Remulla: Ex-Rep. Teves on Interpol red notice list

Expelled Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., the alleged mastermind in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, is now on the red notice list of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).

This was confirmed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday, saying the red notice was issued by Interpol on Tuesday, identifying Cambodia as the country Teves is likely in.

A red notice from Interpol is a request to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and arrest a wanted person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

Interpol clarified that a red notice is not an international arrest warrant.

Philippine authorities earlier said Teves was jumping between Timor-Leste, Cambodia and Thailand, and it was in Timor-Leste where he sought asylum but was rejected.

Interpol noted that Teves has a warrant of arrest for murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder over the 4 March 2023 deadly attack in the governor’s residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental that left Degamo and eight others dead.

The Interpol earlier issued a blue notice against Teves, Remulla said in May last year.

A blue notice requires member countries to collect additional information about a person’s identity, location, or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.

Aside from the murder of Degamo and eight others, the former lawmaker and his alleged cohorts have also been charged with the deaths of three individuals in Negros Oriental in 2019, Interpol said.

The Anti-Terrorism Council earlier said it had designated Teves and 12 others as terrorists, citing several alleged killings and harassment of people in Negros Oriental.

In August last year, the House of Representatives voted to expel Teves for disorderly conduct and his continued absence despite an expired travel authority. In early February this year, a Manila court ordered the cancellation of his passport.

PCGG lauded

In another report, Remulla yesterday hailed the Presidential Commission on Good Government on its 38th year of service to the nation.

“We join the PCGG in celebrating this significant milestone. I salute the men and women of the PCGG for their unrelenting dedication to public service,” Remulla said.

He added: “With your anniversary theme, ‘Recreate for Advancement and Effective Governance,’ I call on you to continue performing your duties with excellence and renew your commitment towards good governance, accountability, and transparency.”

The PCGG, in 2023, remitted P2.6 billion to the Bureau of Treasury, making it the highest collection in five years and bringing the commission’s total cash and non-cash recoveries to P280 billion. This boasts a remarkable 637.84 percent realization rate, exceeding the P410 million target.

The PCGG was established through Executive Order 1 signed on 28 February 1986. Since then, the commission has diligently performed its mandate under various executive orders and laws with the assistance of the Office of the Solicitor General, the Department of Justice, and other collaborating agencies.

Remulla echoed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s pledge to transform the PCGG into a permanent central anti-corruption agency by proposing the establishment of an Asset Forfeiture Office under its umbrella, which will be mandated to recover and dispose of all ill-gotten assets, encompassing those confiscated by other government agencies.