Rep. Teves
THE Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday recommended the immediate filing in courts of three counts of murder against suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. and five other individuals that stemmed from their alleged involvement in a series of deaths that occurred in the province in 2019.
Apart from Teves, the other individuals who will be charged are Hannah Mae Sumerano, Richard Cuadra, Jasper Tanasan, Alex Mayagma, and Rolando Pinili.
According to a press briefer from the DOJ, the complaint seeks to hold these respondents accountable for three counts of murder.
The victims of the reported murders were identified as follows:
Michael Dungog, a former board member of the Third District of Negros Oriental, was fatally shot on March 25, 2019, in front of Siliman Medical Xenter in Dumaguete City.
Lester Bato, also known as Tom Tom, a bodyguard for Basay Mayoralty candidate Cliff Cordova, was killed on May 26, 2019, at Sitio Labugon, Barangay Nagbo-alao, Basay, Negros Oriental.
Pacito Libron, an alleged hitman associated with Teves, was shot and killed while riding a motorcycle along National Highway, Barangay Malabugas, Bayawan City.
The indictment of the accused individuals was based on an extrajudicial confession provided by respondent Gemuel Hobro, who claimed to have been part of a group hired by Teves to carry out the murders, shedding light on the motives behind these actions.
He stated that he was present during all three incidents and could identify those responsible.
The case against Teves and others was supported by various pieces of evidence, including death certificates of the victims, affidavits from police investigators, and statements from the victims’ relatives.
The DOJ press briefer highlighted the credibility and constitutionally sound execution of Hobro’s testimony, which further reinforced the case.
The evidence established strong connections between Hobro, Teves, and the co-respondents, confirming both political and personal motivations behind the murders.
Due to the significance of his testimony, especially in implicating his co-respondents, and concerns for his safety and that of his family, Hobro was conditionally admitted into the Witness Protection Program.
“After a thorough evaluation of the complaint and the presented evidence, the panel of investigating prosecutors concluded that there is sufficient evidence to support charges of three counts of murder, as defined and penalized under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC), as amended,” stated the DOJ.
Abogado.com.ph
