Suspended Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” A. Teves Jr., a suspected “mastermind” in the March 4 killing of provincial governor Roel R. Degamo, may still be in Cambodia.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, in an ambush interview on Tuesday, April 11, said: “I think he’s still in Cambodia. I think he’s still there.”
Teves, whose official travel abroad expired last March 9, has yet to return to the Philippines. He has denied any link or involvement in the killing of Degamo in Pamplona town where eight other people died and 17 others injured.
He has been suspended as member of the House of Representatives. House Speaker Martin Romualdez took over as legislative caretaker of the 3rd District of Negros Oriental.
Meanwhile, Remulla said he met with Teves’ brother, former Negros Oriental Gov. Pryde Henry Teves.
“He just repeated his public statements, the statements he had made public about his waiver (on the examination of his bank accounts and telephone records),” the Remulla said as he recounted his conversation with Pryde.
“He disclosed to me all of these things in front of many of our DOJ staff,” he said.
Remulla said that Pryde denied any involvement in the Degamo killing.
“’Yun ang sabi niya (that’s what he said) he did not in any way participate in any of these things that happened,” he said.
“He’s in the process of trying to clear his name that he was not involved. He said had no idea this was going to happen and that he just wants to live in peace,” Remulla also said.
It was confirmed that Pryde had submitted his counter-affidavit on the charges of illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, and explosives filed against him at the Department of Justice.