The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 12 has approved former Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo Teves’ bail petition in his murder case, set at PHP120,000, his lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said Friday.
Topacio added that Teves’ bail petitions for two other cases are still pending, and he claimed, “However, this is a manifestation that the cases against Mr. Teves are weak since they are just politically motivated.”
Teves faces charges for allegedly masterminding a March 2023 attack that killed then-provincial governor Roel Degamo and 10 others. The incident occurred while Degamo was distributing aid at his home in Pamplona, when six armed men in military fatigues opened fire.
The killings followed a disputed election that unseated Henry Teves, Arnolfo’s brother, months earlier. Arnolfo Teves was expelled from the House of Representatives after refusing to return to the Philippines to face charges.
Previously detained in Timor-Leste, Teves was blocked from extradition by a local court, but in May, authorities deported him, citing security risks.
