Cancellation of Teves’ passport pushed as DOJ hears new case
MANILA, Philippines — Government prosecutors have already asked the courts to cancel the passport of former Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves as the Department of Justice (DOJ) hears a new case against him for terrorism financing.
“Nag-file na po ang panel of prosecutors ng motion (The panel of prosecutors has already filed a motion) to cancel the passport of Mr. Teves. So, we are just waiting for the resolution on that motion,” DOJ Spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano said Wednesday.
Clavano said once Teves’ passport is canceled, “he can no longer travel from country to country.”
The spokesperson added that their information shows that Teves is still in Timor Leste.
“His only recourse is to come back to the Philippines and revalidate his passport. ‘Yun po ang ginagawa natin para ma-pressure sya na makauwi (We did that to pressure him to come home),” Clavano said.
Teves is facing a new complaint for violating Section 4 of Republic Act (RA) 10168, or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012. He is also facing a complaint for violation of RA 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 for providing material support to terrorists.
On Wednesday, the prosecutors conducted their first preliminary investigation, but Atty. Ferdinand Topacio said they have yet to receive a copy of the complaint.
“Ang nakalagay po sa batas ay kung ikaw ay nagpopondo ng mga bagay na may kaugnayan sa terorismo ay ikaw ay liable. Ang problema lang po ay wala ako masabi masyado ngayon sapagka’t nalaman lang po namin ang kasong ito mula sa ibang mga respondents at kanilang mga abogado,” Topacio lamented.
(What the law stipulates is that if you fund things related to terrorism, you are liable. The problem now is that I can’t say much because we only learned about this case from other respondents and their lawyers.)
Topacio added: “Hanggang ngayon po, wala pa rin kami kopya nung demanda, ‘yung complaint-affidavits and the annexes. Ang ginawa lang namin ngayon ay humingi lang kami ng kopya at nangako ang panel of prosecutors na sila po ay magbibigay sa 19 ng Disyembre.”
(Until now, we still don’t have a copy of the complaint, the complaint affidavits, and the annexes. What we did just now is request a copy, and the panel of prosecutors promised that they will provide it on December 19th.)
Teves flew to the US in late February for medical treatment, but the travel authority issued to him by the House of Representatives expired on March 9.
Aside from being implicated in the Degamo killing, Teves is also facing multiple murder charges before the DOJ over the 2019 killing of former Negros Oriental Board Member Miguel Dungog and two others, as well as complaints of illegal possession of firearms.
Last August, Teves was designated as a terrorist.
READ: Bringing Teves to justice
