Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo Teves (Facebook)

Senator Ronald ‘’Bato’’ dela Rosa on Saturday, April 22, urged Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. to testify before his Senate Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Committee. That is, if he has the "balls" to appear in person.

Dela Rosa said he could not deny Teves’ right to be interviewed by media several times after members of his committee unanimously rejected his request to appear in it's hearings virtually.

‘’Di natin masisi media gusto malahad both sides ng story (We cannot fault media because it wanted to print both sides of the story),’’ he added.

Before terminating his recent three-day public hearing, Dela Rosa decried the existence of ‘’reign of terror’’ in Negros Oriental, the political turf of Teves.

He said the committee wanted Teves to physically appear so that it could acquire jurisdiction over him should it decide to cite him in contempt.

If Teves is in Cambodia as earlier reported, the committee later said he could go to the Philippine embassy in Thailand where he could this oath and testify.

‘’Then after that lumipad siya sa ibang bansa (he can fly to any country,’’ Dela Rosa said during a DWIZ radio interview.

Dela Rosa said Teves’ brother, former Negros Oriental governor
Henry Pryce Teves, appeared before his committee

‘’Lumabas ka (Come out in the open),’’ he added, referring to Congressman Teves.

‘’Buhay naman, may bayag siyang sumagot sa media, may bayag din dapat siyang humarap sa Senado (What a life, if he has the balls to answer through the media, then he should also have the balls to appear before the Senate),’’ he said.

Teves refused to return to the country because there are reportedly threats to his life.

Dela Rosa dared Teves to come out in the open and testify to refute the allegations against him.

Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo told the Dela Rosa committee this week that threats against the life of her slain husband, Negros Oriental Governor
Roel Degamo, came from the camp of Teves.

‘’Flight means guilt yun ang iniisip ng tao, di ko siya hinuhusgahan pero di maiwasan mag isip ang tao (that is what people are thinking and I am not making a judgment but you cannot help people from thinking otherwise),’’ Dela Rosa stressed.

On claims of Teves receiving information that two ranking government officials want him liquidated, Dela Rosa said that if the information is true ‘’What will the government benefit from killing him?’’

‘’Mas gusto ng gobyerno na humarap siya. Hindi yung patayin sya, di naman pareho ng utak nya ang gobyerno natin (Government wants him to come out in the open. Government would not kill him as it does not think like him), he pointed out.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier testified that the DOJ has issued a summon to the congressman and that there is still no arrest warrant for him.

‘’Isa pa yun, anong kinakatakutan nya, sabi nya papatayin siya no less than PBBM gave assurance na di sya mamamatay (No less than President Ferdinand ‘’Bongbong’’ R. Marcos Jr,  has assured his safety),’’ dela Rosa said.

‘’Si DILG Secretary [Benhur Abalos] nagsabi rin (also said) that he is the alter ego of the President. I-avail na niya yun (He can use that as his assurance),’’ he added.

Abalos had told the committee that Teves would not even suffer a scratch on his body if he turns himself up.