NEGROS Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves, Jr., who has been suspended from his duties, has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to dismiss two charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives against him that stemmed from a raid on his home in Bayawan City.

Teves, who has not returned to the country after traveling abroad, argued that there is a “lack of evidence” to support the complaints and that he was not present during the alleged search and seizure.

Therefore, he could not have been in physical or actual possession of the confiscated items.

According to the verified consolidated motion to dismiss, “complaints miserably failed to discharge their duty to establish probable cause against Respondent Teves, Jr. as nothing has been shown to support his alleged constructive possession of any of the confiscated articles, much less of the premises where they were allegedly found.”

Teves and several others are facing charges related to the discovery of firearms, ammunition, and explosives in his residences on March 10.

The search warrants were issued for Teves’ residence in Malabugas, Bayawan City, where his two children reside, as well as two other properties in Basay City and two other properties in Bayawan, allegedly owned by Teves’ secretary and his close-in security staff.

Teves has denied involvement in Gov. Roel Degamo’s murder, which took place on March 4 and has not returned from his trip abroad.

He has promised to return “once the threat to his life is dealt with accordingly.”

Degamo was assassinated while meeting with beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) at his residence in Pamplona town.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Hector Lawas