MANILA — Suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. on Thursday filed an urgent motion asking a panel of prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to inhibit from handling the probe on the Gov. Roel Degamo murder case.

Teves, who remains overseas, was represented by his lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, who cited DOJ's alleged bias against his client as a reason for the motion.

“Hinihiling po natin na mag-inhibit ang buong DOJ sa pagdinig ng kaso ni Cong. Teves dito sa murder case sapagkat para sa amin ay pronounced na na siya ay guilty ng kalihim ng DOJ," Topacio said.

(We are asking the DOJ to inhibit from Rep. Teves' case because it is clear to us that he is guilty as far as they're concerned.)

In his motion, Teves cited DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla's media pronouncements allegedly prejudging his guilt, including a claim that the suspended lawmaker was the "executive producer" of Degamo’s killing.

• DOJ chief names alleged Degamo slay mastermind held by NBI

“It is a tragedy that Teves, Jr. can never be sure that true justice will be achieved before the Department of Justice due to the undue influence that Sec. Remulla’s statements bring to the case,” the motion said, noting that it is the justice secretary who has the power to review resolutions of prosecutors and to supervise and discipline them as well as promote or reassign them.

Topacio said Remulla’s statements were concerning.

“I’ve been working with the DOJ for a long time, panahon ni Sec Gonzales, (Vitaliano) Aguirre, (Menardo) Guevarra. Hindi naman ganyan katindi. There are pronouncements about the case pero hindi ganyan kadalas, katindi, at katapang,” Topacio said.

(I've been working with the DOJ for a long time... but I've never experienced treatment as intense as this. There are pronouncements about the case but they were not that frequent and bold.)

Teves pointed out that despite Remulla’s public statements, it took the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) almost 4 after Degamo’s death before murder complaints could be filed against him at the DOJ.

Degamo was killed on March 4, while the murder complaints were filed with the on May 17, a little over 2 months since the governor's killing.

• Teves finally faces murder raps more than 2 months after Degamo killing

Accusing the DOJ of partiality and claiming he was deprived of due process, Teves argued the Degamo murder probe should be conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Since the Office of the Ombudsman is granted by law the power to investigate and prosecute any act or omission of any public officer or employee, it necessarily has jurisdiction to conduct preliminary investigation on this case against Teves, Jr., who is an elected public official as congressman in the third district of Negros Oriental,” the motion said.

Beyond jurisdiction, Topacio said the Ombudsman is the better venue for the probe since it is “not a political office” and Ombudsman Samuel Martires has the track record, having been a Sandiganbayan and Supreme Court justice.

• Teves may return to Philippines if DOJ inhibits from Degamo slay case: lawyer

Reacting to Teves' motion for DOJ prosecutors to inhibit themselves from the Degamo slay probe, Remulla only had this to say: "We are not judges."

Remulla earlier chided Teves over his online activities, including posting videos on social media calling the Justice chief names.

“They’re trifling with the judicial process. Dapat igalang niya yung batas. We’re talking about the law here. We’re not talking about any social media controversy," Remulla said earlier in June.

(He should respect the law.)

“May subpoena siya. Dapat malaman ng taong bayan. Pinapatawag po siya ng mga alagad ng batas upang magpaliwanag sa mga krimen na ibinibentang sa kanya sa pagkamatay ng maraming tao. Ito po ang sagutin niya,” he added.

(He has a subpoena. They public should know. Law enforcers are summong him to explain the accusations against him regarding the death of several people. He should answer that.)

The DOJ panel started its probe on Teves’ involvement in Degamo’s killing on June 13.

Topacio explained their absence by presenting proof that Teves’ office at the House of Representatives received the subpoena only on June 14.

The next probe is set on June 27.

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