Rep. Arnolfo Teves
AT least three houses and properties owned by Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. have been raided by authorities after a warrant was issued by the court against the lawmaker.
Authorities swooped down on three houses allegedly owned by the lawmaker in Barangay Malabugas, Bayawan City and a resort in Basay town, said the police.
The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNp-CIDG) is set to implement 5 search warrants against the lawmaker.
The Teves family has yet to release a statement on the matter.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, in an interview on Dobol B TV, confirmed the raid, saying the search warrant covered five houses although not all of them belonged to Teves.”Ilan lang diyan ang bahay ni Teves [only some of them belong to Teves],” Abalos said.
Asked if he was referring to Arnolfo Teves, Abalos said, “Gan’un na nga”
Abalos accused Teves of owning firearms with “spurious documents.”
Teves is also facing three murder charges before the DOJ for his alleged involvement in the killing of Negros Oriental Board Member Miguel Dungog and 2 others in 2019.
A tweet by Super Radyo dzBB’s Mark Makalalad, citing the CIDG, said firearms, ammunition and grenades were seized from one of Teves’ homes. A caretaker was also arrested.
Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, Teves’ counsel, also confirmed the raid but said he has yet 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 said.
He said all the occupants of the houses, as well as the lawyers, were not allowed to enter while 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 said.
Topacio, in the radio interview, said they are trying to reach Teves, who is in the United States, to inform him about the raid.
The raid on the houses was launched a day after two suspects pointed to a certain “Cong Teves” as the one who allegedly ordered the hit on Governor Roel Degamo, who was killed at his residence in Pamplona town on March 4.
Asked if the raid is connected with Degamo’s killing, Abalos said there were statements about illegal firearms during the investigation into the murder complaints recently filed against Teves for killings committed in 2019.
Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) spokesperson Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare on Thursday said they are looking at 16 suspects in the killing. Murder and frustrated murder charges have been filed against four suspects identified as Joric Garido Labrador, Joven Calibjo Javier, Benjie Rodriguez, Osmundo Rojas Rivero, and 12 John Does before the Tanjay City Regional Trial Court.
Charges of illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, and explosives were also filed against three individuals before the Bayawan City Regional Trial Court.
