Ex-Negros Oriental gov won’t run, vows to face terror funding rap
DUMAGUETE CITY—“I won’t escape or hide.”
This was the assurance made by former Negros Oriental governor Pryde Henry Teves, who is out on bail after he surrendered to authorities on June 20 following the issuance of an arrest warrant by a Cebu court against him for allegedly financing a local terrorist organization.
Pryde, the younger brother of expelled Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves, said he was willing to face the charges head on to prove that the accusations against him were false.
“I will face it squarely because that is my duty as a Filipino and as a Christian. If we do so, we can settle it,” he said in an interview shortly after he posted bail.
“Do not expect me to evade, run away, escape or hide from it,” he added.
Pryde was released from the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the afternoon of June 20 after he posted a bail of P600,000 for charges involving three counts of violating Republic Act No. 10168, otherwise known as The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.
Unfounded claims
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by the country’s Anti-Terrorism Council in court following an investigation that linked Pryde to a terrorist group allegedly behind the numerous killings and harassment in Negros Oriental in the past years.
Pryde denied accusations, including claims that he was a “wanted terrorist.”
“My wife told me that there’s a headline which says that I am the most wanted terrorist. How can I be the most wanted when I only knew about the warrant and when I knew about it, I went right away to the police station to check if it was true,” he said.
Pryde said he never hid because he knew he had not done anything wrong.
“Is there someone who is wanted and at the same time attend to a radio program every Saturday?” he said, referring to his radio show in Negros Oriental.
On Saturday, Pryde was still handling his radio program “Bakas” aired over dyGB FM that was also aired live over his Facebook page “Governor Henry Teves.”
Pryde was declared winner in the gubernatorial race in Negros Oriental in the May 2022 elections.
However, his victory was nullified by the Commission on Elections after the votes of nuisance candidate Grego Gaudia, who used the name “Ruel Degamo,” was annulled in favor of another gubernatorial candidate, Roel Degamo.
Pryde, who served as governor of Negros Oriental for just four months, stepped down from his post on Oct. 11, 2022, paving the way for Roel to assume the post.
Barely six months after he took office as governor, on March 4, 2023, Roel was murdered by a group of assailants who barged into his residential compound in Pamplona town while he was attending to the needs of his constituents. Nine other persons were also killed during the attack.
Pryde’s brother Arnolfo was tagged as the alleged mastermind in the Degamo murder. Arnolfo has denied the allegation but fled the country. He was expelled by the House of Representatives last year after failing to attend its sessions despite repeated calls from House leadership for him to return to the Philippines.
Last March 21, Arnolfo was arrested by authorities while playing golf in Timor-Leste based on a red alert notice issued by the International Criminal Police Organization or Interpol.
Dominic Clavano, spokesperson for the Department of Justice, said on Friday they have “secured the approval” of Timor-Leste to bring Arnolfo back to the Philippines.
Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, Arnolfo’s legal counsel, said they they would appeal Timor-Leste’s decision to allow his client’s extradition.
