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Filipino Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Ex-lawmaker Arnie Teves deported from Timor-Leste, back in the Philippines
Former Negros Oriental Representative Arnie Teves, who is facing multiple murder charges, has returned to the Philippines after being deported from Timor-Leste. Teves arrived aboard a military aircraft after two years of seeking political asylum in the Southeast Asian nation. Timor-Leste authorities arrested Teves in his Dili residence and held him at the Ministry of the Interior before deportation. The Timorese government justified his removal, stating that allowing him to stay in Timor-Leste could be seen as providing refuge to fugitives, which would compromise efforts against transnational crime. Teves' legal team attempted to halt the deportation by filing for a writ of habeas corpus, which his lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, claimed was granted. However, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla asserted that no such writ was issued. Teves faces 13 counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder for crimes allegedly committed between 2019 and 2023, including the killing of a provincial governor and nine others.
Arab News
29-05-2025
- General
- Arab News
East Timor to deport former Philippine lawmaker wanted in 2023 killings
MANILA: East Timor has agreed to deport an Interpol-wanted Philippines murder suspect after two years of political wrangling, with the government linking the case to its aspirations to join the regional ASEAN bloc. Former Philippines congressman Arnolfo Teves allegedly masterminded a March 2023 attack that killed then-provincial governor Roel Degamo and nine others. Teves was detained at a driving range in Dili last year, but a Timorese court blocked his extradition. Manila's justice secretary suggested the decision may have been bought, saying it was 'obvious that some people are making money out of this.' In an abrupt turnaround, East Timor late on Wednesday announced Teves' impending deportation, saying his continued presence represented a security risk. 'The Government hereby informs that Arnolfo Teves Jr. will be deported from Timor-Leste,' it said in a statement, using the country's alternate name. It added that East Timor's 'imminent full accession' to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had reinforced its responsibility to collaborate regionally on legal matters. On Thursday, Manila's Department of Justice said it was preparing a team to facilitate Teves' repatriation based on deportation documents from East Timor. Ex-lawmaker Teves is the prime suspect in the murder of former Negros Oriental governor Degamo. Degamo had been distributing aid at his home in Pamplona when six people carrying rifles and dressed in military fatigues entered the compound and opened fire on March 4, 2023. The killings came months after Degamo was declared winner of a disputed vote, unseating Henry Teves, the ex-lawmaker's brother. Arnolfo Teves was expelled from the House of Representatives after refusing to return to the Philippines to face murder charges. On Wednesday, Teves' son Axl posted videos on social media of his father being dragged away by Timorese police, claiming he had been 'kidnapped.' Degamo's widow Janice, meanwhile, called the arrest a 'significant step toward justice.' Teves is currently being held in detention while awaiting administrative processing, a source at Dili's interior ministry said.
