PAMPLONA Mayor Janice Degamo, widow of slain Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, has signed a petition seeking the expulsion of embattled Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. from the House of Representatives.
In a television interview, Janice asked for the support of the House for her petition, which came amid Teves’ refusal to return to the country and face the allegations that he masterminded the governor’s killing.
Degamo was assassinated on March 4 in his residence in Pamplona town. Eight more individuals were killed during the incident.
Four of the armed suspects who perpetrated the killing were arrested and later named a certain “Cong Teves” as the mastermind in the killing.
Teves already denied hand in the crime while he refused to heed to the call of the House leadership for him to come back due to his expired travel authority and instead asked for a two-month leave of absence.
The House Committee on Ethics and Privileges is conducting a probe into Teves' expired travel authority and will also decide on his bid for a two-month leave of absence.
The panel gave Teves until March 20 to submit his explanation.
The National Government has already tapped the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a Blue Notice against the suspects in Degamo’s assassination to monitor their movement.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Teves already left the US and is currently “somewhere in Asia.”
In the same interview, Janice expressed doubt that the policemen who served as his husband’s security aide were involved in the kill plot.
“I know kasi they were handpicked by my husband. ‘Yung isa relative... Close din talaga ‘yung mga guwardiya ni Roel sa kanya (Roel’s security aides were close to him),” she said.
As reported, only one of Degamo’s police escorts was present during the time of the murder, prompting several personalities and lawmakers to think that they might be involved. (SunStar Philippines)