Arnie Teves back in Philippines
After two years since the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, former lawmaker Arnolfo 'Arnie' Teves Jr., the alleged mastermind in the case, was deported back to the Philippines from Timor-Leste.
The Philippine Air Force plane carrying Teves landed in Davao City for a stopover early Thursday night.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said that Teves will likely be detained at one of the facilities of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) amid concerns for his safety.
Following this, he said Teves will be brought before the Philippine courts to be arraigned.
The former lawmaker is facing murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder charges over the alleged killing of Degamo and 10 others on March 4, 2023 at the Degamo residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.
Teves and others have also been charged with the alleged killings of three individuals in Negros Oriental in 2019.
He and 12 others have also been designated as terrorists by the Anti-Terrorism Council, citing several alleged killings and harassment in Negros Oriental.
He was expelled by the House of Representatives in August last year for disorderly conduct and continued absence.
His legal counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, previously maintained his innocence, saying that his camp will avail all legal avenues.
'Nananalig po kami na wala siyang kasalanan and that kami po ngayon ay maaari na mag participate sa hukuman with the other co-counsels in order to take an active role in the proceedings,' Topacio previously said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
10 hours ago
- GMA Network
Consular assistance extended to Filipina green card holder released from detention
The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. on Saturday welcomed the decision by a United States court to release green card holder Lewelyn Dixon from detention. "The Embassy welcomes the decision by a United States court to grant Ms. Lewelyn Dixon's petition for cancellation of removal and to order her release. The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco provided appropriate consular assistance and ensured that her rights were protected throughout the hearing process," it said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco said its representatives were present during Dixon's hearing in Tacoma, Washington, on May 29. "The Consulate welcomes the court's decision granting her petition for cancellation of removal and ordering her release and joins the family and friends of Ms. Dixon in celebrating the favorable outcome of this case. After the hearing, the Consulate's representatives were able to speak with Ms. Dixon in private and handed over to her the welfare assistance approved by the Department of Foreign Affairs," it said. The embassy said it remains steadfast in providing consular assistance to all Filipinos regardless of their immigration status while honoring the right of the US to enforce its own domestic laws, including those on immigration. The 64-year-old Filipina was arrested back in February by the US Customs and Border Protection at the Seattle International Airport upon returning from a vacation in the Philippines after her record showed a conviction for embezzlement in 2001. The immigration judge's decision said that the two-decade-old conviction could not be used as a basis for deportation to the Philippines. Dixon worked as a lab technician at the University of Washington Medical Center for nearly a decade after moving from Hawaii, where she finished high school. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
15 hours ago
- GMA Network
China conducts 'combat readiness' patrols in Scarborough despite PH's assertion of sovereignty
China's Southern Theatre navy conducted combat readiness patrols on Saturday around the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, Reuters reported citing Xinhua news agency. China's navy has continuously intensified patrols and surveillance in the surrounding waters and airspace in the area, further strengthening control over the relevant maritime and aerial domains, Xinhua said. EXPLAINER: What is Scarborough Shoal and why is it important? Scarborough Shoal, which is also being claimed by the Philippines, is a triangular coral reef formation which surrounds a lagoon, is famed for its rich waters and marine resources. It is also referred to as Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal. Scarborough Shoal is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales and is considered within the Philippines' 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis." Last month, the Philippines cited its sovereignty in the area after China called out Manila for its alleged illegal intrusion into Scarborough Shoal. 'These are all part of shaping or malign info operations more likely for their internal audience,' Philippine Navy spokesperson for the Wet Philippines (WPS) Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad said. 'Only the Philippine Navy and other Philippine flagged law enforcement ships have the authority and legal bases to challenge any ship within maritime zones,' he added. Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country's claim. The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc. —with reports from Reuters/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
_2025_05_30_23_15_23.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
4 Chinese citizens arrested at alleged scam hub in Parañaque
Four Chinese citizens were arrested and multiple electronic gadgets were seized when National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents raided an alleged scam hub inside a condominium unit in Parañaque City on Wednesday. According to a ''24 Oras'' report by John Consulta on Friday, NBI agents from the Criminal Intelligence Division were serving an arrest warrant in one unit of the condo when they noticed suspicious activity coming from a nearby unit. Agents reportedly witnessed Chinese citizens throwing laptops and mobile phones out the window, prompting them to shift their attention to the adjacent room. 'Umikot yung ibang tropa doon sa may bintana, sa may gilid. Nakita namin may tinatapon ng mga laptop. Kaya nagtaka kami,' said NBI Assistant Director for Intelligence Service Noel Bocaling. (Some of our team members went to the side near the window. We saw laptops being thrown out, which raised our suspicions.) Upon entry into the unit, the agents discovered computers and electronic equipment allegedly used in online scamming operations. Scattered on the floor below the condo unit were laptops, cellphones, and tablets, which investigators believe was a deliberate attempt to destroy evidence. 'Positive kasi yung mga natirang hindi nila naibato, na masira, naabutan namin sa loob. They are indeed involved in scam operations,'' Bocaling said. (The devices they failed to destroy and that we recovered confirm they are indeed involved in scam operations.) Asked if data could still be retrieved from the damaged devices, Bocaling responded, 'Magta-try kami (We will try).'' 'Pagka makukuha namin yung mga nandodoon, malalaman natin kung sino mga naloko nila at kung ano-ano mga bansa.' (Once we retrieve the data, we can find out who their victims are and which countries were targeted.) The four arrested Chinese citizens are currently detained at the NBI facility and face charges under the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act. They have declined to comment regarding their arrest. —Sherylin Untalan/VBL, GMA Integrated News
