Ammunition, explosives dug up in Henry Teves company compound

Suspected improvised explosive devices (IEDs), rocket propelled grenades, and ammunition were dug up during a second raid on the compound of HDJ Agri-Venture Corporation, whose president is former Negros Oriental Governor Pryde Henry Teves.

In a Sunday morning GTV News Live report, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said that an informant who claimed to be among those who buried the explosives and ammunition tipped authorities off on the items.

Due to this development, the CIDG said Teves would be facing illegal possession of firearms complaints. They were also looking into filing an Anti-Terrorism Act violation complaint.

"Ang sasampahan po natin yung may control over the compound... so it is the president of the company... Pryde Henry Teves," said CIDG Legal Division Chief Police Colonel Thomas Valmonte in Lei Alviz's Sunday 24 Oras Weekend report.

The CIDG on Friday began implementing a search warrant on the compound. Pryde Henry Teves was one of the owners of the compound.

On Saturday, the CIDG reported that police arrested three people and seized a cache of guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition from the compound.

Henry Teves is the brother of suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr., who was a respondent in a complaint filed in connection with several killings that occurred in the province in 2019.

The Teveses were also being linked to the murder of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.

However, Henry Teves' lawyer Atty. Ronel Depalubos argued that authorities still needed to prove that his client was the sole owner of the compound.

"Mayroon pang ibang kasamahan na mga stockholders din iyan... kaya siguro dinadawit ang pangalan niya dahil siya ang presidente... masyadong malaki po iyan kasi may mga tubuhan, may mill site," said Depalubos.

Depalubos added that authorities were trying to implicate his client in the death of Degamo, his client's political opponent.

"Nakita namin dito, sa mga pangha-harass nilas sa amin, eh parang dinadawit na talaga nila eh... he is very willing to face kung anuman iyong ikakaso or paa-answer-in siya ng DOJ, ng CIDG, ng NBI. Very willing po siya mag-cooperate," said Depalubos.

Meanwhile, the CIDG planned to search two other sites where, according to their informant, more weapons and explosives were stored. — Giselle Ombay/DVM, GMA Integrated News