(UPDATE) THE Department of Justice (DOJ) said it is ready to bring former Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. back to the Philippines to face multiple murder charges, including his alleged role in the assassination of Gov. Roel Degamo in March 2023.
This development followed Teves’ arrest by immigration authorities in Timor-Leste on Tuesday night, where he had been seeking political asylum since his expulsion from the House of Representatives in August 2023.
Teves was reportedly detained for entering Timor-Leste as an undocumented foreigner — his Philippine passport having been canceled — and for being the subject of an international alert from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) alongside a standing warrant issued by a Philippine court.
Former congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. speaks in this file photo.
In a statement, the DOJ welcomed Timor-Leste’s renewed position that Teves “should not remain in their territory” but clarified that no formal documentation or official notice of the arrest or deportation status had yet been received.
“While we await clarification on whether Mr. Teves will be deported as an undocumented alien or extradited pursuant to our pending application, we stand ready to arrange his transfer by the most expeditious means once formalities are in place,” it said.
Despite coordination with Timorese authorities, no timeline has been announced for Teves’ return.
Teves’ legal team in Dili has filed a petition for habeas corpus, seeking to compel Timor-Leste authorities to justify the circumstances of his arrest and the planned deportation. Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said no arrest warrant was presented, nor was any formal reason given for Teves’ detention.
“The authorities must explain why Teves is being held and on what legal basis they intend to deport him,” Topacio said, citing Timor-Leste’s constitutional protections.
His lawyers argued that deporting Teves would circumvent previous Timorese court decisions denying the Philippine government’s extradition requests on grounds of credible risk of torture, unfair trial and human rights violations. A secondary legal remedy, a “cautelar writ,” is also being pursued to block any attempt to forcibly remove Teves from Timor-Leste.
Topacio emphasized that despite Teves’ undocumented status, he is entitled to protection under international asylum laws, and any forced deportation would violate both Timorese constitutional provisions and global human rights standards.
“If he is sent back, we are ready to defend him here,” Topacio affirmed, expressing confidence that the government’s case is weak, especially as many witnesses have recanted.
The sudden arrest of Teves followed the declaration of Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta that the decision-making in the case of the former Philippine lawmaker is guided above all by the country’s national interest.
“Regardless of all legal and constitutional considerations, there is one issue that all countries in the world observe: the national interest,” Ramos-Horta was quoted as saying at a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Dili shortly after Teves was arrested.
He said Timor-Leste does not want to become “a paradise for all those who commit crimes in the region,” referring to Teves, who is wanted in the Philippines for multiple murder charges.
“The non-extradition decision is outdated,” Ramos-Horta said. “You are not eligible for political asylum. If you are not eligible for asylum, and if there is an Interpol warrant and a formal request from the Philippine authorities, it would be a serious irresponsibility for this country not to comply with that request.”
The president also pressed domestic judicial and law enforcement bodies to act swiftly: “I want to see today what the justice system and the agencies that have to support justice are going to do,” he added.
Relations between Timor-Leste and the Philippines have been under strain since the Court of Appeal’s March ruling. Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla warned at the time that Timor-Leste’s refusal to extradite Teves could hurt its bid for full membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), where the Philippines is a founding member.
However, tensions appear to have eased. Last Thursday, the Philippines expressed its support for Timor-Leste’s Asean membership. At the Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, member states agreed that Timor-Leste’s full accession to the bloc will take place in October.
Teves went into hiding following accusations of orchestrating the assassination of Governor Degamo in March 2023. He consistently denied involvement, claiming political persecution by the Philippine government.
Step toward justice
Negros Oriental congresswoman-elect Janice Degamo, widow of the slain governor, welcomed the news of Teves’ arrest as a “significant step toward justice” nearly two years after the massacre that claimed her husband and nine others during the Pamplona incident.
“For over two years, our call has been clear and unwavering — that those responsible must be held accountable, no matter how far they run or how long they hide,” Degamo said in a statement.
She lauded international cooperation in pursuing fugitives wanted for grave crimes and urged for “proper legal proceedings” to bring lasting peace to Negros Oriental, a province long plagued by political violence.
Degamo also referred to allegations linking Teves to a private armed group dubbed the “Teves Terrorist Group,” blamed for multiple killings in the region.
“We now look forward to long-overdue justice for my beloved Roel and the hundreds of others who suffered at the hands of the Teves Terrorist Group,” she added.
