Negros Oriental third district Rep. Arnulfo “Arnie” Teves yesterday broke his silence on the recent attack and killing of his province’s Governor Roel Degamo, claiming that despite being political rivals of the governor, the Teveses have no motive and would not benefit from his death.
“In an investigation of a crime, among the first (ideas) being established by the investigators are the motive and then who would benefit from it,” Teves said.
Teves explained that if he and his brother Henry, the one declared winner in the previous election but was later unseated in favor of Degamo, wanted to eliminate the latter they should have done so before or during the election.
“If I have the intent and capability to do so, why now? We wouldn’t benefit from it. For it’s the vice governor that would take his place and not my brother. We have nothing to gain in this incident,” Teves said, adding that his reaction to the killing was a little delayed as he went abroad for his medical needs.
According to Teves, based on the video of the governor’s killing that also involved other bystanders, the perpetrators, armed with long firearms, are no ordinary men but appeared to be organized and well trained.
Teves added that he also noticed on the video that even the person manning the gate just let the gunmen enter without a bit of resistance and one of the two dogs wagged its tail to the suspect near it.
“I have friends and sources in the intelligence field who informed me that there’s someone, you know who you are, that is really intent on blaming me for the governor’s death,” Teves claimed. “That’s something I expected and feared.”
Teves appealed to his detractors not to use him and the Degamo killing as tools to advance their personal ambitions and interests.
The Negros Oriental lawmaker appealed to the President for his immediate intervention in resolving the crimes in his province and to allow him the return of his licensed firearms for his protection and that of his family, including his two bodyguards.
‘If I have my way, I would like to treat politics as just politics. No to violence. Like the time of my lolo senator Lorenz and my father governor/congressman Herminio Teves wherein their political rivals were attending parties in our house,” Teves added.
He stressed that violence is not good for his district and not good for the whole province of Negros Oriental.
