THE secretary of Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. and five others were charged before the Department of Justice in connection to the alleged discovery of firearms, ammunition, and explosives in the lawmaker’s residences on March 10.
In a statement released yesterday, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) said charged were Teves’ secretary, Hanna Mae Sumerao Oray, Heracleo Sangasin Oray, Rodolfo Teves Maturan, Joseph Kyle Catalan Maturan, Jose Pablo Gimarangan, and Roland Aguisanda Pablio.
Gimarangan and Pablio were charged for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Hanna Mae, Oray, Maturan, and Catalan Maturan were indicted for infringement of RA 10591.
The six were arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Special Action Force, and the Philippine Army during the simultaneous implementation of search warrants at five different addresses in Basay and Bawayan City, Negros Oriental on March 10.
The simultaneous raids were conducted based on a search warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court in Mandaue City.
PNP-CIDG chief legal officer Col. Thomas Valmonte said seized were three grenades, ten short firearms, six M4 rifles, 465 live ammunition, 22 assorted magazines, and 194 empty shells.
The search warrants targeted Teves’ residence in Malabugas, Bayawan City, where his two children live, as well as two other properties in Basay City, and two other properties in Bayawan, which were allegedly owned by Teves’ secretary and his close-in security staff.
Teves, his sons Kurt Mathew, and Axel were not around during the implementation of the search warrants.
However, the PNP-CIDG said criminal complaints are being readied for filing against them for violation of RA 10591 and RA 9516.
“The PNP-CIDG enforces the law regardless of one’s status in the society. We will assure impartiality in the conduct of the investigation and will hold criminals accountable for the offense they committed,” CIDG Director Brig. Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr. said.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court yesterday granted Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla’s request to transfer to a court in Manila the cases related to the highly-controversial killing of Degamo and eight others on March 4.
The SC Public Information Office confirmed that the SC en banc has approved the transfer of the cases to the Manila Regional Trial Court.
Degamo was killed 19 days after the Supreme Court declared him the winner in the fiercely contested gubernatorial race in his province.
