Terror financing raps filed vs Teves, 15 others

The National Bureau of Investigation has filed criminal complaints for terrorism financing and providing material support to terrorists before the Department of Justice against expelled Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. and 15 others, including his brother, former governor Henry Pryde, and son Axel.

"We already received a report from the Anti-Money Laundering Council. This case results from that report," DoJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV confirmed yesterday.

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, Teves' legal counsel, attended the first hearing on behalf of his client at the DoJ main office in Manila on Wednesday.

He said he asked the panel for a copy of the complaint, and "the panel promised to give copies of the complaint on 19 December."

The complaints against the 16 respondents are for financing terrorism under Section 4 of Republic Act 10168, the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012, and providing material support to terrorists as defined under RA 11479, the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

The other respondents are Marvin H. Miranda, Dany O. Coral, Ana Lisa G. Sy, Jose Roel V. Teves, Giovani A. Teves, Thomas A. Teves, Czarina Teresa B. Teves, Capt. Llyod C. Garcia II, Niel Andrew Go, Jason Vergara, Angelo Palagtiw, and a certain Gee Ann.

According to Topacio, the law says one is liable if he is financing activities related to terrorism. But he could not provide details about the accusations made since he has yet to read the complaints.

"I saw the copies with the prosecutors, and they were three reams thick or around 1,500 pages. It's so thick," he said, adding that they will request more time to answer once they get copies.

Clavano said they are awaiting the resolution to DoJ prosecutors' motion before a court seeking the cancellation of Teves's passport.

Topacio said he has filed an opposition to the prosecution's motion.

Teves is also facing multiple other charges before different courts.

Arrest warrants had been issued against him for the multiple murder in connection with the 4 March 2023 killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel R. Degamo and 9 others in Pamplona.

The court also issued warrants of arrest for Arnie Teves for the killing in 2019 of three persons — former Negros Oriental board member and former NBI agent Michael Dungog; Lester Bato, a bodyguard of Basay mayoralty candidate Cliff Cordova; and Pacito Libron, an alleged hitman associated with the expelled congressman.

The Anti-Terrorism Council had designated Teves a terrorist along with 11 others in August for alleged killings and incidents of harassment in Negros Oriental.

The former solon is still believed to be in Timor-Leste, where he had sought asylum last May. The Timor-Leste government denied his request.

The House of Representatives expelled Teves in August for disorderly conduct and continued absence after his travel authority expired.