DOJ downplays Teves’ claim that prosecutors ‘prejudged’ case

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday downplayed pleas made by the camp of embattled Negros Oriental (3rd District) Rep. Arnolfo Teves seeking to oust DOJ prosecutors from handling the preliminary probe against the fugitive lawmaker for supposedly “prejudging” the case. “We are not judges,” Remulla said to reporters following the motion to inhibit filed by Teves’ lawyers who cited the DOJ chief’s previous media statements as grounds. Teves’ camp also said the preliminary probe should instead be headed by the Office of the Ombudsman, which would be a better venue for the probe. On March 4, Negros Oriental Governor Roel DegamoDegamo and nine others were killed while several others were injured after an attack on the late governor’s home in Negros Oriental. Remulla has said that Teves appears to be the ‘executive producer’ in the plot, but nevertheless assured that prosecutors will decide based on evidence and not on speculation. He also earlier explained that under the rules, Teves’ continued refusal to appear before the prosecution panel to face the charges against him might result in prosecutors’ resolving the case without hearing his side and deciding to file the cases before the proper court. The lawmaker has continued to insist on his innocence in connection with the Degamo murders, and said fear for his life has stopped him from returning to the Philippines while trying to seek asylum in a third country. A second hearing is set on June 27 to allow Teves a final opportunity to refute the government’s claim that he masterminded the plot to kill Degamo.

Source: Philippines News Agency