DOJ admits: Cancellation of ex-Rep Arnie Teves' passport not yet final
The trial court's order that directed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to cancel the passport of expelled Negros Oriental 3rd district congressman Arnolfo "Arnie" A. Teves Jr. is not immediately executory.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV said that Teves' lawyers can still appeal by filing a motion for reconsideration (MR) on the Feb. 8 order issued by Judge Merianthe Pacita M. Zuraek of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 51.
Earlier, the lawyers of Teves had said they would exhaust all legal remedies to reverse the order of passport cancellation.
“Due process dictates na yung decision ay magiging final and executory only upon 15 days within which may chance po ang kabilang kampo na magfile ng kahit anong necessary pleading nila so kasama na po d’yan ang MR (Due process dictates that the decision will become final and executory in 15 days within which the camp of Teves can file any necessary pleading including a motion for reconsideration),” Clavano said.
But Clavano declared that the DOJ will oppose any appeals that will be made by the lawyers of Teves against the cancellation of the passport.
“Itong mga sinasabi ng kabilang kampo na magfa file sila ng MR at iaapela nila ‘yung desisyon hanggang’t kaya sa Court of Appeals or umabot man sa Supreme Court ay iooppose talaga namin (We will oppose the plans of the Teves camp to file an MR and appeal the decision even up to the Court of Appeals or Supreme Court),” he said
He recalled that the DOJ filed last November before the RTC the motion seeking the cancellation of the passport of Teves who is believed still in Timor-Leste where he has sought political asylum.
“However, for all intents and purposes, the indications lean towards the rejection of the asylum application,” said Clavano who cited information that the DOJ received.
Once the passport has been canceled, Clavano said Teves can no longer travel to any country and be made to come back to the Philippines to face charges.
Teves and and several others have been charged with 10 counts of murder, 12 counts frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder in the March 4, 2023 shooting in Pamplona, Negros Oriental where 10 persons were killed including Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo. Eighteen other individuals were seriously injured.
Teves had also been charged with murder for the deaths of three persons in Negros Oriental in 2019.