Murder charges against Negros Oriental MP Arnie Teves for three murders in 2019 – Klajoo

Negros – Three murder charges have been filed against Negros Oriental District 3 MP Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. – klajoo.com – The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) filed the lawsuit with the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday.

Other named defendants include:

• Aka Hannah Mae, three charges
• Richard Cuadra aka Boy Cuadra, two charges
• Rolando Pinili aka Inday, two charges
• Jasper Tanasan aka Bobong Tanasan, two charges
• Alex Mayagma, an indictment

According to the indictments, the allegations are based on the following killings:

• On March 25, 2019 at 3:54 p.m. in front of Silliman Medical Center in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
• On May 26, 2019, around 11:30 am, in Sitio Labugon, Nagbo-alao district in Basay, Negros Oriental
• On June 23, 2019 at around 7:20 am in the Malabugas Ward in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental

The lawsuit was filed shortly after the death of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo, a political rival of the Teves family.
Teves had previously said his family would not benefit from Degamo’s death.

Attorney Levito Baligod, counsel for the applicants, said that the victims’ families are also defendants in the complaint. According to him, the witnesses were involved in the alleged crimes, adding that four victims were implicated in the multiple murder lawsuit.
Referring to the evidence against Teves, Baligod said the congressman called the alleged killers to the crimes and ordered them to commit them.

“They were allegedly subpoenaed by Congressman Teves, who ordered them to murder these victims. When I asked them about the weapons used, the time of the crime and the victims’ clothing, they were able to answer me,” Baligod told reporters on Tuesday.

Possible motives include politics, Baligod added, particularly in the case of the late former Negros Oriental board member Miguel Dungog. According to the lawyer, Dungog was among the victims, along with a certain “Mr. Libron” and a “Mr. bato”.

The alleged killers’ pay varied depending on the location of the target. In one case, they were allegedly paid PHP 50,000 for operating costs. When asked about the timing of the report, Baligod said they had been in contact with the witnesses as early as three weeks ago or before Degamo was killed.

Dungog, then leader of the Councilors League of Negros Oriental, was killed by two unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle on March 25, 2019 outside Silliman Medical Center in Dumaguete City.

The slain Dungog was an ally of the slain Negros Oriental governor.

At the time of his assassination, Dungog was running for a seat in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in the 3rd District of Negros Oriental under Degamo.

When asked about the timing of the filing of the charges, Baligod was quoted in News5 as saying that the charges had been prepared for a long time.
“It was just coincidence that she was finished and ready for submission when Degamo was killed,” Baligod said. – Rappler/PhilStar/KFR