No hospital arrest, no preferential treatment for Arnie Teves —DILG

Former Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. will not be under hospital arrest or given preferential treatment after his discharge from the Philippine General Hospital, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Wednesday.

In a statement, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Teves was cleared for discharge by the hospital “and is, therefore, fit for incarceration. “

Remulla stressed that Teves shall not be afforded any preferential treatment while inside the jail facility and will be treated in the same manner as any other person deprived of liberty (PDL).

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) will continue to ensure the safety of Teves and all PDLs in its custody, according to Remulla. 

The BJMP confirmed Wednesday that Teves was discharged from PGH around 9 p.m., Tuesday, and has been returned to Metro Manila District Jail Annex 2, its detention facility in Taguig City.

Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, Teves’ legal counsel, said his client is still experiencing stomach pains of moderate intensity.

“He will be requesting for a follow-up checkup from his PGH doctors to be held at Annex 2 one week from today,” he added.

On Tuesday, Topacio said the former lawmaker has been given clearance to be discharged from the PGH. Teves underwent appendectomy at PGH on June 18

Teves was allegedly the mastermind in the killing of then Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and nine others on March 4, 2023 in his residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental. He has denied the accusation.

Aside from murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder cases over the alleged killing of Degamo and others, Teves is also facing an illegal possession of firearms and explosives case before a Manila court.

He has refused to enter a plea in his cases, prompting various Manila courts to enter a not guilty plea for him.

Due to the surgery, his arraignment for one of his murder cases before a Manila court was rescheduled to July 14.

He and several others have also been charged for the alleged killings of three individuals in Negros Oriental in 2019.

The Anti-Terrorism Council has designated him and others as terrorists, citing several alleged killings and harassment in Negros Oriental. —KG, GMA Integrated News