Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) — The camp of Negros Oriental Representative Arnie Teves was unsuccessful in its bid to have the Department of Justice as well as the panel of prosecutors inhibit themselves from hearing the murder complaint related to the killing of Gov. Roel Degamo.
The panel of prosecutors was unfazed after it denied Teves’ request.Teves earlier said that Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla had already prejudged the case because of the DOJ chief’s statements against him, and fiscals are under Remulla.Teves said the Office of the Ombudsman should handle his case.However, the prosecutors said they work independently.Teves’ lawyers are now waiting for the document with the prosecution panel’s decision which they said would give them the chance to file a motion for reconsideration or take it up in court.
“Yun pong ating motion for inhibition hindi naman po nakatuon sa panel lamang kundi sa buong Department of Justice na sa patingin po ni Congressman Teves, hindi na po fair and partial, impartial, I mean, in hearing the case and cases against him,” said Teves’ lawyer, Manuel Andres.
[Translation: Our motion for inhibition was not only for the panel, but for the whole Department of Justice which Congressman Teves sees as not fair and partial, impartial, I mean, in hearing the case and cases against him.]Degamo’s widow, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo welcomed the news.
“Tingin ko dapat din lang talaga na i-deny kasi mga professional naman yang ating mga prosecutors eh,” she said. “They know what they’re doing, pinag-aralan nila yan kung ano yung magiging outcome ng kanilang hinahawakan at binabasa na mga documents coming from both parties.”
[Translation: I believe it should be denied because our prosecutors are professionals. They know what they’re doing and what will come out of the documents they read that are coming from both parties.]Meanwhile, five of the suspects under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation already have sworn affidavits of recantation.The suspects are Romel Pattaguan, Dahniel Lora, Joven Javier, Osmundo Rivero, and Rogelio Antipolo.Pattaguan, Lora, Javier, and Antipolo only executed their affidavits of recantation on June 20.Andres said the recantations will have a big effect on the case.
“Kasi kung titignan niyo po, parang ang pagkakaintindi po namin base sa mga news report, nakaangkla po yung kaso laban kila Congressman Teves at sa iba pa doon po sa mga statement ng mga tao na ito,” said Andres. “So since it appears na ni-recant na po nila o binabawi at pinasisinungalingan ano man yung mga unang sinabi.”
[Translation: If you look at it, what we understand based on news reports, the case against Congressman Teves and others are anchored on the statements of these people. So since it appears they’ve recanted or have taken back what they first said.]Teves has until July 17 to answer the allegations against him.
