Arnie Teves arrested in Timor-Leste, detained amid extradition dispute

Filipino Times

5 days ago

Expelled Negros Oriental Representative Arnie Teves was arrested in Dili, Timor-Leste, where he is currently detained by immigration authorities, his lawyer confirmed.
Teves, accused of masterminding the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and nine others, was taken from his residence. According to his counsel, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, no warrant or formal documentation was presented during the arrest.
Teves and his Timorese legal representative, Joao Serra, are being held at the Ministry of the Interior compound. In response, Teves' legal team has filed a writ of habeas corpus in Timor-Leste in an effort to block what they allege could be a forced deportation to the Philippines.
'From the standpoint of international law, the arrest is highly irregular if the intent is deportation,' Topacio said in a virtual interview. He argued that Teves cannot be considered an undocumented alien, noting that his passport was only canceled after he had applied for asylum.
'He is a free man. He is not facing any criminal charges in Timor-Leste,' Topacio emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) has yet to receive formal notification from Timor-Leste but stated its readiness to facilitate Teves' transfer should the opportunity arise.
'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.
Degamo's widow, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, welcomed the arrest, describing it as a long-overdue step toward justice.
'This is a reminder that no one is above the law,' she said in a social media post. 'We now look forward to proper legal proceedings that will bring lasting peace to our province and long-overdue justice for my beloved Roel and the hundreds of others who suffered at the hands of the Teves Terrorist Group.'
The arrest adds another chapter to a long-running legal saga. In 2023, Timor-Leste's Court of Appeals initially approved the Philippine government's extradition request, which Teves appealed. Though the court reversed its decision in his favor, the DOJ filed a subsequent appeal, which remains unresolved.