Arnie Teves asks for fairness, says he's also a victim

Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. on Tuesday said he will not return home yet due to fears over his safety, appealing for authorities’ “fairness” and for them to look at all angles in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.

Teves is being linked to the killing of Negros Oriental governor and several others.

The lawmaker said he has requested to speak via Zoom during the House committee on ethics and privileges panel hearing on Tuesday. But the panel insisted he needed to be physically present to explain why he has not returned despite a lapsed travel authority.

“Ang hinihingi ko lang naman fairness, at hindi yung ididiin yung isang tao.  Hinihiling ko rin sana na tignan ang lahat ng anggulo,” he said in video posted on Facebook.

“Paano natin makukuha ang totoong hustisya dito? Pareho lang kami ng pamilya Degamo na biktima dito. Ginagamit ako ng marami dyan for political milage. Nanawagan ako sa ating mahal na Presidente sobra na yung ginagawa ng ibang tao sa gobyerno sa akin, masyado na nila akong dinidiin, kinakawawa, at inaapi,” he added.

Without elaborating, Teves spoke about the "script" that is slowly being unraveled.

"Mga bossing unti unti nang nakikita ng taumbayan ang script. 'Wag nyo naman sanang gawing sine ang totoong buhay, nagsasakripisyo kayo ng tao para sa palabas nyo, 'wag naman ganun mga boss.  Ano kaya kung kayo ang nasa lugar ko na ginawa kayong sacrificial lamb," he said.

"Meron nga akong naisip na kasama sa script 'yung pagpatay kay Degamo para lang madiin ako, grabe naman, pag nalaman ni Presidente itong pinaggagawa nyo malilintikan kayo sa kanya," he added.

Addressing Speaker Martin Romualdez' appeal to him to come home, Teves raised concerns about his safety.

“Hindi lang naman sa wala akong tiwala sa inyo, ito lang ang aking tanong paano ninyo ako magagarantiya ng safety ko na unang una tinanggalan ninyo ako ng baril…bodyguard, ngayon gagarantiyahan ninyo ako safety? Ilang army, ilang pulis nakaassign kay Degamo nasaan siya ngayon nakalibing,” he said.

“Sa totoo lang gusto kong umuwi kundi lang sa pagkadelikado ng aking buhay," he also said.

Teves said he also reached out to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, adding that he thought of him as a “friend.”

“Isama ninyo man ako sa suspect sa mga imbestigasyon walang problema, pero ang hiling ko lang huwag naman ako lang. Lahat ng anggulo tignan natin,” he added.

The DOJ earlier dismissed one complaint of illegal possession of firearms and unlawful possession of explosives filed against Teves due to lack of evidence.

Two arrested suspects, Joric Labrador and Benjie Rodriguez, both former soldiers, earlier said a certain “Cong Teves” ordered the hit on Negros Governor Roel Degamo, who was killed at his residence in Pamplona town on March 4.

Teves denied that he and his brother Henry were involved in the killing of Degamo amid allegations that the incident was politically motivated. The Teveses are political rivals of the Degamo family.

Teves earlier asked the House leadership to grant him a two-month leave of absence, citing a "very grave threat" to his life and his family.—LDF, GMA Integrated News