The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday it is dismayed by Timor-Leste’s decision to refuse an extradition request for former Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., who is accused of masterminding the killings of a provincial governor and several others.
“We are disappointed that Timor-Leste has not shown enough trust in the delivery of justice in the Philippines, a founding member of the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] which it seeks to join, and among the very first ASEAN member states to convey support for its aspiration to join the association,” the DFA said in a statement.
Teves is facing murder charges in connection with the killings of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight other people in Pamplona town in March 2023.
He denied any involvement in the killing of Degamo and the other victims.
Teves was arrested by police while he was playing at a golf driving range in 2024 in East Timor’s capital of Dili, where he had tried to seek asylum.
Manila sought his arrest through Interpol, which issued a global red notice to apprehend the former lawmaker.
Philippine Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said Timor-Leste’s application for membership in the 10-member ASEAN, of which the Philippines was a founding member, may be jeopardized by its move to deny Manila’s repeated request for Teves’ extradition.
While its application is dependent on its compliance with the bloc’s roadmap for full membership and its accession to the ASEAN Charter, the DFA said “it should also be able to demonstrate that it shares the spirit of trust and cooperation that ASEAN member states accord with one another, not only within the framework of ASEAN, but also in their bilateral relations.”
On March 20, Timor-Leste’s Court of Appeal overturned two previous court decisions in June and December 2024 to extradite Teves, citing the “well-founded risk of being subjected to torture, inhuman, degrading, or cruel treatment.”
Philippine officials said they will exhaust all legal measures to bring Teves back to the country.
The DFA has already canceled his passport, making him an undocumented national.
“All they have to do is to deport him here. That’s all they have to do,” Remulla said. (GMA Integrated News)