To track down Degamo murder suspects, including Rep. Teves
The Department of Justice is looking at placing the suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo under Interpol lookout, including Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. who the DOJ said is “one of those…suspected to be the mastermind.”
“We are not closing the doors to anybody. He is among those we are looking at because as the President has said, the assassination was political. In no uncertain terms, the President said this is political so obviously the political rival of Governor Degamo—Congressman Arnie Teves—and he is one of those that we are suspecting to be the mastermind behind the Degamo slay,” DOJ spokesman Mico Clavano said.
“Although we have to be careful because everyone has the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. We cannot condemn and we have to let the wheels of justice turn. We cannot convict through the media,” he added.
He said there are still five suspects at large and 12 John Does in the case.
“We have taken concrete steps to come up with an international lookout bulletin. We are also discussing about putting them under the Interpol’s Blue Notice,” Clavano said.
A Blue Notice under Interpol allows Philippine authorities to place the suspects under monitoring and collect information on their whereabouts and activities when they travel abroad.
Teves has yet to return from an overseas trip.
He earlier asked House Speaker Martin Romualdez for a two-month leave of absence starting March 9, citing a grave security threat to his life and that of his family. The request was denied.
Degamo’s wife earlier appealed to authorities to freeze the accounts and properties of Teves.
“His account and properties should be frozen because that can still be translated to liquid money,” said Janice Degamo, who is also the town mayor of Pamplona.
Two arrested suspects earlier said a certain “Cong Teves” ordered the hit on Degamo, who was killed at his residence on March 4.
Meanwhile, the DOJ dismissed one complaint of illegal possession of firearms and unlawful possession of explosives filed against Teves, Clavano said.
He said the case was dismissed due to lack of evidence against Teves, who was abroad during the raid in one of his homes.
Clavano said the firearms were under the custody of a certain “Roland Aguinsanda Pablio.”
The raids were related to the murder raps filed by the CIDG against Teves for allegedly masterminding killings in 2019.
