The Department of Justice (DOJ) is considering an appeal following the acquittal of former Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. in connection with the 2019 killing of former provincial board member and ex-NBI agent Michael Dungog.
DOJ Acting Secretary Fredderick A. Vida stated: “We will study and evaluate and definitely we will explore all available remedies for the DOJ.”
On Friday, January 16, the DOJ confirmed that Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 15 rendered a decision acquitting Teves and his two co-accused of murder charges related to Dungog’s death.
The RTC granted the demurrer to evidence filed by Teves and his co-accused Richard Cuadra and Rolando Pinili.
A demurrer to evidence is a pleading filed by an accused in a criminal case seeking the dismissal of the charge for lack of evidence presented by the prosecution.
If the filing of the demurrer is allowed by court and it is granted, the accused is acquitted of the criminal charge.
In the case of Teves and his co-accused, the trial court ruled that “the prosecution’s evidence is legally insufficient to sustain a conviction even if left unrebutted, the court is duty-bound to grant the demurrer to evidence.”
Earlier, the DOJ said that even if Teves was acquitted in the Dungog case, “he cannot be released because he remains lawfully detained by virtue of his other pending criminal cases.”
“These include multiple murder charges currently pending before the Regional Trial Courts of Manila, including the high-profile cases related to the assassination of the late Governor Roel Degamo,” it added.
Teves is still facing murder charges before the Manila RTC over the 2019 killings of Lester Bato, a body guard of Basay mayoralty candidate Cliff Cordova; and Pacito Libron, an alleged hitman associated with Teves.
The former congressman is also facing 10 counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder in connection with the March 4, 2024 shootings in Pamplona, Negros Oriental that resulted in the death of governor Degamo. (Jeffrey Damicog)
