MANILA — Six employees of embattled Negros Oriental Third District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. who were present during a series of raids in his properties are now under the custody of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
“Anim po ‘yung under the custody of the CIDG,” said Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo told reporters on Saturday.
“Ang at-large po ay nasa 4, kasama na po diyan ay si Congressman Teves who was not present during the implementation po ng search warrant,” she added.
In a phone interview on Sunday, CIDG chief legal officer P/Col. Thomas Valmonte said one of the employees was a security guard and the rest were close associates.
They are currently at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Police on Friday raided 3 houses owned by Teves, as well as 2 others belonging to his secretary and close associates, in Bayawan City and Basay town, Negros Oriental.
The raid yielded 10 short firearms, 6 rifles, 19 long magazines and extended magazines, several pieces of ammunition, over a hundred cartridge cases, a rifle scope, three hand grenades, and gun holsters.
In a text message, Fajardo clarified though that the pieces of evidence “have yet to be submitted for cross-matching and/or ballistics examination pending presentation of the same (as evidence) to the court which issued the search warrant.”
It was still unclear when Teves would return to the country from the United States, even as his travel clearance from the House of Representatives expired last Thursday.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez earlier urged Teves to return home after he was being linked to the death of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.
Teves on Monday said he received information that he would be pinned down for Degamo's assassination. He said he and his clan had nothing to do with the killing.
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ANC, ANC promo, Arnolfo Teves, Arnie Teves, Roel Degamo, Negros Oriental, Bayawan City, Basay, raid, PNP, CIDG