Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said that Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo A. Teves Jr. has left the United States and on his way back to the Philippines.
Congressman Teves Jr. has been reportedly named by some detained suspects as “involved” and allegedly “as mastermind” in the killing last March 4 of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.
Aside from Degamo, eight persons also died in the shooting incident that occurred in broad daylight at the residence of the late governor in Pamplona town. Seventeen other persons were injured.
Remulla on late Friday afternoon, March 10, said that Teves Jr. “is somewhere in Asia now pero hindi pa siya nakakalipad papasok rito (but he has yet to fly to the Philippines).”
He said there have been “no surrender feelers from Arnie,” the nickname of Congressman Teves Jr.
“We are trying to monitor at meron kaming information na nakukuha (and we have been receiving information),” he also said.
At the same time, Remulla disclosed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will investigate at least 10 other cases of deaths that have taken place in Negros Oriental.
He said he learned of the deaths during his visit at Degamo’s wake together with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr.
“I will not name names but the political violence is what they are complaining about,” he said.
In the meantime, he said “we will wait for the official affidavits and statements to come in.”
He recalled that when Degamo was still alive and during the latter’s visit, the late governor expressed concerns over the violence in Negros Oriental.
“He (Degamo) was already complaining about the violence in Negros but it was a general statement. There were no specifics,” he said.
He reiterated that the DOJ will spare no one in its investigations into the killings in Negros Oriental.