DOJ denies Teves camp's motion to inhibit

Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors on Tuesday denied a motion asking them to inhibit from the preliminary probe against suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. over the alleged killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.

“Opo, dineny po ng panel ‘yung motion for inhibition dahil po sa kanila, sila as a panel, they act independently,” Atty. Andres Manuel, one of Teves’ legal counsel, said in an ambush interview following a hearing on the case.

(Yes, the panel denied our motion for inhibition because they believe that they act independently as a panel.)

“Ang counter naman po natin kanina is ‘yun pong ating motion for inhibition, hindi naman po nakatuon sa panel lamang kundi sa buong DOJ na sa paningin ni Congressman Teves, hindi na po fair and… impartial” he added.

(Our counter is that our motion for inhibition is for the whole of DOJ, which Congressman Teves thinks is no longer fair and impartial.)

Teves, one of the alleged masterminds in the assassination of Degamo, earlier argued that the DOJ is not an impartial tribunal and that his right to due process has been violated due to the remarks of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

According to Andres, they asked DOJ prosecutors to put the denial in writing so they could take the appropriate legal action.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview, Justice spokesperson Atty. Mico Clavano said the panel had given every right to the respondents.

Clavano further stressed that the camps of Teves and the other accused stated that they had no doubt on the independence of the panel of prosecutors.

“So from that alone, you can already see that there’s a different play going on here kung bakit nila gustong ilipat doon sa Ombudsman,” he said.

“If there is no doubt as to the independence of the panel of prosecutors, then why still venture to ask the case be transferred to the Ombudsman,” he added.

For Pamplona mayor Janice Degamo, the widow of the slain governor, it was only right for the prosecutors to deny the motion.

“They know what they’re doing. Pinag-aralan nila ‘yan kung ano ‘yung magiging outcome ng kanilang hinahawakan at binabasa na mga documents coming from both parties,” she said.

(They know what they are doing. They are looking into the possible outcome from the documents that they are holding from both parties.)

She said that though they would prefer for the case to go faster, it cannot be denied that the case is progressing.

The next hearings will be held on Monday, July 3, and Monday, July 17.

Documents submitted

According to Manuel, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will submit the documents that they requested.

The camp of Lloyd Garcia, the pilot who allegedly controlled the helicopter used by the 10 accused to escape Negros Oriental after the killing, requested clearer copies of photographs and CCTV footage.

Atty. Paris Real, Garcia’s legal counsel, also denied Garcia’s involvement in the ploy.

Meanwhile, Atty. Russel Miraflor said his clients, accused Romel Pattaguan, Dahniel Lora, Osmundo Rivero, Joven Javier, and Rogelio Antipolo, affirmed their recantations virtually. Four of the affidavits were officially executed on June 20.

Miraflor said he also submitted a motion to suppress the evidence.

Atty. Florian Banabana, Rivero’s other legal counsel, said Rivero’s wife was not allowed to see him when they visited on Sunday.

“Ang sa amin lang, sana manawagan kami kay Sec. Abalos kung pwede lang din kahit i-augment na lang BJMP doon para hindi lang maapektuhan constitutional right ng client namin doon sa visitorial rights nila,” he said.

Atty. Michael Mella, Nigel Electona’s legal counsel, meanwhile, said they requested a copy of the complaint for illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, and explosives filed against him.

For the Justice Department, the recantations are of no moment, according to Clavano.

“We know what the case is about, we know that there is a conspiracy that’s happening behind the scenes and these recantations for us only prove that point, na itong conspiracy ay nandoon,” he said.

“There’s CCTV footage, ballistics, forensic evidence, that will show that they were there in the scene of the crime and they were the ones that pulled the trigger that killed 10 people in Pamplona,” he added.

Clavano also said that Rivero’s wife was prevented from visiting because this happened only days after NBI detainee Jad Dera was arrested after leaving the detention facility.

“We afford the detainees every right to see their family dahil karapatan naman po talaga yan ng mga detainee kahit nakakulong. It’s just that during the time na pumunta ‘yung misis ni Osmundo Rivero ay naka high alert pa po yugn NBI detention center,” he said.

Good spirits

According to Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, one of Teves’ legal counsel, the lawmaker is “confident” and “in good spirits.”

“His confidence is borne not by anything else but because of his innocence and the acts being accredited to him,” Topacio said.

Teves has yet to return to the country, saying there are threats to his safety. He has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.

Topacio also wished Remulla good health after the DOJ announced that Remulla was on a 10-day wellness leave.

“Nagkasakit yata siya at sana ay mapayuhan ko siya na ‘primo, chillax lang.’ Eh, trabaho lang naman ito. We wish you to enjoy life. Work life balance, and remember life is short and so am I,” he said.

Degamo and nine others were killed while several others were injured after an attack on the late governor’s home in Negros Oriental on March 4, 2023 —VAL, GMA Integrated News