Arnie Teves: No hand in recantation of Degamo suspects

Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. on Wednesday denied involvement in the recent recantation of testimonies made by suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.

“Again, anything— Wala ako. Hindi ko nga— Basta anything legal just refer to my lawyer please,” Teves, one of the alleged masterminds in the ploy, said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(Again, anything— I don’t have. I didn’t— anything legal just refer to my lawyer, please.)

“Paano ako magkakaano doon na ang layo-layo ko. Hindi ko nababalitaan yung mga bali-balita. Ang sa akin lang, doon lang tayo sa katotohanan,” he added.

(How can I be involved in that when I am far? I’m not updated with the news. Let’s stick with the truth.)

To recall, one of the suspects in the killing, Osmundo Rivero, on Monday recanted his testimony and denied knowledge of the assassination. He also denied knowing Teves and Teves’ former bodyguard Marvin Miranda, another alleged mastermind.

Rivero’s legal counsel,  Danny Villanueva, the following day said three other suspects recanted their testimonies, though these have yet to be received by the Department of Justice.

The development came more than a month after Degamo and 10 others were killed while several others were injured in the attack on the late governor’s home in Negros Oriental.

The National Bureau of Investigation last week arrived at the DOJ, carrying boxes of documents related to the filing of murder complaints against Teves.

Teves, for his part, has denied involvement in the killing.

Meanwhile, he reiterated that there are threats to his life, barring his return to the Philippines. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., however, had said their best intelligence did not perceive any threat against him.

The lawmaker also reportedly sought political asylum in Timor-Leste but was rejected.

When asked if he has sought asylum elsewhere, Teves refused to neither confirm nor deny.

“Sa akin na lang yun. Hindi naman lahat ng bagay kailangan ko isapubliko,” he said.

(I’ll keep that to myself. I don’t need to make things public all the time.)

Meanwhile, Teves said he attempted to join the House plenary earlier in the day but his staff was told that they were waiting for the approval of House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.

“So I put out a chat in our all-member Viber group asking if this ruling is true for everybody na kung sasali ka via Zoom kailangan pa mag paalam kay SecGen or is this ruling specially made only for Congressman Arnie Teves,” he said.

Teves said he also voted through Viber on Tuesday but was still marked absent.

For his part, House Committee on Ethics chairperson Felimon Espares said that per House treatment, Teves was still absent.

House Ethics Comm Chair Rep Felimon Espares, reacting to @dzbb ‘s interview w/ Negros Oriental Rep Arnolfo Teves, Jr: Per House treatment, he is still absent. @gmanews

— Tina PanganibanPerez (@tinapperez) May 24, 2023
 

Espares previously said Teves remains out of the country with an expired travel authority, making his absence “unauthorized.”

Teves’ 60-day suspension ended on Monday.

Despite this, Velasco said  "expulsion" remains an option for the House of Representatives.—LDF, GMA Integrated News