Government declares: Teves a ‘terrorist’

CEBU, Philippines — The government has named suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves (3rd district) a "terrorist" along with 12 others, after the Anti-Terrorist Council (ATC) found reason to tag them as such.

The Police Regional Office (PRO)-7, though, will wait for the Philippine National Police headquarters to issue an order regarding the reference.

In its July 26, 2023 resolution which was released only yesterday, the ATC called Teves the leader of the "Teves Terrorist Group".

The tag applied to Rep. Teves, his brother Pryde Henry, and to Rogelio Antipolo, Rommel Pattaguan, Winrich Isturis, John Louie Gonyon, Dahniel Lora, Eulogio Gonyon Jr., Tomasino Aledro, Nigel Electona, Jomarie Catubay, and Hannah Mae Sumero Onay.

Per the 10-page resolution, Teves and his alleged armed group violated the Anti-Terrorism Act, particularly Section 4 (committing terrorism), Section 6 (planning, training, preparing and facilitating the commission of terrorism), Section 10 (recruitment and membership in a terrorist organization), and Section 12 (providing material support to terrorists).

The ATC said the deaths or harassments that happened in Negros Oriental, including the March 4, 2023 massacre that happened in Pamplano City, where former Governor Roel Degamo and nine other people were killed.

The label would allow the country's Anti-Money Laundering Council to investigate and freeze Teves' financial assets and properties.

“We will base or move, our actions, to the legal concepts that are present. Example, if they have a warrant of arrest, we will act on it. But this declaration by the Anti-Terrorism Council on these individuals as members of a terrorist group will elevate the fight that we have against armed groups," said Police Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, PRO-7 spokesperson.

"Because once declared by court that a certain group is a terrorist group, there are measures that can be done already. For example, freezing of assets, restriction of travels. There could also be a court-authorized surveillance or casing or interception of messages," he added.

Pelare said they  would "wait for the instruction of the Philippine National Police".

Meanwhile, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, Teves' lawyer, said the ATC resolution did not come as a surprise.

He alleged that his client has been a "target" of the government since "day one" of the Degamo killing.

In a statement, Topacio said they were expecting this latest act of the government against his client.

"Since Day One of the Degamo killing, the government has mobilized all the resources at its disposal -- starting with immediately tagging Mr. Teves as the mastermind thereof without investigation, conducting illegal searches on his properties, laying siege to his powers and prerogatives as member of the House, embarking on a massive media campaign to discredit him and prejudice the minds of the public against him, among others," he said.

"All in an obsessive attempt to blame him for a crime at the expense of his Constitutional rights," he added.

Topacio said the "recantation of key witnesses, lack of evidence and public backlash against Teves' obvious persecution and the embarrassing failure of the authorities in bullying him into returning to the country,  in spite of grave and serious threats to his life, has expectedly "weaponized" the Anti-Terror Act by using it for the purpose  for which it was not designed.

"It is, thus, a sad day for the Rule of Law in this country, and a shocking reminder that even under constitutional and republican regime, the return to a government of men and not of laws can always ensue, especially for those targeted for destruction by the present dispensation," he said.

Topacio said that this development should "send shivers down the spine of every citizen, for the liberties of none are safe unless the liberties of all are protected."

Atty. Michael Mella, Electrona's lawyer, on the other hand, said the tag has "no factual and legal anchorage" and "smacks of oppression, abuse of power and the exact paradigm of capricious disregard of due process of law."

"A reading of all the malicious charges against my client would show that the  allegations in support thereof are very shallow, twisted, obviously contrived and based on planted and fabricated evidence," he said.

The lawyer said the charges are still in the stage of preliminary investigation while one is set for pre-trial conference.

In other words, he said, Electrona "has not been found guilty of any of those malicious cases filed against him and he therefore enjoys the presumption of innocence."

"With undiminished respect, for the ATC to declare him as part of the terrorist group is too irresponsible and oppressive," Mella added. — Romeo Marantal (FREEMAN)