An official of the Department of Justice yesterday revealed that there is substantial evidence to support the designation of suspended Negros Oriental 3rd District rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves has been gathered by law enforcement agencies.

DoJ Undersecretary Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV said the pieces of evidence will be submitted to the Anti-Terrorism Council to support the recommendation of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remula against Teves.

Remulla recommended the designation of Teves as a “terrorist” under Republic Act 11479, also known as the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, which created the ATC.

Clavano said the ATC’s technical working group is set to meet again to discuss the matter.

He said in the next TWG meeting they expect to be able to see the progress of the evidence gathering and the case build-up by the law enforcement agencies.

Clavano likewise said the National Bureau of Investigation has “other sources who told them about other incidents which were not even filed in court or with the prosecutor” and have “started to dig on the other incidents.”

This is aside from the many materials they got from Senate hearings wherein a lot of the incidents were put to light.

Teves has not returned to the country since his travel abroad last February, though he has been denying involvement as one of the masterminds in the murder of Degamo.

Soon the process of designation by the ATC will be finished, said Clavano.

“I can give a tagline of about a month or so because the TWG has been very diligent in meeting and trying to figure out whether the designation can be done as soon as possible or we need to find more evidence,” he also said.

The NBI filed 10 counts of murder, 14 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder on Wednesday, 17 May, against Teves in connection with the 4 March 2023 killings of 10 persons, one of them Negros Oriental Gov. Roel R. Degamo. A total of 18 others were also injured during the attack at Degamo’s residence in Pamplona town.

Also named in the charge sheet as co-respondents of Teves were Angelo V. Palagtiw, Neil Andrew Go, Capt. Lloyd Cruz Garcia, Nigel Electona, and a person identified only with the aliases “Gee-Ann, Jie-An,” reportedly a sister of Palagtiw.

A panel of prosecutors will soon be created by the DoJ to evaluate and study the complaints and in the event they found basis to proceed, summons are expected to be issued to require the respondents to file their counter-affidavits.

Teves has not returned to the country since his travel abroad last February, though he has been denying involvement as one of the masterminds in the murder of Degamo.