Detained former Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. is scheduled for major surgery, as government doctors have determined his condition requires treatment at a better-equipped medical facility. His lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, confirmed this on Tuesday.

According to Topacio, doctors at a government hospital have recommended Teves’ transfer to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City for the procedure. Topacio stated that this recommendation follows proper Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) protocols for serious emergency cases. All trial courts handling Teves’ pending cases have been informed.

Teves first complained of severe stomach pains around 7 p.m. on Monday, June 16, according to BJMP spokesperson Jayrex Bustinera. A jail nurse at Camp Bagong Diwa attended to him, but his condition did not improve overnight. He was then rushed to a government hospital on Tuesday morning, where he is currently undergoing evaluation and treatment, pending BJMP’s approval for transfer to a private facility.

Topacio, however, alleged that BJMP personnel initially refused his client’s request to be brought to a hospital due to “protocol,” despite Teves being in severe pain. He stated that Teves was only transported after Topacio’s insistence upon arriving at Camp Bagong Diwa around 7 a.m., by which time his pain had “become aggravated.”

The BJMP, for its part, confirmed Teves was rushed to a government hospital around 6 a.m. and that initial symptoms were observed about an hour later. They added that a jail nurse administered first aid and medication, but a BJMP doctor later recommended his immediate transfer. The BJMP also stated that security measures have been heightened for Teves, a high-profile person deprived of liberty (PDL), with coordination with relevant security forces.

Teves is currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig, facing charges for the murder of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and several others in a 2023 attack. These cases are pending before Manila RTC Branch 51. Degamo’s widow, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, has reportedly questioned the “level of treatment” being accorded to Teves.

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