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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Manila RTC stops comments from prosecutors, accused, witnesses on Teves' pending criminal cases

Manila RTC stops comments from prosecutors, accused, witnesses on Teves' pending criminal cases

Published Jun 26, 2024 08:42 am

The Manila regional trial court (RTC) has issued a gag order on the multiple murder and other criminal cases filed against expelled Negros Oriental congressman Arnoldo "Arnie" A. Teves over the March 4, 2023 killings of 10 persons, one of them Gov. Roel Degamo.

A gag order issued by a court prohibits lawyers, parties, or witnesses in a pending case from commenting or discussing the issues in public.

“So itong gag order na ito (This gag order) will prevent us from speaking on the merits of the case,”  Justice Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV told journalists on Wednesday, June 26. 

“So we hope that all parties will respect the gag order and make sure that they follow kung ano ‘yung naging order ng court (the order of the court),” Clavano said. 

A copy of the RTC's gag order was not immediately available.

Teves and several others have been charged with 10 counts of murder, 12 counts frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder.

The cases filed in Negros Oriental had been ordered transferred to Manila by the Supreme Court (SC).

On Sept. 5, 2023, RTC Judge Merianthe Pacita M. Zuraek of Branch 51 issued an arrest order against Teves and his co-accused.  The arrest order against Teves could not be enforced since the former congressman has been abroad long before the filing of the cases in court.

Teves is now in Timor-Leste where the Philippine government has filed an extradition case.  The Department of Justice (DOJ) expects the ruling on the extradition case before the end of this month.

Aside from Teves, the 11 other co-accused are Marvin Miranda, Rogelio Antipolo Jr., Rommel Pattaguan, Winrich Isturis, John Louie Gonyon, Dahniel Lora, Eulogio Gonyon Jr., Joric Labrador, Joven Javier, Benjie Rodriguez, and Jhudiel Rivero.

Aside from the murder, frustrated murder and attempted murder cases, Teves had been designated terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council and his assets in the Philippines had been ordered frozen.

He is also facing murder charges for the deaths of three persons in Negros Oriental in 2019.

Clavano said that “there has been a lot of chatter on social media” about the case.

“Kami nagsasalita lang naman kami dahil may lumalabas na hindi tama. So we feel it’s our obligation and mandate to correct certain notions that have been put out on social media para po tama ang makukuha ng publiko (We only speak because of the incorrect information. So we feel it’s our obligation and mandate to correct certain notions that have been put out on social media so that the information the public gets is correct),” he said. 

 

 

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