Degamo family: Arnie Teves' acquittal in 2019 case not related to 2023 massacre

The recent acquittal of former Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. in a murder case in 2019 in Dumaguete City has no connection to the multiple murder cases he is facing for the 2023 Pamplona massacre, the family of the late Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo said Saturday.

“We clarify that the recent news about the acquittal of former Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. refers to a separate 2019 murder case in Dumaguete City and has no connection whatsoever to the multiple murder cases arising from the Pamplona, Negros Oriental massacre on March 4, 2023, where Governor Roel Degamo and several others were killed," Negros Oriental Representative Janice Degamo and her family said in a statement.

Degamo reiterated that Teves’ multiple murder cases from the Pamplona massacre “remain pending and actively prosecuted” in another court in Manila.

“The decision of acquittal issued by the Regional Trial Court of Manila, Branch 15, does not absolve Mr. Teves of responsibility for those crimes,” she added.

Degamo called on the public to remain vigilant and rely on accurate reporting.

“Our family remains committed to pursuing justice for Governor Degamo and all the other victims,” she said.

In a 35-page decision dated January 5, 2026, Manila Regional Trial Court-Branch 15 Presiding Judge Eduardo Ramon Reyes said that Teves, Richard Cuadra, and Rolando Pinili were acquitted of the crime charged against them "for failure of the prosecution to establish a prima facie case."

The demurrers to evidence—wherein the accused assert the insufficiency of evidence—filed by Teves and two others were granted.

Degamo said Teves' acquittal was "painful and difficult to accept."

Aside from this case, Teves is also facing murder, attempted murder, and frustrated murder over the killing of the late governor Degamo and others on March 4, 2023 at the Degamo residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.

Arrested suspects named a "Cong. Teves" as the person behind the fatal attack against Degamo. Teves however denied that he was involved in the killing of Degamo amid allegations that the incident was politically motivated.

Other cases

In September 2025, the Manila Regional Trial Court-Branch 12 recommended a bail of P120,000 for the temporary liberty of Teves in another murder case he is facing. This is over the death of Lester Bato, a bodyguard for Basay mayoralty candidate Cliff Cordova in May 2019.

In June 2025, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said Teves is also facing the following charges:

• Murder case before the Bayawan RTC-Branch 63
• Illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of explosives at the Manila RTC- Branch 12
• Terrorist financing, prevention, and suppression act before the Quezon City RTC-Branch 77

Teves is currently detained at the NBI facility in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. —KG, GMA Integrated News