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Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. gives a statement regarding alleged threats his camp discovered back in January. Courtesy of Arnolfo Teves Jr. Facebook page
MANILA (UPDATE) — A Manila court on Tuesday issued a warrant of arrest against expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves and 3 others over the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.
The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 51 said it found probable cause to issue an arrest warrant against Teves, Angelo Palagtiw, a certain "Gie Ann," and Capt. Lloyd Garcia II.
It also ordered the transfer of Nigel Electona to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City from the Manila City Jail.
Presiding Judge Merianthe Pacita Zuraek said after a personal evaluation of the amended information as well as resolutions and other documents, there is probable cause for the issuance of warrants of arrest.
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In the case of victim Fredelino Cafe, Jr. who eventually died on May 6, 2023, the initial charge of frustrated murder was elevated to murder.
Because of the admission of amended information in the multiple murder, frustrated murder and attempted murder cases of Teves and his co-accused, the court also canceled the arraignment of all the accused, including those already in detention, scheduled on September 6, 2023.
The court reset the arraignment and pre-trial conference to October 4, 2023 at 1:30 in the afternoon.
In an earlier interview with reporters, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that after an arrest warrant against Teves was issued, a letter will be sent to the United Nations.
“The designated terrorist now have murder cases and they should stand trial in our country and that we are asking them to ask the member states of the UN to acknowledge their duty of rendition to bring back Teves to the Philippines for trial,” Remulla said.
Remula added Teves has been on the run in Southeast Asian countries Timor Leste, Cambodia and Thailand.
“Paikot-ikot lang kasi wala namang mga boundaries itong mainland, itong ASEAN mainland, wala naman itong actual boundaries,” Remulla said.
Teves and 4 others were charged with 10 counts of murder and several counts of frustrated and attempted murder over the killing Degamo and 9 others in March, the justice department confirmed last week.
Teves is facing other murder cases due to the killing of Michael Dungog, a former Negros Oriental provincial board member, who was shot on March 25, 2019 in Dumaguete City, as well as the killing of Lester Bato, a bodyguard of a mayoral candidate on May 26, 2019; and Pacito Libron, who was an alleged hitman linked to Teves.
The former lawmaker has repeatedly denied involvement in the killings. He refused to return to the Philippines due to alleged threats to his life.
The House of Representatives in August expelled Teves from the chamber over his continued absence from his duties.
Teves and 11 others were tagged as terrorists in the same month by the Anti-Terrorism Council.
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