Court should address Degamo slay suspects' recantations —prosecutor

Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Fadullon on Sunday responded to remarks made by the camp of expelled Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., saying that recantations should be addressed by the trial court. 

In a statement released Sunday evening, Fadullon said everybody is entitled to his own opinion, “regardless of how flawed it is.”

“(A)ny lawyer worth his oath should be aware that recantations go into the credibility of the witness and therefore, it is best addressed and appreciated by the trial court in the course of a full blown trial,” the statement read.

“It is irresponsible to make a sweeping statement that the Department of Justice is being used as an instrument for prosecuting people at the behest of certain interested persons,” it added.

The statement was released after Teves’ legal counsel Atty. Ferdinand Topacio said their camp will also study the possible liabilities that may be imposed against the panel of 10 prosecutors for supposedly not taking into account the recantations of the 10 accused in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.

“If the accused feels aggrieved by the resolution there are legal remedies that are available to them. Certainly, threatening the Panel of prosecutors and whining before the media is not among those,” Fadullon said.

Topacio last week said the camp will look into all legal options over the e-warrant of arrest issued by a Manila court against Teves for the slay of Degamo.

This comes as the Department of Justice (DOJ) in August announced charges of murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder were filed against Teves over the March 4 killing of Degamo and nine others.

The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 51 shortly after issued an e-warrant of arrest against Teves, Angelo Palagtiw, a certain “Gie Ann” or “Jie An,” and Captain Lloyd Cruz Garcia II.

Topacio said the camp has yet to receive a copy of the DOJ resolution indicting Teves, as well as the order of the court for an e-warrant of arrest.

Degamo was killed when armed men fired shots while he was distributing aid to his constituents at his residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental on March 4. 

Teves denied that he and his brother Henry were involved in the killing of Degamo, adding that the allegation was politically motivated. —KG, GMA Integrated News