Suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. insisted he is not coming to the Philippines today, contrary to what Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla claimed.
“Fake news. Dapat tinanong muna nila ako bago sila nagsalita,” Teves said when questioned during a Radyo Pilipinas interview about his return to the Philippines on Wednesday.
Referring to a “reliable source” with potential access to flight records, Remulla claimed on Tuesday that Teves might be returning from Timor Leste, where his request for political asylum had been denied before.
The Justice Secretary previously implicated Arnie Teves as the primary orchestrator behind the March 4 shooting incident at the residence of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, resulting in the loss of ten lives and multiple injuries.
Citing safety concerns, Arnie Teves has not yet returned to the Philippines.
Asked whether he is applying for political asylum in Timor-Leste, Teves said the question should be directed to Remulla instead.
“Tanungin mo na lang si Boying, alam niya siguro ‘yun. Mas marami siyang alam sa akin eh,” Teves said.
Arnie Teves insists he is not returning to Philippines today
On May 9, Remulla made public that the Philippine Ambassador to Timor-Leste had relayed information to them, revealing that Teves is currently in Dili. Teves had reportedly applied for a protection visa in Timor-Leste, indicating an intention to seek asylum.
Simultaneously, on the same day, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that the Ministry of Interior of Timor-Leste had officially denied Teves’ application. As a result, Teves was granted a period of five days to either depart from the country or submit an appeal.
It is anticipated that the National Bureau of Investigation will proceed with the filing of murder complaints against Teves on Wednesday.
As per Remulla’s statement, a total of 10 murder complaints are set to be filed against Arnie Teves, corresponding to the 10 individuals who lost their lives in the incident. In addition to these charges, several other complaints involving multiple counts of frustrated murder and attempted murder will also be filed.
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