Police on Friday raided homes belonging to Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. within the province searching for free firearms, Unang Balita reported on Friday, citing Dobol B TV.
The raid was being performed by components from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, in an interview on Dobol B TV, confirmed the raid, saying the search warrant coated 5 homes though not all of them belonged to Teves.
“Ilan lang diyan ang bahay ni Teves [only some of them belong to Teves],” Abalos mentioned.
Asked if he was referring to Arnolfo Teves, Abalos mentioned, “Gan’un na nga.”
Abalos accused Teves of proudly owning firearms with “spurious documents.”
Purpose unclear
In a separate interview on Dobol B TV, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, Teves’ counsel, additionally confirmed the raid however mentioned he has but to see the search warrant.
“Hindi pa klaro sa amin kung sino ang hinahanap nila o kung ano ang hinahanap nila [It’s not clear who or what they’re looking for],” he mentioned.
He mentioned all of the occupants of the homes, in addition to the legal professionals, weren’t allowed to enter whereas the raid was ongoing.
“Ikinalulungkot ko, nung dumating yung raiding party may naka-standby po dun na mga tao, mga occupants ay pinalabas po lahat. Pati abugado pinalabas at ayaw papasukin,” Topacio mentioned.
(It saddened me that occupants of the homes, together with legal professionals, had been ordered out of the home.)
Topacio mentioned the raid didn’t come as a shock as they’ve acquired “intel” months in the past that Teves’ homes will probably be raided by the police.
“Itong raid na ‘to na-predict na namin ito. Almost three months I think noong nag-press conference kami ni Congressman Arnie Teves dito sa Valle Verde Country Club, na intel po sa amin na talagang ire-raid itong mga bahay,” Topacio mentioned.
In January, Teves accused Abalos of exerting efforts to safe a search warrant on his residence and plant proof in opposition to him.
Abalos, in response, referred to as the accusation ‘preposterous.’
Topacio, within the radio interview, mentioned they’re attempting to succeed in Teves, who’s within the United States, to tell him concerning the raid.
Degamo slay
The raid on the homes was launched a day after two suspects pointed to a sure “Cong Teves” because the one who allegedly ordered the hit on Governor Roel Degamo, who was killed at his residence in Pamplona city on March 4.
Asked if the raid is linked with Degamo’s killing, Abalos mentioned there have been statements about unlawful firearms in the course of the investigation into the homicide complaints just lately filed in opposition to Teves for killings dedicated in 2019.
“During that time of the investigation, this is in relation to 2019 — hindi ito kay Governor Degamo, ibang kaso ito, yung finile nila kailan lang — ‘yun nga may nakita silang mga statements about illegal firearms,” he mentioned.
(During that point of the investigation in relation to the 2019 killings — this isn’t associated to the Degamo case, it’s a totally different case that was filed just lately — the police obtained statements about unlawful firearms.)
Two arrested suspects, Joric Labrador and Benjie Rodriguez, each former troopers, earlier mentioned a sure “Cong Teves” ordered the hit on Degamo.
The Police Regional Office (PRO7), in the meantime, mentioned it has acquired info that Teves was the alleged mastermind within the killing of Degamo as early as when the suspects had been arrested.
“The declarations made publicly earlier by one of the suspects in Gov. Degamo’s killing were information that we already acquired from the moment we arrested the four suspects six hours from the incident,” the PRO7 mentioned in a press release.
It mentioned they already had the data “at hand at the early stage of the conduct of massive hot pursuit operations, we maintained that these be revealed in due time not to compromise the conduct of investigations.”
Teves denial
In a video message on Monday, Teves denied that he and his brother Henry had been concerned within the killing of Degamo amid allegations that the incident was politically motivated.
The Teveses are political rivals of Degamos’ household.
In the video message, Teves famous that his household won’t profit from Degamo’s demise.
In a message to reporters on Thursday, Topacio urged “all concerned” to “observe sobriety in their pronouncement regarding the allegations against Rep. Arnie Teves in the face of certain accusations against him in connection with the killing of Governor Roel Degamo and several other persons.”
Degamo and 5 others had been killed whereas 13 others had been injured within the March 4 assault performed whereas the governor was distributing help to his constituents at his residence. The demise toll elevated to 9 the next day.
Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) spokesperson Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare on Thursday mentioned they’re taking a look at 16 suspects within the killing.
Murder and annoyed homicide costs have been filed in opposition to 4 suspects recognized as Joric Garido Labrador, Joven Calibjo Javier, Benjie Rodriguez, Osmundo Rojas Rivero, and 12 John Does earlier than the Tanjay City Regional Trial Court.
Charges of unlawful possession of firearms, ammunition, and explosives had been additionally filed in opposition to three people earlier than the Bayawan City Regional Trial Court.
According to Pelare, the 16 suspects embody 10 direct members, whereas the others had been facilitators, conspirators, and the mastermind.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday claimed that the “end is near” within the Degamo case investigation. —KBK, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
