Latest news with #Teves'
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Timor-Leste to deport Arnie Teves but lawyer says habeas corpus granted
Timor-Leste will deport former Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo Teves, Jr. as he has been in the country without a valid visa and legal authorization to stay, the government of the southeast Asian nation said on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. In a statement, a spokesman for the Timor-Leste government said the decision would take effect immediately, according to a report on GMA News Online. However, Teves' lawyer, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, said Timor-Leste's Court of Appeals has granted the former lawmaker's petition for a writ of habeas corpus. He said Timor-Leste authorities have been told to present Teves to the court in 48 hours, the report added. "The Government hereby informs that Arnolfo Teves Jr. will be deported from Timor-Leste by administrative decision of the Ministry of the Interior, as he is in the country without a valid visa, lacking legal authorization to remain, and holding a passport that the Government of the Philippines has cancelled," the statement read. "The decision, which takes effect immediately, is based on national legislation regarding migration and asylum and is grounded in the risks that this citizen's continued presence poses to public order and national security," it added. Teves is the principal accused in the killing of then Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo in March 2023. He has since applied for asylum in Timor-Leste. Based on the Facebook post of Teves' son Axl early Wednesday, May 28, 2025, the former lawmaker was nabbed by immigration officers in Timor-Leste. Allegedly, no warrant or any other document was shown during the arrest. Based on a report by local media Teves was nabbed and placed under the custody of Timor-Leste immigration police. "His extended stay in Timor-Leste for over two years poses a disruptive factor in bilateral relations between the two States and establishes a serious precedent with potential implications for internal security," the Timor-Leste government said. "The perception that Timor-Leste might be viewed as a refuge for individuals fleeing international justice undermines the integrity of our borders and our shared efforts to combat transnational crime," it added. "The imminent full accession of Timor-Leste to ASEAN, scheduled for October this year, further reinforces the responsibility of the Timorese State to actively collaborate with its regional partners in upholding justice, legality, and stability in the region," the Timor-Leste government said.
Filipino Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Arnie Teves arrested in Timor-Leste, detained amid extradition dispute
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.
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Arnie Teves arrested in Timor-Leste
Former Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. was arrested in Timor-Leste where he sought asylum. Based on the Facebook post of Teves' son Axl early Wednesday, the former lawmaker was nabbed by immigration officers in Timor-Leste, Unang Balita reported. Allegedly, no warrant or any other document was shown prior to the arrest. Based on a report by local media Teves was nabbed and placed under the custody of Timor-Leste immigration police. Teves was allegedly the mastermind in the killing of former Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine others on March 4, 2023. The former lawmaker has denied the accusation. GMA News Online contacted the Department of Justice for comment but has yet to receive a reply as of posting time. GMA Integrated News also contacted the Bureau of Immigration for comment. Teves' lawyer Atty. Ferdinand Topacio told GMA Integrated News that Teves was taken by immigration police from his home in Dili. "At around 8 p.m. yesterday (Dili time), our client, Rep. Armolfo Teves, was taken from his residence in Dili together with his Timor Leste counsel, Dr. Joao Serra, by immigration police. The lawyer was manhandled by the said police," Topacio said. He said Teves and Serra have since been detained in the compound of the Ministry of the Interior. "No warrant or any written authority was shown to Mr. Teves and Dr. Serra as to the cause of detention," Topacio said. "We are held against our will. They are not letting me go," Teves said in a video posted by Axl on Facebook. —with a report from Joahna Lei Casilao/KG, GMA Integrated News
