Suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., one of many alleged masterminds within the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, couldn’t be thought-about a fugitive from justice, his authorized counsel mentioned Thursday.
This got here after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla mentioned he now considers the lawmaker to be a fugitive from justice as he’s wished for authorized processes within the nation, saying that lack of ability to just accept paperwork is just like refusal.
“Now, he can’t be thought-about a fugitive from justice… We have been taking part in all of the authorized processes that we’ve been allowed to take part in,” said Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, the lawmaker’s legal counsel, said in an interview on ANC.
“And maybe the Secretary forgets the provision in the Constitution that a person under investigation for a crime may be heard by himself or by counsel,” added Topacio.
On Wednesday, Remulla also said that an Interpol notice has already been issued against Teves and that they are planning to ask the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to have his passport cancelled.
“With regards to the discover to the Interpol he has been saying that again and again… He will do what he thinks he has to do,” said Topacio about the DOJ’s move.
In an interview on CNN Philippines, Topacio said that the cancellation of Teves’ passport could be a basis for graft.
“Well, then they would be in violation of the law and we may have recourse to the courts to annul the action, and the Ombudsman because that would be a case of graft,” Topacio said.
Topacio argued that a passport may only be cancelled when one is a fugitive from justice, when one has been convicted of a crime, and when the passport was fraudulently acquired or tampered with.
He said there is no basis to cancel the lawmaker’s passport at this point.
Topacio, meanwhile, was mum on the rejection of Teves’ asylum request in Timor-Leste.
“I can’t touch upon that matter as a result of I’ve inadequate info concerning that matter,” he said.
On March 4, Degamo and 10 others were killed while several others were injured after an attack on the late governor’s home in Negros Oriental.
Teves has denied involvement in the killing but refuses to go home due to “security considerations”.
The DOJ mentioned Teves initially went to the U.S. after which moved to South Korea. He later traveled to Cambodia and returned to South Korea earlier than going to Timor Leste.
House Speaker Martrin Romualdez warned Teves on Wednesday that his continued absence might result in extra sanctions.
Topacio aexpressed hope that the House Committee on Ethics will permit Teves to attend just about as soon as they deal with his potential expulsion.
“As an old saying goes in Greece, strike me if you must but hear me first. So sana mapagbigyan. I think that much courtesy. Sana naman,” Topaci mentioned.
According to Topacio, the committee owes it to their colleague.
“I think that much courtesy, they owe to a colleague, a co-equal in terms of representation of a certain segment of the population. Because expulsion would effectively disenfranchise the voters who elected him to the lower house,” he mentioned. —Joahna Lei Casilao/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
