Arnie Teves’ camp eyes remedies after designation as terrorist, freezing of assets

The camp of suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. on Wednesday said it is considering remedies after the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) designated the lawmaker as a terrorist.

Interviewed on GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita, Arnie Teves’ lawyer Atty. Ferdinand Topacio said they already expected the designation as it was already mentioned before by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla.

"Ang amin na lamang ay hinintay na lang namin 'yung pormal na deklarasyon ng ATC na siya ay terorista nga upang kami naman po ay maghain ng karampatang mga remedyo either po administratibo o sa hukuman," he said.

(On our part, we are just waiting for a formal declaration of the ATC so we can file appropriate remedies either administrative or court.)

In a separate interview on CNN on Wednesday, Topacio said their camp seeks to appeal Teves’ terrorist designation before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, or regional trial courts.

“We are carefully weighing our options. We are also trying to reach out to the lawyers of the others because sometimes what stops us from reaching out to these lawyers might be accusations of collusion,” Topacio said.

The lawyer, however, shot down the idea of filing an appeal before the ATC, saying “it will be futile.”

“Because those people have already made up their minds,” he said.

Approved on July 26, ATC’s Resolution Number 43 tagged Arnie, his brother former governor Pryde Henry Teves, and 11 others as terrorists over several alleged killings and harassment in Negros Oriental.

The ATC said their violations include committing terrorism; planning, training, preparing and facilitating the commission of terrorism; recruitment to and membership in a terrorist organization; and providing material support to terrorists.

After the designation as terrorist, the Anti-Money Laundering Council froze all the assets of Arnie.

Topacio said their camp has no knowledge yet on the matter but he pointed out that they also have remedies for it under the law.

“Limitado naman po 'yan. Actually, wala pa kaming impormasyon kung fini-freeze nga po. We have no personal knowledge of that. Of course, hindi po ako ang tagapamahala ng assets ni Congressman Teves so I would not know. Sa ilalim po ng batas, may mga remedyo naman po kami diyan,” he said.

(That is limited. Actually, we have no information yet if they are really freezing Arnie Teves’ assets. We have no personal knowledge of that. Of course, I am not the one managing his assets so I would not know. Under the law, we have remedies for that.)

Topacio said their camp has also yet to receive the official copy of the resolution of the ATC.

Arnie was tagged as the mastermind behind the attack on the late Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo on March 4. Degamo and eight others were killed while several others were injured in the attack. The death toll later climbed to 10.

Degamo's widow

In a separate interview on Unang Balita on Wednesday, Degamo's widow, Pamplona, Negros Oriental Mayor Janice Degamo, said the designation of Arnie as terrorist gave hope and sense of security to Negros Oriental residents and it also vindicated the testimonies of the victims.

“Parang nakikita na rin natin na (It seems we are seeing that) there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel. Parang magri-ripple effect 'yan (It will have a ripple effect),” she said.

“Ngayon na parang in a way napatunayan din at napatotoo 'yung mga testimony ng mga taong inagrabyado nila na may katotohanan at hindi gawa-gawa lamang,’ she added.

(Now, in a way, the testimonies of the victims are vindicated and these are not just made up.)

For her, the freezing of Arnie Teves’ assets would encourage other victims to speak up. Once the suspects are in jail, she said more victims will reveal themselves.

Meanwhile, former Negros Oriental Governor Pryde Henry Teves on Tuesday said he is planning to appeal the resolution of the ATC which tagged him as a terrorist. —KG, GMA Integrated News