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South China Morning Post
28-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Ex-Philippine lawmaker's arrest in East Timor seen as linked to Asean membership
A former Philippine lawmaker who is accused of orchestrating a political assassination has been arrested in East Timor, in a move that analysts say is a sign of Dili's desire to resolve an extradition dispute with Manila ahead of its expected entry into Asean Arnolfo Teves Jnr was apprehended in Dili in a joint operation by East Timorese police and immigration officials at his residence in the capital on Tuesday night, his son confirmed in a post on social media on Wednesday. Teves, who has been on the run for more than a year, is wanted in the Philippines over the killing of Roel Degamo, then-governor of Negros Oriental, in March 2023. He faces multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. He left the country days before Degamo's assassination, citing medical reasons, and later sought political asylum in East Timor. The application was rejected, but Teves remained in the country amid a prolonged legal battle over his extradition. His lawyer in Dili, José Ximenes, denounced the arrest as unlawful, claiming it had been carried out without a valid warrant. 'The arrest carried out by authorities is inhumane and illegal,' Ximenes told local reporters. The Philippines' Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Wednesday it was ready to arrange Teves' return 'by the most expeditious means' but was awaiting clarity on the matter.
South China Morning Post
28-03-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Philippines pulls Asean card on East Timor over extradition row. Will it work?
Advertisement Referring to the move by Asia's youngest country to seek entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Manila's Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said it was 'not going to be pleasant for East Timor', citing how the Philippines was 'one of the founding fathers of Asean'. The saga centres on a Timorese court approving an appeal by Arnolfo Teves Jnr, a former Philippine House of Representatives member, to block his extradition to his home country. Teves is accused of murdering his political rival Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and eight other people in 2023. The Philippines founded Asean with Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand in 1967. Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia joined in the following years. East Timor was granted observer status in Asean after its secession from Indonesia in 2002, with the bloc in 2022 agreeing 'in principle' to admit the country, allowing it access to the bloc's high-level meetings. Advertisement
