CEBU, Philippines – Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III, head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), recommended the inclusion of former Negros Oriental governor Pryde Henry Teves and nine others in the murder charges that his brother, Arnie Teves, is facing.
The charges are in relation to the assassination of former Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo on March 4, 2023.
Torre submitted additional documents to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday, February 17, seeking a case review by state prosecutors. He cited DOJ’s Department Circular 20 (DC 20) that mandates the coordination of prosecutors in the development of cases.
“May mga narecover tayong explosives, firearms, and the like (We were able to recover explosives, firearms, and the like),” Torre told reporters.
The CIDG chief refused to disclose further details, pending the review of the complaint they filed.
As of this writing, Arnie Teves is still in Timor Leste appealing the Timorese Court of Appeals’ ruling on his extradition.
On Teves’ candidacy
In October 2024, Pryde Henry filed a certificate of candidacy for Negros Oriental governor in the May 12, 2025 polls.
When asked if the CIDG’s complaint would affect Teves’ qualifications to run, Torre said that it would not.
“I don’t think it will affect the eligibility, qualification of the person,” the CIDG chief said.
Torre shared that it would only be natural for Teves and his supporters to say that the move to file the complaint is “politically motivated.”
“They have the chance to answer it. So, basta kanila na lang kung paano nila i-take (it’s up to them how they would take it),” Torre added.
The camp of the former Negros Oriental governor has yet to issue a statement on the matter. This article will be updated after the release of their statement.
On March 24, 2023, police and military forces seized multiple firearms and ammunition during a raid at an agribusiness compound registered to Henry Teves.
The former governor also admitted that his driver was a suspected spotter in the killing of a former provincial government employee, during a Senate public inquiry in April 2023.
Henry Teves won the Negros Oriental gubernatorial race in May 2022, defeating Roel Degamo by a slim margin.
In September 2022, however, the Comelec, annulled his victory after it declared Degamo’s almost-namesake, Ruel Degamo, a nuisance candidate. The nearly 50,000 votes that Ruel got were added to Roel’s and were enough to defeat Henry. – Rappler.com