December 21, 2025 | 9:44am
MANILA, Philippines — The Court of Appeals has ordered the delisting from the terrorism designation of the brother of former Negros Oriental lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr.
In a 45-page ruling dated Dec. 18, 2025, the appellate court granted Teves’ petition for certiorari, effectively nullifying his designation under the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act.
With this, the Court of Appeals cleared Teves of his terrorism designation and ordered the government to unfreeze his assets.
“WHEREFORE, the petition is GRANTED. Accordingly, ATC Resolution Number 50 (2023) and ATC Resolution No. 56 (2024) are REVERSED and SET ASIDE. The name PRYDE HENRY A. TEVES, and all reference to said individual, is ORDERED DELISTED and/or STRICKEN from ATC Resolution Number 43 (2023) and its concomitant sanction freeze order, Resolution No. TF-.69.”
On July 26, 2023, the ATC labeled Arnolfo Teves Jr., his brother and 11 others as terrorists, citing alleged breaches of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
This was over his alleged involvement in the killing of former Gov. Roel Degamo on March 3, 2023, which led to the arrest of his brother.
According to the Court of Appeals, the Anti-Terrorism Council and the Anti-Money Laundering Council failed to establish probable cause to designate Teves.
The appellate court said the original designation under ATC Resolution No. 43 did not explicitly discuss the petitioner’s specific participation or contributions to the alleged terrorist group.
“This, by itself, is already a basis for a finding of grave abuse of discretion,” the appellate court’s ruling read.
“Worse, it became manifest during the proceedings that respondents’ finding of probable cause is founded on a gross misapprehension of the facts and gross application of the ATA,” it added.
The appellate court also pointed out that the witnesses had no personal knowledge that Teves masterminded or ordered the crimes attributed to him.
Their testimonies were found to be based on “mere suspicion” fueled by the fact that the victims were political opponents or critics of the Teves family, rather than factual evidence of the petitioner’s involvement, according to the Court of Appeals.
The appellate court also ruled that the respondents acted with grave abuse of discretion, finding that the petitioner’s designation was made without probable cause and constituted a “gross application” of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
“Given all the foregoing disquisition, We FIND and so HOLD that respondents acted with grave abuse of discretion in issuing the assailed resolutions in that petitioner’s designation as a terrorist was without probable cause and was in gross application of Our law against terrorism. The designation being improper, the corresponding freezing of his assets is likewise unjustified.”
