Teves asks ‘boss’ Remulla amid possible terror tag: Why are you pinning me down?
MEDIA APPEARANCE Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., who is reportedly abroad, faces reporters on Monday, April 17, 2023, through an online press conference to deny his alleged role in the murder of Gov. Roel Degamo. —SCREENGRAB FROM SMNI NEWS FACEBOOK LIVE
MANILA, Philippines —Suspended Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. is calling out Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, determined to find out what he did to stir the latter’s wrath.
The lawmaker’s reputation is on the line as he faces the possibility of being declared a “terrorist.”
In an interview with CNN’s The Source on Monday, Teves questioned the motives of the Justice Secretary, proclaiming his innocence and demanding that he not be labeled a terrorist until his alleged crimes have been proven beyond doubt.
Teves was named by authorities as the person behind the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and other individuals in the said province.
“Kung ita-tag ako ng kung ano mang pangalan diyan — terorista man o ano ‘yan — ibig sabihin, guilty na ako sa kanila, ito ‘yong sinasabi ko, sa’n ‘yong semblance of fairness? Bakit niya ako tinutumbok, Boying, bakit mo ako tinutumbok?” Teves said, referring to Remulla.
(If I am tagged a particular label, whether a terrorist or what, that means I am already guilty in their eyes, so where is the semblance of fairness? Why would they pin me down, Boying? Why are you pinning me down?)
“No’ng sinabi na sinimulan na ‘yong proseso para sa pagdeklara sa akin na terorista, paano niyo sisimulan ‘yong proseso na hindi pa nga ako guilty? ‘Di ba? Guilty lang ako sa pagtuturo nila Boying, boss Boying bakit mo ako tinututuro, ano’ng galit mo sa akin? Ano’ng ginawa ko sa’yo, wala akong kasalanan sa inyo boss, bakit niyo ako tinuturo? Sobra naman ‘yan, kawawa na kami masyado pati ang pamilya ko,” he added.
(When they said that they were starting the process to declare me as a terrorist, how would they start that when I am not yet guilty? I am only guilty according to their claims — boss Boying, why are you pointing at me? Why are you mad at me? What have I done to you? I have not wronged you, but why do you keep pointing at me? That is too much for my family and me.)
Teves also questioned why the Department of Justice (DOJ) is moving to use Republic Act No. 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 against him even as the weapons seized from his properties were allegedly planted.
“There’s no rule of law, only the rule of the boss […] it seems that I am being considered, guilty before proven innocent, which is not the spirit of the Constitution, right? You are innocent unless proven guilty. But in my case it’s the other way around,” Teves said in Filipino.
“So that means, if authorities plant evidence in a house of someone, he or she is already a terrorist? Is that it, just because police were ordered to plant evidence? And we can prove to you that there are a lot of planted evidence there […] so if that’s how things go in the Philippines, where is the rule of law?” he asked.
Remulla confirmed last April 17 that the DOJ is looking at designating Teves as a terrorist under the Anti-Terrorism Act. This is in response to Teves’ continuous refusal to return to the Philippines to face the accusations against him.
If Teves is designated as a terrorist, his assets would be frozen — making the world smaller for him, according to Remulla.
READ: DOJ eyeing to ‘designate’ Teves as terrorist under anti-terror law
READ: Moves under way to tag Teves as terrorist
Teves also claimed that according to one of the members of the raiding team, the directives came from higher-ranking officials.
“One time one of the members of the raiding team said […] ‘I’m sorry boss, this is just the order of two people in high places’. I just won’t mention their names,” he said.
“(He said) ‘we cannot do anything because it was a directive to pin you down,’” he added.
As of now, it is still unclear where Teves is staying. The lawmaker was given travel authority by the House for a medical procedure in the United States from February 28 to March 9. Still, he failed to return to the country after Degamo was killed, citing security reasons.
Degamo was killed by several men who barged inside his residence in Pamplona town last March 4 — with Teves accused of masterminding the incident. Teves has constantly denied the accusations, saying that he and his brother, former governor Pryde Henry Teves, would not benefit from it.
READ: Negros Oriental governor shot dead inside his house
READ: Teves ready to return to PH, face accusations but…
After the travel authority expired, Teves sought a two-month leave from the House, which was denied. The House Committee on Ethics and Privileges then deliberated Teves’ continuous absence despite the directive from Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to come home, which resulted in a 60-day suspension.
