Arnie Teves camp files motion to dismiss raps over 2019 killings

The camp of suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. on Tuesday filed a verified motion to dismiss his charges for allegedly masterminding killings in Negros Oriental in 2019.

“Pino-point out po namin na ayon po sa mga ebidensyang sinumite dito sa 2019 alleged murders ay isang tao po lamang ang nag tuturo kay Cong. Teves,” Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, Teves’ legal counsel, said in an ambush interview.

According to Topacio, a confession only binds the confessor and it is not believable if there is no corroborating evidence.

“The easiest thing to do in the world ay mag turo… but without corroboration ay hindi po kapanipaniwala ‘yun kasi ang dali mag turo,” he said.

(The easiest thing to do in the world is to point fingers. But it’s not believable without corroboration because 

Citing the case of Tamargo vs. Awingan, Topacio said a case is weak when the existence of a conspiracy cannot be established outside of the confession.

“So sana. Sana ha. I hope na hindi maimpluwensyahan ‘yung mga prosecutors natin nung mga pronouncements na paulit-ulit na ginagawa, sinasabi ni kuya Boying na guilty na agad si Congressman Teves,” Topacio said.

(So I hope. I hope. I hope that the prosecutors will not be influenced by the pronouncements that are being repeated by Kuya Boying that Congressman Teves is already guilty.)

“I still have faith [that] the DOJ is made up of prosecutors who are career officers and I hope that they will prove faithful to their duty to dispense justice without fear or favor,” he added.

Topacio further said the witness should also be charged for admitting to being the lookout in killings and being the driver. 

Meanwhile, Atty. Toby Diokno, the legal counsel of Hannah Mae Oray, Teves’ secretary, said she also submitted a motion to dismiss the case.

Diokno said the other respondent in the case, Rolando Pinili, meanwhile, submitted his counter affidavit.

“Pag nabasa niyo ‘yung complaint talagang sweeping and general statements lang. Wala ka talaga masasagot eh. Wala ho ‘yung kanilang kwento. Talagang— siguro para kay Pinili isang sentence lang tsaka kay Soberano [Oray] isang sentence lang siguro. Parang malabo ‘yung kanilang charges,” he said.

(If you read the complaint, the statements are general and sweeping. You can’t answer anything. There’s no story. For Pinili and Oray there was only maybe one line. Their charges are not clear.)

Diokno said the CIDG was given 10 days to file their response. —NB, GMA Integrated News