News Roundup 14 April 2023
Apr 14, 2023 • 4 min Read
Teves asks DOJ to dismiss firearms case | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The camp of Rep. Arnolfo Teves (Negros Oriental)—tagged as the mastermind behind the assassination of Gov. Roel Degamo—on Friday filed a motion to dismiss complaints of illegal possession of firearms, ammunitions and explosives filed against him.
Teves’ lead counsel Ferdinand Topacio filed the motion asking the Department of Justice to dismiss the complaints “for utter lack of evidence to support a finding of probable cause.”
In the motion, the camp of the Negros Oriental lawmaker argued the alleged insufficiency of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group’s evidence “was not improved by the additional evidence they submitted during a previous hearing.”
“Despite the ample opportunity allowed to the complainants, it miserably failed to prove the element of possession, the gravamen of both offenses,” the complaint read.
“In sum, complainants, with their evidence, even left uncontroverted, miserably failed to discharge their duty to establish probable cause against Respondent Teves 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,” the complaint read.
In March, prosecutors cleared Teves of one of eight charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives but indicted co-respondent Roland Pablio in the case. The case was dismissed because no proof was established to link the lawmaker to a conspiracy with Pablio to possess the firearms.
Full Story at: Teves asks DOJ to dismiss firearms case | Philstar.com
Degamo widow tells Bato: Don’t let Teves join hearing remotely | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The widow of slain Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo protested against Sen. Ronald dela Rosa’s decision to allow suspended Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. (Negros Oriental) to remotely attend the Senate investigation into the string of high-profile killings across the country.
In a letter to Dela Rosa, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo expressed her and other victims’ disappointment at allowing Teves to participate in the hearing virtually, when they will be attending in person.
“The decision has greatly affected the victims who strongly disagree with such an accommodation. We believe all participants in the hearing should be treated equally and be given the same opportunity to attend personally, regardless of their position or status,” Mayor Degamo said.
She added that allowing other resource persons to participate virtually “undermines the value and importance of our presence” and is “unfair to those who will be attending personally.”
Rule XI, Section 22 of the Rules of the Senate allows committees to conduct meetings or hearings remotely “due to force majeure or occurrence of an emergency as determined by the majority of all the members of the Senate which may prevent the senators from physically attending the committee meetings or hearings.”
“Cong. Teves is a fugitive. He should not be afforded such an accommodation,” Mayor Degamo said.
Full Story at: Degamo widow tells Bato: Don’t let Teves join hearing remotely | Philstar.com
Bantag, aide wanted for slay of Lapid plot ‘middleman’ | INQUIRER.NET – A Muntinlupa City court has ordered the arrest of former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and his deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta for the murder of Cristito “Jun Villamor” Palaña, the alleged middleman in the killing of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa.
The April 12 warrant issued by Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 Presiding Judge Gener Gito noted that no bail was recommended for the two men, who were also charged last month in a Las Piñas City court for Mabasa’s murder. The Las Piñas court has not yet issued an arrest warrant for Bantag and Zulueta.
Mabasa, who was an arch-critic of Bantag in his online radio show, was shot to death in Las Piñas City on Oct. 3, 2022, by a motorcycle-riding assailant.
On Oct. 17, 2022, confessed gunman Joel Escorial surrendered to the authorities and said at a press conference on the following day that Palaña, an inmate at New Bilibid Prison (NBP), contracted him to kill Mabasa for P550,000.
Just hours after the press conference at the Philippine National Police headquarters, Palaña was found dead at NBP. His sister, Marisa, said she had received a text message from him naming three prison gang leaders who might be involved in case he died.
Full Story at: Bantag, aide wanted for slay of Lapid plot ‘middleman’ | Inquirer News
3,992 of 9,183 pass 2022 Bar exam | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — A total of 3,992 out of 9,183 or 43.47 % of examinees passed the 2022 Bar examination, Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa said.
At a press conference, Caguioa announced the top 30 examinees, with the top five coming from the University of the Philippines.
Out of the top 30, eleven are from the University of the Philippines, eight from Ateneo De Manila University, three from the University of San Carlos, and one from San Beda College Alabang, Mariano Marcos State University, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Saint Louis University, University of Santo Tomas, Arellano University, Manuel L. Quezon University, Angeles University, and Ateneo de Davao University.
Full Story at: 3,992 of 9,183 pass 2022 Bar exam | Inquirer News
