BY JOEL CALAMBA ESCOL, Managing Editor
BAYAWAN CITY, Negros Oriental – Congressman Arnolfo Teves, jr posted a video in his social media account and revealed that he was not hiding.
Teves said there were serious threats on his life that prompted him not to go home. He said he feared for this life and he cannot allow himself to gamble his life into going home to his province in Negros Oriental
The congressman of the third district of Negros Oriental was allegedly linked by two of the arrested suspects as the person who allegedly ordered the hit on Governor Roel Degamo on what is now known as the ‘Pamplona massacre’ on March 4, this year, which killed nine persons including the governor of the province.
Teves appealed to the president to allow himself to air his side by calling the president and telling him the real scenario of the recent tension in the province.
He said there are people who are against him and they all put the blame on him for the recent killing of the governor and other series of murders in the past years.
“My greetings Mr President (referring to Pres. Marcos) Napanood ko yung video interview nyo kanina. Maraming salamat sa pagsagot tungkol sa mga bagay bagay tungkol sa akin. Ang akin lang sana Mr President na maliwanagan kayo dahil nasabi nyo kanina na this is not about e-sabong but this is about the murder,” Teves said.
PLANTED RAID
The congressman said the raid conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) was reportedly “planted,” saying that on January 11, 2023, he already received information that a raid would be conducted in his house and they would allegedly plant more evidence.
“Baka di lang kayo na brief ng maigi.. na kaya ko sinabing may threat sa akin dahil January 11 palang nalaman ko nang iri-raid nila ang bahay ko at magtatanim sila ng ebidensya at nangyari nga,” Teves clarified.
Meanwhile, Teves’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio in a media interview said that the firearms, ammunition, and explosives reportedly seized by the raiding team were all “planted.”
Topacio claimed in January they have already held a press conference and told the media there is a serious threat in his life because the government is planning to raid his houses in Negros Oriental, for loose firearms.
“The supposed instruction made to the raiding team was to plant whatever kind of evidence that will result in the arrest of Representative Teves,” the congressman’s lawyer and spokesperson said.
