THE camp of Negros Oriental Congressman Arnie Teves has pointed out a series of red flags in the recent police raid on some properties of the lawmaker.
On Friday morning, police raided the houses of Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. in search of illegal firearms.
The operation has led to the seizure of several firearms and assorted ammunition.
But in a press conference on Monday, the camp of Teves pointed out red flags on the conduct of the said raid.
Especially since January of this year, Teves had already known about its forthcoming.
“Could you see it? If you’re not an ignorant person, you already know that your houses will be raided, will you leave behind a vast number of firearms and explosives? Right? We made sure that there were no more firearms there, we surrendered because we knew that we would be raided and it has already happened,” said Atty. Ferdie Topacio, Teves’ lead counsel.
The camp also raised their concern on the ‘clearing term’ that accessed the lawmaker’s house an hour before the official operation.
“They have this so-called ‘clearing team.’ that’s a highly irregular one. Before they implemented the search, they cordoned off all the people inside and let them out of the house. We have evidence to show that the clearing team was at Cong. Teves’ house for about an hour. They were alone for about an hour and nobody else was with them,” said Atty. Edward Santiago, one of Cong. Teves’ lawyers
“That wasn’t even the search team yet. Their pretext was that they will secure the area in case of a shooting. How could there be shooting? Those are old women,” added Topacio.
And most of all, the camp questions the lack of body cameras by those enforcers who conducted the raid.
“The Supreme Court said that in the exercise of its rule-making powers, there must be a body cam. If the one conducting a search has no body cam, a motion to suppress evidence may be filed,” added Topacio.
DILG Sec. Abalos asked to inhibit the Degamo slay case
Meanwhile, Teves’ camp now requests interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, Jr. to inhibit the investigation in the Degamo slay case.
Especially Teves points to Abalos as the reason why he was deprived of his gun license and other issues.
With that, Sec. Abalos who is now the chairman of the special task force Degamo issues a clarification that he is not against Teves.
“Whoever would head the task force, there must be a fair and thorough investigation. That’s all, that’s all that we could ask for. Whoever it is, as long as it’s fair,” said Atty. Toby Diokno, one of Cong. Teves’ lawyers.
“Are we against each other in politics? I’m not even against him. Just look at the distance, I’m in Mandaluyong. What’s the problem? For me, if you’re rude, you are my enemy. That’s my only principle in life. If the document you file is spurious, don’t expect me to just close my eyes. If that’s spurious, you will be accountable! Right? If you are connected to a criminal activity, you’ll be held accountable! And if you kill people as if you were killing a defenseless animal, you will be held accountable,” said Sec. Benhur Abalos, DILG.
Teves’ camp fears that the congressman’s other house in Metro Manila will also be raided.
As well as the house of his brother, former Governor Pryde Henry Teves.
Teves’ camp wants to meet with House Speaker Martin Romualdez to explain the lawmaker’s side.
Especially that this mastermind points to the death of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.
