Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 20) — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla chided Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. for describing as “funny” the government’s possible move to tag him as a terrorist, adding that the death of nine people was no laughing matter.
“Kalokohan ‘yun. Ang namatay sa Negros [Oriental], siyam. Sabi niya nakakatawa raw yung ginagawa namin. Anong nakakatawa doon?” Remulla said in a Thursday interview.
“Nakakatawa ba na namamatay ang 9 na tao tapos masasaktan pa ang labing-pito pa dahil sa isang utos ng isang tao?” he added.
[Translation: This is foolishness. Nine people died in Negros Oriental. He said what we were doing was funny. What’s so funny about it? Is it funny that nine people died, while 17 were hurt, all upon the order of one person?]
In a surprise video conference on Monday, the suspended congressman said he found funny the Department of Justice’s possible terrorist tag against him over his alleged involvement in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.
READ: Possible terrorist’ tag for Teves DOJ
“Ang pakiramdam ko, nakakatawa na. Nagiging perya na siya. It’s becoming a circus. Paano ka magiging terorista kung hindi ka pa nakakasuhan?” Teves said.
[Translation: I think it’s becoming funny already. It has become a circus. How can you be tagged as a terrorist if you haven’t even been charged?]
Meanwhile, Remulla said that Teves’ continued absence could be an indicator of his guilt and challenged the congressman to face the law.
“Ang tao, kapag guilty, iiwas ‘yan. Kapag walang kasalanan, madaling humarap yan eh. Yung mga ayaw lumapit, ayaw humarap, meron talagang problema yung taong yan,” he said.
“Kung walang kasalanan, humarap siya…Flight is an indication of guilt,” Remulla ended.
[Translation: If a person is guilty, they will stay away. If they have done nothing wrong, it will be easy for them to come forward. Those who do not want to come forward, they have a problem. If he has done nothing wrong, turn yourself in.]
Teves’ whereabouts are currently unknown as he has been out of the country since Feb. 28. Remulla said he could be traveling between South Korea and Cambodia.
READ: Teves could be traveling between South Korea and Cambodia, says Remulla
The Department of Justice has named Teves as one of the masterminds in the March 4 killing of Degamo and eight others.
