Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 1) — The camp of beleaguered Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. will seek to reverse his designation as a “terrorist,” saying they are considering filing a request for delisting before the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC), or possibly elevating the matter all the way to the Supreme Court.
In a virtual press conference on Tuesday, Teves maintained that the allegations against him are unfounded, and accused the Marcos administration of \”political persecution.\”
Meanwhile, his lawyer Ferdinand Topacio pointed to the implementing rules and regulations of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which states that someone identified as a terrorist may file a verified request for delisting before the ATC within 15 days from publication of the designation.
Topacio added that they might resort to judicial action \”to correct this travesty of justice.\”
“May kapangyarihan po ang ating Korte Suprema [The Supreme Court has the power] to strike down any act of any other branch of government on the ground of grave abuse…That is one of the avenues,\” he told reporters.
Topacio also claimed that the terrorist designation is the government’s \”fallback\” plan after it supposedly failed to find sufficient evidence to prove Teves is involved in a number of crimes – including masterminding the murder of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.
Teves has also been implicated in a number of killings in the province in 2019.
Despite denouncing the ATC’s move, the congressman said he believes it is something that would also work in his favor.
\”Mas lalo pa ‘tong makakatulong sa akin dahil syempre hindi naman t*nga yung mga tao sa ibang bansa na maniniwala sa kanila…Mas lalong makikita na naninira sila, they’re persecuting me [This will help me because, of course, people from other countries are not dumb to believe the Philippine government. It will be clearer to them that the state is persecuting me,\” he said.
