FORMER Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. is expected to be extradited to the Philippines shortly after Pope Francis’ visit to Timor-Leste, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) official.
Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano, DOJ spokesperson, stated at a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday that Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta intends to send Teves back to the Philippines. Citing news reports, Clavano said, “He [Ramos-Horta] mentioned that it will not be too long before he [Teves] will go home.”
The DOJ is coordinating with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other agencies to facilitate Teves’ extradition. Clavano stated, “We hope to execute everything, our operation right after the Papal visit.” Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Timor-Leste from September 9 to 11.
Timor-Leste has denied Teves’ motion for reconsideration, which he filed to overturn the extradition granted against him, the DOJ disclosed. However, Teves’ legal counsel, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, countered this as “fake news,” claiming that the stay order was denied, not the appeal itself.
In June, Timor-Leste’s Court of Appeals approved the Philippines’ request for Teves’ extradition. Clavano remarked, “I don’t think the president of Timor Leste wants him [Teves] to stay any longer.”
Teves and several others are facing murder charges in connection with the 2023 killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo. The expelled lawmaker has been in the custody of Timor-Leste police since March, following his arrest based on an International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) red notice issued against him in February.
A red notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and arrest an individual pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. The notice stemmed from the multiple murder charges filed against Teves for Degamo’s assassination, which he has consistently denied.
In addition to Degamo’s murder, Teves and others have also been charged with the deaths of three individuals in Negros Oriental in 2019.
The impending extradition of Teves marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the killing of Governor Degamo. His return to the Philippines will allow for the legal proceedings to continue, potentially shedding light on his alleged involvement in the crime.
