Some of the detained suspects may have been influenced to recant their statements that they and Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo A. Teves Jr. were involved in the March 4, 2023 killings of Gov. Roel R. Degamo and nine other persons, an official of the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Thursday, May 25.
DOJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV told reporters in a Zoom meeting that Teves is behind the recantations of the four detained suspects -- Jhudiel R. Rivero, Dahniel P. Lora, Romel A. Pattaguan and Rogelio C. Antipolo Jr.
“Kasama na doon si Cong. Teves and camp niya (That includes Teves and his camp),” Clavano said.
“Patungo na kasi sa kanya yung evidence so, sa tingin namin, may konting laro ‘yan para madiscredit yung evidence, kaso and yung DOJ (The evidence is now pointing to him and we believe this is a play to discredit the evidence, the case and the DOJ,” he pointed out.
Teves has been charged with 10 counts of murder, 14 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code in the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) before the DOJ. He had been tagged as “one of the masterminds” in the slaying of Degamo.
The DOJ has yet to resolve the complaint and determine if the charges will be filed in court.
Teves, who is still abroad and decline to return “on security reasons” has denied the allegations against him.
Clavano lamented the recantations done by the four suspects.
“So, bakit kayo bumaliktad? Bakit ninyo kami tinalikuran? (So, why did you flipped? Why did you turn your backs?) All we want here is for justice to be served so we can fight this culture of impunity,” he said.
Of those who recanted, Rivero stated in his affidavit that he was forced and tortured into admitting his participation and that of Teves’.
Clavano disputed Rivero’s claims as he pointed out that none of the suspects was tortured into admitting that they and Teves were involved in the killings.
“As far as our intelligence goes, wala pong ganong nangyari (no such thing happened). We are very careful in handling these suspects dahil sa tingin namin biktima din sila sa kaso na ito (because we believe that they are also victims in this case),” he said.
He assured that the DOJ will investigate and verify the allegations made by Rivero.
“Kung may nakitang walang ganon, meron tayong mga actions na kailangan i-undertake (If no torture was found, we will take action),” he assured.
“Kung nakita naman na meron talagang maltreatment, torture, then of course lahat ng taong involved doon mananagot din (Should maltreatment and torture be found, then of course all those involved will be held accountable),” he added.