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Daphne Galvez - The Philippine Star
December 4, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Court of Appeals (CA) has dismissed the petition of expelled Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. to overturn the decision of the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) designating him and his armed group as terrorists.
In a 65-page ruling dated Nov. 26, the CA Ninth Division found that the ATC did not gravely abuse its discretion in designating Teves as a terrorist, saying the tag was made only after finding probable cause that was supported by facts and in accordance with prevailing law and jurisprudence.
It also found that the ATC had sufficient legal and factual bases tending to show that Teves “probably committed acts that constitute terrorism and is probably a terrorist” and that the acts of Teves and his armed group intended to intimidate the people of Negros Oriental and created an atmosphere of fear.
The ATC declared Teves, his brother and several others as members of the “Teves Terrorist Group” after they were implicated in the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo in Pamplona.
Teves challenged the ATC resolution by arguing it gravely abused its discretion and unduly expanded the definition of terrorism.
The CA, however, said that under the Anti-Terrorism Act, only a finding of probable cause, not certainty of guilt, is required to designate a person or an organization as terrorists.
It noted that the ATC had probable cause to designate Teves a terrorist based on sworn statements, CCTV footage, Senate hearings on killings linked to Teves and additional evidence from law enforcers.
The ATC also cited the separate cases filed against Teves over the killing of Degamo and other individuals and his case for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
It also noted the sworn statement of a man who confessed that he was part of the assassinating group that killed three men in 2019 on Teves’ orders.
“Indeed, the several killings in Negros Oriental orchestrated by Arnolfo Teves, especially the Pamplona massacre, were meant to influence and intimidate the Philippine government, particularly, the local government of Negros Oriental, thereby, seriously undermining public safety,” it said.
The appellate court said the designation of an act as terrorism does not need to reach the magnitude of mass casualty bombings or territorial sieges, as the designation “serves both preventive and counterterrorism purposes.”
“It is partly this element of unpredictability and randomness of victim selection that gives terrorism its modern power – ‘a power enhanced manifold by the media’s display and replay of acts of victimization,’” it added.
