Remulla on Teves not going home: Flight is an indication of guilt

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday said suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. is seemingly refusing to face the charges about to be filed against him by not returning to the Philippines.

Remulla made the remark after the suspended lawmaker said the claim that he is returning to the Philippines within the day is “fake news.”

“Ibig sabihin, tinataguan niya ‘yung charges (that means, he doesn’t want to face the charges). Flight is an indication of guilt,” the Justice chief said in an ambush interview.

On Tuesday, Remulla, citing a "reliable source" who may have access to flight data into the country, said Teves may be coming home from Timor Leste, where his bid for political asylum was previously rejected.

The Justice chief said that, according to sources that tell him of Teves’ movements, the congressman already has a ticket back to Manila.

“We will not release it if we do not have any reasonable ground to believe that something is going to happen, something may happen, and that’s part of it. We have our sources to tell us what the facts are,” Remulla said.

He stressed that Teves has to return to the Philippines or authorities “will file the case in court and the warrant will be issued in absentia.”

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday morning arrived at the Department of Justice, carrying boxes of documents related to the filing of murder complaints against Teves.

Boxes of documents related to the filing of murder complaints vs. suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. were brought by the National Bureau of Investigation here at the DOJ. @gmanewsbreaking @gmanews pic.twitter.com/nDAu1rHMQI

— Giselle Ombay (@giselleombay_) May 17, 2023

Remulla on Monday said that 10 murder complaints were filed against Teves as 10 people died in the incident. Aside from these, several other complaints of multiple frustrated murders and multiple attempted murders were also filed.—AOL/KG, GMA Integrated News