Timor-Leste places Teves under arrest

Expelled Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo Teves Jr., the accused mastermind in the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine others in 2023, was rearrested in his residence in Dili City, Timor-Leste Tuesday night, his son and his lawyer

- By ELIZABETH MARCELO

In his Facebook posts yesterday morning, Teves' son Axl said his father was arrested by Timor-Leste immigration authorities without a warrant of arrest or any other legal documents.

"They just came in forcefully, took him out forcefully," Axl said.

Axl posted a 10-second video of the arrest of his father and his Portuguese lawyer, Joao Serra.

In a separate video also posted by Axl on Facebook, Teves, standing beside Serra, was seen protesting his arrest.

"We are held against our will. They are not letting me go," Teves said.

In a post on Facebook, the Philippine Defense Forces Forum quoted Timor-Leste President José Ramos Horta as saying that his country does not want Teves for reasons of national interest.

"Regardless of all legal and constitutional considerations, there is one principle that all countries in the world observe: the national interest," Ramos-Horta was quoted as saying.

He said his government was allowing the arrest of Teves "to prevent East Timor from becoming a haven for those who commit crimes in the region."

Last March, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said Timor-Leste's application for ASEAN membership could be adversely affected by the denial of the Philippine government's extradition request against Teves, pointing out that the Philippines is a founding member of ASEAN.

The expelled lawmaker was first arrested by the Timor-Leste police in Dili City in March 2024 while playing golf.

His arrest at the time was by virtue of a Red Notice issued by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) upon the request of the Philippine government, in connection with his other pending cases involving multiple counts of murder as well as a case of financing terrorism under the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act.