Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., one of the alleged masterminds in the Pamplona massacre, would not be considered a fugitive, his legal counsel, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio said yesterday.
“He cannot be considered a fugitive from justice. We have been participating in all the legal processes that we have been allowed to participate in,” Topacio said in an interview on ANC.
This, after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla considers Teves a fugitive for legal processes in the country.
Remulla said the inability to accept documents is similar to refusal.
Earlier, the Justice Secretary said that an International Criminal Police Organization’s notice has already been issued against Teves and the Department of Justice (DOJ) will request the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to cancel his passport.
“With regards to the notice, he has been saying that … he will do what he thinks he has to do,” Topacio said of the DOJ’s move.
“They would be in violation of the law and we may have recourse to the courts to annul the action because that would be a case of graft,” Topacio said in a separate interview.
A passport may only be cancelled when one is a fugitive from justice or has been convicted of a crime, he said.
The legal counsel added that there was no basis to cancel his client’s passport at that point.
Topacio was also mum about the denial of the lawmaker’s asylum request in Timor-Leste.
“I cannot comment on that matter because I have insufficient information regarding that,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. asked Teves yesterday to return to the country.
“Come home. That’s the best advice that I can give him,” Marcos told reporters on his way to Manila.
The DFA then confirmed that this request was denied.
“It turns out that Congressman Arnie Teves applied for political asylum but was denied,” Marcos said.
“I think they will continue to go through the process. May appeal process para those who are applying, but ‘yun na-deny, so we just complete the process,” he added.
However, Remulla said they do not see any political reason for Teves to seek asylum in the Southeast Asian country, he does not want to face the consequences of his actions.
Teves has yet to return to the Philippines, citing safety concerns.
On March 4, Degamo and nine others were killed following an attack in Negros Oriental’s Pamplona town.
Teves was tagged as the mastermind in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and nine others in March.
He repeatedly denied any involvement in the killings./With reports from GMA Integrated News / WDJ