Atty. Ferdinand Topacio at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay, May 31, 2023 | PHOTO; INQUIRER.net/Ryan Leagogo
MANILA, Philippines —Suddenly, the Degamo slay case has exploded into bombshell bribery allegations.
A few days ago, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla disclosed that Degamo murder suspects were bribed to retract.
On Wednesday, it’s the turn of the legal counsel of suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. to drop one.
In a statement, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said that certain officials of the Department of Justice (DOJ) offered to pay one of the suspects in the murder of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel. Degamo.
According to Topacio in a statement, Teves’ camp received “intelligence reports” that some high-ranking officials of the DOJ offered a handsome bribe to Marvin Miranda, Teves’ former aide, and is said to be the one who recruited the group that allegedly attacked Degamo.
Teves, on the other hand, is pointed as the mastermind behind Degamo’s assassination.
“We are verifying these reports, but rest assured that they come from sources [that] have been reliable in the past,” Topacio said.
Topacio added that he fears Justice Department officials have become desperate after ten of the witnesses in the killing of Degamo withdrew their testimonies against Teves and Miranda — tagging the latter as the DOJ’s “last card” against Teves.
READ: 10 suspects in Degamo’s slay withdraw testimony vs Teves
The lawyer accused DOJ officials of “moving heaven and earth and using all the resources at their disposal” to fabricate evidence against Teves.
Miranda is currently in the National Bureau of Investigation custody after Degamo’s death.
These allegations came a few days after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that the suspects in the killing of Degamo and nine others received P8-million offers each to recant their statements, also citing an intelligence report.
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