Manila court issues e-warrant for Teves’ arrest

MANILA, Philippines — A Manila court yesterday issued a warrant for the arrest of expelled Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. in connection with the murder of governor Roel Degamo and nine others six months ago.

As this developed, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the government would ask the help of the United Nations (UN) in bringing Teves back to the country once the warrant is out.

The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 151 said it found probable cause to issue e-warrants against Teves and three other accused, identified as Angelo Palagtiw, his sister Gie Ann and Capt. Lloyd Cruz Garcia II.

Aside from the warrants, Judge Merianthe Pacita Zuraek issued a commitment order for the transfer of accused Nigel Electona to the Metro Manila District Jail at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig from the Manila City Jail.

The charges against Teves and the suspects were filed on Aug. 18.

The court reset the arraignment and pre-trial conference for the Degamo slay case to Oct. 4. 0The arraignment was originally scheduled today.

Remulla said the Department of Justice (DOJ) was waiting for the Manila RTC to issue a warrant before moving to have Teves returned to the country to face trial.

“We requested the UN to ask its member-states to acknowledge their duty of rendition to bring back Teves to the Philippines,” Remulla said at a press briefing.

Teves is believed to be hiding in Timor-Leste, although there have been reports that he is moving around Cambodia and Thailand.

A freeze order has been issued on the assets of Teves, who was tagged as the brains in the attack on the Degamo residence in Pamplona town on March 4.

Degamo was distributing aid to beneficiaries of the government’s cash grant program, when armed men in military uniforms arrived and shot the governor and nine others.

Ten suspects are currently under the custody of the authorities, while one was killed in an encounter with security forces.

Teves is also facing charges in connection with the murder of three persons in his province in 2019.

The cases were filed in Bayawan City in Negros Oriental, but the DOJ wants these transferred to Manila.