MANILA, Philippines – Senators spent more than an hour speculating on the whereabouts of suspended lawmaker Arnie Teves at the start of their probe into the March 4 attack that killed then Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and eight others.

At the Senate committee on public order hearing on Monday, April 17, Majority Floor Leader Senate Joel Villanueva claimed personal friends told him they had seen Teves, the Negros Oriental 3rd District representative in South Korea over the past days.

“For two consecutive days, some friends of mine have seen him in South Korea, in Lotte hotel eating in a buffet,” he told the Senate hearing.

“I asked them if they are sure if that’s Congressman Teves indeed. According to them, I spoke to four persons…. they said he was there. I really don’t know if he is really there, but I spoke to four people already. I want to share that information,” Villanueva said.

Villanueva said the sightings were on April 13 and 14.

Senator Risa Hontiveros asked committee chair Ronald dela Rosa to ask help from the Philippine Embassy in Seoul in finding Teves.

Dela Rosa had earlier said he would accept a virtual appearance from Teves.

Embassy assistance?

Meanwhile, Senator Francis Tolentino enumerated all possible countries where Teves could possibly join the hearing.

Tolentino based his information on a the list provided by Office of the Court Administrator of the Supreme Court.

“Bilang na bilang lang po kung saan puwede siya humingi ng assistance para makapag virtually appear siya sa isang embahada,” Tolentino said on Monday, April 17.

(There’s only a few number of countries where he can avail of assistance to appear virtually from a Philippine embassy.)

The countries are:

• Germany
• Macau
• Portugal
• Qatar
• France
• Singapre
• Switzerland
• Indonesia

But even before Teves could avail of this, the Senate committee on public order barred any virtual appearance by Teves.

Degamo’s widow, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, had protested Teves’ virtual appearance. She railed that Teves did not deserve this, that a fugitive shouldn’t be accorded special treatment.

“There is a unanimous agreement not to allow the virtual presence of Congressman Teves,” Senator Bato dela Rosa said.

Treves, he added, could join the hearing anytime physically when he decides to.

“The doors are not completely shut down for Cong Teves. If he wants to come here physically, we will entertain. Kahit hanggang gabi pa,” Dela Rosa said.

No standing arrest warrant

In an attempt to convince Teves to show up, Dela Rosa offered protection for him when he talked to him over the phone on Sunday, April 16.

“Tumawag si Cong Teves kahapon. Sabi ko, ‘Bakit ‘di ka mag attend physically? Sabi niya he’s under threat. Sabi nya sigurado siya na papatayin siya kapag andito siya,’” Dela Rosa recalled.

(He called me yesterday. I told him, “why don’t you attend physically? He said, he’s under threat. He told me that he’s sure he’d get killed here.)

“Sabi ko ako mismo mag body guard sayo kapag andito ka sa Senado,” he added. (I told him that I’d serve as his body guard here in the Senate.)

Dela Rosa, however, said that Teves refused to disclose his whereabouts.

During the hearing, Justice Secretary Boying Remulla said that no standing arrest warrants have been issued against Teves, prompting Dela Rosa to appeal to Teves to show up.

“Cong. Teves, if you are now monitoring, wala ka pala warrant. We have no reason for you to be arrested when you come home or surface. Puwede ka pumunta dito hanggang gabi. Hindi ka mamatay kung uuwi ka rito sa Pilipinas kung uuwi ka rito,” Dela Rosa said.

(Cong. Teves, if you’re now monitoring, you don’t have an arrest warrant. We have no reason for you to be arrested when you come home or surface. You can come here until the evening. You won’t die if you’d come home here in the Philippines.)

Teves is under investigation for remaining out of the country after the travel clearance issued to him expired on March 9. The House had allowed him to travel to the US for medical treatment. – Rappler.com