MANILA: The government has asked a Manila court to revoke the passport of former Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr., who has been on the run since being implicated in several murder cases.

Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson Mico Clavano said Wednesday that once Teves’ passport is canceled, he “will be unable to travel from country to country.”

“His (Teves) only recourse is to come back to the Philippines and revalidate his passport. ‘Yan po ang ginagawa natin para ma-pressure siya na maka-uwi (We did that to pressure him to come home),” Clavano told reporters.

The fugitive was reportedly last spotted in Timor-Leste.

Clavano said Timor-Leste has yet to act on the request of the Philippine government to send Teves back.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation filed financing of terrorism and providing material support to terrorist(s) charges against Teves, his brother and former Negros Oriental governor Henry Pryde Teves, and 14 others.

Defense counsel Ferdinand Topacio said they
also filed an opposition to the cancellation of Teves’ passport as he is still presumed innocent of the charges.

The prosecution panel set another hearing on Dec. 19 within which the complainants are to give the respondents a complete copy of the complaint and replace copies that were not legible.

Until then, Topacio said they are unable to file a counter-affidavit to answer the charges.

Teves was expelled by the House of Representatives in August for ‘disorderly behavior and for violation of the Code of Conduct.’

Since going on leave before the March 4 assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, Teves has yet to return to the country. His official leave expired on March 9.

Teves, who has denied involvement in the killing of Degamo, cited threats to his life and his family’s, as reasons for his refusal to return to the country.
Source: Philippines News Agency