The Philippine Parliament gives 24 hours to return to the country to the representative Arnolfo Teves, accused of murder

March 20 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Committee on Ethics and Privileges of the House of Representatives of the Philippine Parliament has given Deputy Arnolfo ‘Arnie’ Teves Jr. until Tuesday morning to appear before that same body or else he will be sanctioned. Teves has been accused of the murder of the governor of the Negros Oriental province, Roel Degamo, on March 4.

The president of the Commission, Felimón Espares, has rejected an appearance by videoconference by Teves and has recalled that the permission to travel to the United States for medical reasons was for the period from February 28 to March 9.

Teves’ lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, has assured that he wants to return to the Philippines to “clear his name”, but fears for his safety.

This same Monday, an ex-soldier who would be directly involved in the murder of Degamo has turned himself in to the authorities, explained the Minister of Justice, Jesús Crispín Remulla.

The minister explained that the detainee has corroborated the information that the investigators already had about the involvement of Teves in the murder of Degamo and eight other people. Five more people are in custody for this case and twelve others are being sought.

Degamo was meeting with some of his voters at a private estate in the town of Pamplona on March 4 when a group of armed men arrived at the scene in two trucks and opened fire on him, several bodyguards, and the rest of those gathered. Teves is the brother of Pryde Henry Teves, who was displaced from the position of governor of Negros Oriental by Degamo.