The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday, May 28, that the government is prepared to bring back former Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Arnolfo A. Teves Jr. to the Philippines following his arrest in Timor-Leste.
Teves’ legal counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, confirmed that his client was apprehended by Timor-Leste immigration police.
“At around 8 p.m. yesterday (Dili time), our client, Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., was taken from his residence in Dili together with his Timor Leste counsel, Dr. Joao Serra, by immigration police,” Topacio said.
Teves and Serra are now detained inside the compound of the Ministry of the Interior, accompanied by another legal counsel.
“No warrant or any written authority was shown to Mr. Teves and Dr. Serra as to the cause of detention,” Topacio added.
The DOJ reaffirmed its readiness to facilitate Teves’ return to the country, stating “We are ready to arrange the transfer of custody by the most expeditious means once we are clarified on this issue,” the DOJ said in a statement.
“While we welcome the recent pronouncements from Timor-Leste indicating a renewed position that Mr. Teves should not remain in their territory, we await their action — whether he would simply be deported for being an undocumented foreigner or extradited forthwith pursuant to our pending application,” it said.
However, the DOJ noted that the Philippine government has yet to receive any legal or official document on the matter.
It recalled that the Timor-Leste Court of Appeals had previously granted the Philippine government’s extradition request on Teves.
But it lamented “that decision was unexpectedly reversed, stalling the process.”
“We remain ready and committed to bring Mr. Teves to justice in accordance with the rule of law and the principles of international cooperation. We continue to work closely with the appropriate authorities in Timor-Leste and to act the moment a formal process is initiated,” the DOJ said.
Meanwhile, Topacio said Teves’s lawyers in Timor-Leste have filed a petition for the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus which, he said, is “a universal remedy for those unlawfully deprived of liberty.”
Topacio told journalists that if the basis for Teves’ arrest was his deportation since the former legislator is an undocumented alien due to the cancellation of his passport, Timor-Leste authorities should “explain what will be the basis for the deportation.”
He reminded that the Timor-Leste court has rejected twice the plea of the Philippine government to have Teves extradited.
He pointed out: “In fact, the Philippine government even made another recourse after the second rejection. They made a constitutional challenge to that denial and that constitutional challenge, a few days ago or a week ago, was also denied by the Timor-Leste court.”
Since Teves is also seeking political asylum in Timor-Leste, Topacio said that “under general principles of international law, a person who is applying for asylum should not be removed in the place where asylum is being sought.”
“So, sa amin po, from the point of view of general provisions of international law, highly irregular din po ang pag-aresto sa kanya if the purpose of that arrest is to deport him,” he also said.
Teves, who has been designated as a terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC), is facing multiple charges including the March 4, 2023 shooting in Pamplona, Negros Oriental that resulted in the deaths of Gov. Roel Degamo and nine other persons.
The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 51 issued in 2024 a warrant for his arrest in connection with the Pamplona shootings.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has also cancelled the passport of Teves upon the order of the RTC, making the former congressman an undocumented alien in Timor-Leste. (Jeffrey Damicog)
