interpol notice and it’s already known in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) that he’s a subject of designation as a terrorist. So, things have become more difficult, I suppose,” the DOJ chief added.
Remulla said Teves’ return would give the latter an opportunity to formally answer the cases against him.
“It means he can answer the process of law. If a case is filed against him (today) then it can be immediately served to him. That can run accordingly and the cases be resolved by the panel of prosecutors based on his counter-affidavit,” Remulla said.
Meanwhile, Degamo’s widow said she already expected the possible recantations of suspect-witnesses in the assassination of her husband.
“Even from the start, I was also already informed by my lawyers that that is something we should also expect. It (recantation) didn’t come unexpected,” said Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo in an interview on dzBB.
Remulla on Monday said the filing of murder complaints against Teves has been pushed back because six to seven suspects-turned-witnesses have been advised by their lawyers not to cooperate.
“We are expecting the worst scenario. But we are still very confident that we will make it,” Mayor Degamo said. With Rio N. Araja