DOJ eyeing to ‘designate’ Teves as terrorist under anti-terror law

DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla (left) and Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) is now looking at “designating” suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. as a terrorist over his alleged role in the March 4 massacre of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and eight others.

On Monday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told senators investigating the political killings that the activities leading to the March 4 massacre were covered by the Anti-Terror Law (ATL).

“In this case,  the activities that led to the killing on March 4 all are covered by the Anti Terrorism Law – the recruitment, the financing,  the purchase of firearms, the distribution of firearms – everything that transpired has the hallmarks of terrorism in it,” Remulla said during the hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs.

He was responding to queries of Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, who asked  about the pieces of evidences needed to designate an individual a terrorist based on the ATL.

The DOJ chief explained that cases were lodged individually against those allegedly behind the massacre because filing a terrorism case was not immediately possible since doing so would take “a lot of legal theory and a lot of research.”

READ: Where in the world is Arnie Teves? Villanueva says solon seen in South Korea hotel

Immediately filing an anti-terror case based on the crimes that happened might just “prejudice other convictions that can be secured easily with the same punishment for multiple murder[s],” Remulla further pointed out.

“However, as a solution to the impasse here about the surrender of Congressman Teves, we are looking at designating him or proscribing him as a terrorist—to have him proscribed by the Court of Appeals and designated by the Anti-Terror Council because of the acts that happened,” he said.

“Because the other persons [are] in custody already, there’s no more need, but as far as Congressman Teves is concerned, we may need for him to be designated and proscribed,’ the DOJ chief said.

Villanueva then asked how soon can the Anti-Terrorism Council freeze an asset of a person designated as a terrorist or part of a terrorist group so his movements would be limited.

“That’s really the intent, to look into all of these acts that transpired and the proscription and the  designation  (is) our goal further down the road. Because if the person will not surrender, then we will have to make the world smaller for him,” Remulla said.

“And that’s really the purpose of the anti-terror law, is that the whole world will actually not tolerate any act of terrorism,” he added.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. agreed that the ATL is appropriate in this particular case.

“Tamang-tama po itong batas na ito dahil dito nakapaloob ang lahat na dapat nating gawin – tanggalan ng passport, lahat, talagang ipitin na po. Kaya angkop na angkop ang anti-terror law sa mga nangyaring ito. Talagang 100 percent agree po ako rito,” he said during the same hearing.

(This law covers everything that we need to do – cancellation of passport, everything to squeeze a person. That’s why the anti-terror law is perfectly suited to what’s been happening. I completely agree with it, 100 percent)

Teves, who was prevented by the committee from attending the probe virtually, has repeatedly denied any hand in the assassination of Degamo and eight others, later dubbed the Pamplona massacre.

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