MANILA (UPDATED) — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla once again challenged suspended congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. to return home and face the accusations against him.
Remulla said that if a person is guilty of an accusation, they will avoid it.
"Ang taong guilty iiwas talaga 'yan. Kahit ano pa sabihin niya kung wala siyang kasalanan humarap siya," he said on Thursday.
On ANC, Teves cited anew a supposed plot to kill him for his apprehension to return to the Philippines.
Remulla believes Teves is still in South Korea but thinks the lawmaker will return to Cambodia, where the Philippines has no extradition treaty.
"Parang nando'n pa pero babalik din ng Cambodia 'yun," said Remulla.
Meanwhile, Remulla took offense when Teves supposedly branded the Justice Department's investigation into the Negros killings as "funny."
"Kalokohan 'yung kalokohan. Ang namatay sa Negros, 9. Sabi niya nakakatawa raw ginagawa namin. Ano'ng nakakatawa ro'n? Nakakatawa ba namamatay ang 9 tao tapos nasasaktan 17 pa dahil sa utos ng isang tao? Hindi nakakatawa 'yun," the justice chief said.
Remulla said the government is still bent on tagging Teves as a "terrorist" following the seizure of high-caliber rifles from his home.
The Department of Justice previously said that Teves was considered one of the masterminds in the assassination of Degamo and 8 others. The lawmaker said he and his clan had nothing to do with the crime.
Teves has yet to return to the country, more than a month since his travel clearance expired.
He was slapped with a 60-day suspension at the House of Representatives over his continued absence in Congress after being implicated in Degamo's murder.
Remulla will meet on Thursday with the National Bureau of Investigation and summon the agent who testified to the Senate and said they were harassed by Teves after raiding an online sabong.
On the same day, Remulla will also meet with Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo.
—Reports from Robert Mano and Johnson Manabat, ABS-CBN News