Arrangements are being made with the Philippine Air Force (PAF) for the “imminent” repatriation of former Negros Oriental lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. to the Philippines, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Monday, Sept. 9.
“Teves is coming home very soon. At expectation natin (And our expectation is) within the month,” Remulla told reporters.
“Air Force airplane ang aming kinuha. May agreement kami para yung eroplanong sasakyan ay manggagaling po sa ating Air Force (And it will be an Air Force airplane. We have an agreement, that the airplane to be used will come from the air force),” he said.
Teves is facing 10 counts of murder, 12 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 51 over the March 4, 2023 shootings in Pamplona, Negros Oriental, that led to the killing of Governor Roel Degamo and several others.
Teves fled to Dili, Timor-Leste, and applied for political asylum.
In March, he was arrested while playing golf. He was released from Becora Prison but was re-arrested and transferred to the Polícia Nacional of Timor-Leste.
On June 27, the DOJ said the Court of Appeals of Timor-Leste granted the Philippines’ request for Teves’ extradition.
Teves has filed an appeal on the ruling, but the Timor-Leste government turned it down. *PNA