Former Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. being arrested by the Timor-Leste immigration police on Tuesday.*Video grab from Axel Teves’ Facebook post
Former Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. who was arrested at his home in Timor-Leste on Tuesday will be deported, the Timorese government said on Wednesday, May 28.
Teves “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 Timor-Leste government announced in a statement.
“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 said.
The government of Timor-Leste believes that the presence of Teves in its territory, who is suspected of having committed several serious crimes and has been formally charged in the Philippines, a member country of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – represents a serious and unacceptable situation, the statement said.
“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”, it 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 statement said.
“It should also be noted that the citizen in question faces several criminal charges in the Philippines, including 13 counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder, and 4 counts of attempted murder, related to crimes committed between 2019 and 2023, including the murder of the then Governor of Negros Oriental, Roel Degamo,” the Timor-Leste statement said.
“In light of these facts, and in accordance with the Migration and Asylum Law, it was also decided to prohibit him from entering the national territory for a period of 10 years. The Government reaffirms its commitment to the principles of the rule of law, respect for international norms concerning cooperation,” it said.
Congresswoman-elect Janice Degamo (Neg. Or., 3rd District), the widow of Gov. Roel Degamo, said in a statement Wednesday night that “the government of Timor-Leste has recognized what we have long known to be true, that the continued presence of Arnie Teves in their country compromises regional peace, security and the rule of law”.
She thanked the Timorese authorities for “their courage and clarity in declaring that harboring fugitives, especially those wanted for heinous crimes like the Pamplona Massacre, is unacceptable. This is not just a legal issue, it is a moral one”.
For over two years Teves has evaded justice, even after being formally charged for the brutal assassination of her husband and nine innocent others, she said.
“Their actions and tonight’s press release make it clear, that Timor-Leste will not be used as a safe haven for those who undermine justice and democratic values. I hope that the recent announcement by the Timorese government will lead to the immediate return of Arnie Teves to face justice in the Philippines,” she said.
Teves has filed petition for habeas corpus before the Timor-Leste Court claiming his arrest was illegal.
His lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said Teves was arrested Tuesday evening without a warrant of arrest and was detained at the Ministry of Interior in Timor-Leste.
Topacio told the media that a Timor-Leste court issued a writ of habeas corpus ordering Teves’ appearance in court within 48 hours.
The former congressman’s son Axel Teves in a video posted on his Facebook page appealed for international help saying his father was “kidnapped” from his home in Timor Leste by Timorese immigration police and was being illegally detained in an Immigration Building.
His father was being guarded by the police and family and media were not being allowed in to see him, Axel Teves said.
The Timorese court ruled in favor of my father and he cannot be extradited, he should be in Timor Leste living peacefully and safety, he added.*