DOJ asks court to cancel Teves passport

THE Department of Justice yesterday said it has asked the court to cancel the passport of expelled congressman Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves who is set to face more legal woes as state prosecutors started hearing a case against him for terrorism financing.

Justice Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano said the department is awaiting resolution on the motion to cancel Teves’ passport.

Clavano declined to say where and when it was filed. But he said that once Teves’ passport is cancelled, he can no longer travel from country to country to evade Philippine authorities who have tagged him as mastermind in the March 4, 2023 attack that killed Negros Oriental governor Ruel Degamo and nine others.

Clavano said latest information showed Teves is still in Timor-Leste.

Meanwhile, state prosecutors conducted a preliminary hearing yesterday on a new complaint lodged against Teves, for violating Section 4 of Republic Act 10168, or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.

Teves is also facing a complaint for violation of RA 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 for providing material support to terrorists.

Teves was represented in the hearing by his counsel, Ferdinand Topacio who said he has yet to receive a copy of the DOJ’s new complaint which he said he learned about just from other respondents and their lawyers.

He said he asked the prosecutors to provide them a copy of the complaint.

The next hearing is set on December 19.

The complaint was filed by the National Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-Terrorism Division on Nov. 14. Also among other respondents are Teves’ brother, Pryde Henry.

Aside from being implicated in the Degamo killing, ex-congressman Teves is also facing multiple murder charges before the DOJ for the 2019 killing of a former Negros Oriental board member and two others, as well as complaints of illegal possession of firearms.