Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Janice Degamo has urged the immediate transfer of the man alleged to be behind her late husband’s assassination, former representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) detention facility to the Manila City Jail.

Degamo’s call stemmed from concerns that Teves may be receiving preferential treatment or that security lapses could occur at his current detention site.

The widow of slain Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo said Teves should not be allowed to stay in what she described as a “comfortable” detention setup after nearly two years of evading Philippine justice abroad.

“He has to be in jail — a real jail,” said Degamo in an interview. “He should be detained in the worst jail in the country. He must answer for his crimes.”

Teves faces multiple murder and terrorism charges linked to the March 2023 killing in Pamplona, Negros Oriental of Governor Degamo and nine others. After seeking political asylum in Timor-Leste, Teves was deported in May and is now being held at the NBI headquarters in Manila.

Degamo warned that Teves, whom she described as wealthy and well-connected, might again manipulate the system to his advantage.

“My fear is that he might get VIP treatment because bribery is really his expertise,” she said. “We’ve seen this happen before.”

Her concern referenced the 2023 case of Jad Dera, a high-profile inmate caught outside the NBI facility after allegedly being granted a furlough for a private dinner. Dera was found with cash, firearms, and a mobile phone, raising questions about unauthorized privileges.

While not wanting to discredit the NBI, Degamo said the Dera incident makes it hard to trust that such a lapse will not happen again. She stressed that the transfer of Teves should not be delayed.

Degamo also noted that Teves lived in luxury while in Timor-Leste.

“You saw his compound. It was a life fit for a king,” she said. “Now he must experience what it really means to be a prisoner. How can you feel remorse if you’re enjoying detention?”

Asked where Teves should be detained, Degamo was clear: “the Manila City Jail.”