Senator Ronald Dela Rosa said Thursday that suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnulfo Teves will attend virtually a Senate hearing on the killing of Governor Roel Degamo.

In an interview with ANC, Dela Rosa said Teves confirmed that he will be attending the probe which will be held by the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.“He has made his commitment through his secretary. (He was) communicating to my committee secretariat that he is going to attend virtually during the hearing,” added Dela Rosa, committee chairman.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Teves may still be in Cambodia. Remulla earlier said Teves appears to be the main mastermind behind the killing of Degamo on March 4, where the governor and eight others perished.

Teves was suspended for 60 days by the House of Representatives after he refused to come home. Teves, whose travel authority expired on March 9, unsuccessfully appealed to extend his stay abroad, citing security threats.

“Maybe he will use this (Senate probe) as an avenue for his side to be heard by the public and that is a good sign if he wants to cooperate,” Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa said the purpose of the hearing was to identify policy gaps that could be fixed by laws.

“The main purpose of this hearing is to identify policy gaps wherein these gaps might be cured through legislations. At the same time, this hearing does not only cover Degamo killing, this was being triggered by the resolution filed by Senator Risa Hontiveros regarding a series of killings of government officials which are happening consecutively,” he added. Jaspearl Tan/DMS