The Department of Justice has approved the indictment for multiple murders of suspended Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie”
Teves Jr. in connection with the deaths of three persons in the province in 2019.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday said a DOJ panel of prosecutors has recommended the filing of criminal charges against Teves after finding sufficient basis to hold him and several others liable for the three incidents of killings in Negros Oriental four years ago.
Besides Teves, also facing criminal trial for murders include Hannah Mae Sumerano, Richard Cuadra, Jasper Tanasan, Alex Mayagma, and Rolando Pinili.
“The resolution of the panel just came out. If it was not filed today, it will be filed this Monday,” Remulla stressed.
Remulla said Teves and his group were held criminal liable by the DOJ’s panel of prosecutors for the separate killings in 2019 of former Negros Oriental board member and former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agent Michael Dungog; Lester Bato, a bodyguard of Basay mayoralty candidate Cliff Cordova; and Pacito Libron, an alleged hitman associated with Teves.
“After a comprehensive evaluation of the complaint and the presented evidence, the investigating panel of prosecutors determined that the
evidence is sufficient to substantiate charges of three counts of murder, as defined and penalized under Article 248 of the Revised
Penal Code (RPC), as amended. These charges pertain to the actions of respondents Congressman Teves, Sumerano, Cuadra, Tanasan, Mayagma, and Pinili,” the DOJ said, in a press statement.
The murder complaints were filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) National
Capital Region (NCR) last April 12.
After conducting preliminary investigations, the DOJ panel resolved to file the three murder charges in court.
During the preliminary investigation, Teves and Sumerano “did not appear in person before the investigating panel of prosecutors nor did
they directly submit any form of pleading.”
Teves has been out of the country even after his official travel abroad expired on March 9, 2023. He has been named as the mastermind
in the slaying of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel R. Degamo.
The Degamo killing also resulted in the deaths of nine other persons.
The charges against Teves in the Degamo killing are still under preliminary investigation.
The DOJ said that in the 2019 killings, those charged – instead of filing their counter-affidavits – chose to file motions to dismiss the
complaints.
“However, considering that filing of counter-affidavits or motions to dismiss must be personally filed or verified by the respondent
themselves, as expressly provided by law, their motions to dismiss were merely noted for the purpose of resolving the complaint,” it
added.
The DOJ stressed that the foundation of the complaints “rests upon the extrajudicial confession provided by respondent Gemuel Hobro,
facilitated with the assistance of his chosen legal counsel.”
“Hobro’s confession implicates him as part of a group hired by Congressman Teves to carry out the aforementioned murders, shedding
light on the motives driving these actions,” the DOJ also said.
“Hobro asserts his presence during all three incidents and identifiesthe individuals responsible,” it said.
The DOJ noted that the murder complaints were further bolstered “by presenting various pieces of evidence, including death certificates of
the victims, affidavits from police investigators, and statements from the victims’ heirs.”
Hobro was also named respondent in the charges filed by the PNP-CIDG NCR.
“As a result of the significance of his (Hobro) testimony, especially in implicating his co-respondents, and due to concerns for his
personal safety and that of his family, Hobro was conditionally admitted into the WPP (Witness Protection Program),” the DOJ said.