Teves not under threat, just paranoid – Degamo's widow

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 17) — The widow of slain Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo does not believe there are threats to the life of suspended lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr.

Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo said Teves, the alleged brains behind her husband's murder, is just paranoid.

"Paranoid because ang dami niyang pinapatay eh. Pinapatay niya hindi lang si governor and 10 others [Paranoid because he killed so many people. He killed not only the governor and 10 others]. There are others that when the governor was still alive have become victims of Congressman Arnie Teves," Degamo told CNN Philippines' Politics As Usual on Wednesday. 

"Kasi kung ano yung ginawa natin, babalik din kasi sa atin 'yan. Baka yun ang fear niya," she added.

[Translation: Because what we've done will come back to haunt us. Maybe that's his fear.]

The mayor also pointed out that even President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has guaranteed Teves' safety.

In response, the camp of the Negros Oriental representative challenged Degamo to present evidence to back her claims.

"Ipadala mo yung abogado mo sa DOJ (Department of Justice), mag-file siya ng sinasabi mong pinapatay ni Cong. Arnie Teves. Malakas lang ang loob mo dahil kampi sa'yo ang Secretary of Justice," Teves' lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said.

[Translation: Send your lawyer to the DOJ to file a case over what you say were killings involving Cong. Arnie Teves. You're just gutsy because the Secretary of Justice is on your side.]

"If I killed so many people, you prove it. Prove it please. Don't say things you cannot prove. I never say things I cannot prove," Teves responded in the same interview.

"Definitely, there will be cases that will be filed. More than the cases that you will be facing with what happened to the governor," Degamo said.

The National Bureau of Investigation earlier filed murder complaints against Teves over Degamo's assassination last March before the DOJ.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla previously said Teves applied for, but failed to get political asylum in Timor-Leste.

Teves neither confirmed nor denied this. He also maintained there are credible threats against him and his family.

READ: Teves on Remulla’s claim on his possible return: 'Fake news'