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Elizabeth Marcelo - The Philippine Star
February 8, 2026 | 12:00am
Expelled Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves attends a press conference at the National Bureau of Investigation Headquarters in Pasay City on May 30, 2025.
The STAR / Ryan Baldemor
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice’s National Prosecution Service will challenge the acquittal of former Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. of murder in connection with the killing of former Negros Oriental provincial board member Miguel Lopez Dungog in 2019.
At a press briefing on Friday, DOJ prosecutor general Richard Anthony Fadullon said his office is looking into all available remedies to challenge the decision of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 15, either via a motion for reconsideration or an appeal before a higher court.
“Right now, we’re exerting efforts to see if, I think, there’s a motion for reconsideration that will be filed or whether or not we will still file one. But definitely, we will question the decision,” Fadullon said.
He stressed that Teves remains in detention due to his other pending non-bailable cases.
In a Jan. 5 order, the Manila RTC Branch 15 granted the respective demurrers to evidence of Teves and his co-accused Richard Cuadra and Rolando Pinili, wherein they prayed for the dismissal of their murder case due to the supposed insufficiency of evidence of the DOJ’s prosecution panel.
A grant of a demurrer is tantamount to the accused’s acquittal.
“The court, in its decision, said that there was only one witness presented against former congressman Teves who testified that he (Teves) was the mastermind of the killing. The court said that was not enough,” Fadullon said.
“But I think we could question that,” he added.
Teves is still facing 10 counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder and four counts of attempted murder before the Manila RTC Branch 51 and one count of murder each at the Manila RTC Branch 12 and the Bayawan RTC Branch 63 in Negros Oriental.
He is also facing a case of illegal possession of firearms and explosives at the Manila RTC Branch 12 and a separate case of violations of several provisions of Republic Act 10168, or the Terrorist Financing Prevention and Suppression Act at the Quezon City RTC Branch 77.
