Police in Timor-Leste have re-arrested a former Philippine Congress member accused of masterminding the killing of a sitting governor and nine others back home in March 2023.
Arnolfo Teves Jr. was reportedly taken by police on May 27 from his residence in the seaside neighborhood of Metiaut, in the capital Dili, following a judicial directive and renewed diplomatic pressure from Manila.
"This is about national interest," President Jose Ramos-Horta told the media at the Presidential Palace in Dili hours later. "We cannot allow our country to become a sanctuary for fugitives."
Horta stressed that "if someone is not eligible for asylum and there's an Interpol Red Notice, ignoring it would be a grave act of irresponsibility."
The president noted that the case for non-extradition was no longer valid.
"The court has made a decision, but circumstances evolve. If we are to uphold international law and regional trust, we must act accordingly," he explained.
Teves, 53, is accused of plotting the murder of his rival Roel Degamo, the governor of Negros Oriental province and nine others on March 4, 2023.
Degamo and the others were shot by gunmen during an aid distribution program inside the governor's compound in Pamplona town. The killing was dubbed the "Pamplona Massacre."
Teves went into hiding and has consistently denied his involvement in the killings, describing the accusation as politically motivated.
He later surfaced in Timor-Leste, where he sought asylum on the grounds that the Philippine government was persecuting him. His request was rejected in May 2023 as he did not meet the necessary criteria.
The government subsequently ordered him to leave Timor-Leste, but he successfully appealed against it in court.
Teves was detained on March 21, 2024, in Dili, but despite repeated efforts by Philippine authorities to secure his extradition, the Timor-Leste Court of Appeals rejected the request, the latest around two months ago.
His arrest once again on May 27 was described by Teves' legal counsel in Timor-Leste, Jose Ximenes, as "inhuman and illegal."
"The security forces entered without proper documentation, and this act violates basic legal and human rights standards," he said in a statement.
Teves' son, Axl Teves, posted a video on social media claiming his father was "forcibly taken" without a warrant or official arrest documents.
"They just picked him up, no legal process. This is abduction," he said in the video.
When the Court of Appeals ruled against Teves' extradition in March 2024, it cited legal uncertainties.
However, the Timorese Supreme Court later reversed that decision in June 2024, ordering his extradition.
Teves' legal team successfully appealed that decision and extradition proceedings have stalled since.
In addition to the Pamplona Massacre, Teves reportedly also faces charges for killing three people in Negros Oriental in 2019, and violations of firearms and explosives laws, after authorities found assault weapons in his family compound.
When he fled the Philippines in 2023, he did so under the pretext of undergoing stem cell therapy in the United States, and never returned.
Following his initial arrest in March 2024, Teves was detained in Becora Prison in Dili. Reports later emerged of him receiving preferential treatment, including homemade meals and frequent family visits.
A prison guard, speaking anonymously, disclosed that Teves' treatment "was unlike any other detainee."
A separate allegation emerged that Teves' son attempted to bribe a Timorese police officer with US$2,000 for special treatment – a claim, still unproven, that fueled public skepticism over the sincerity of local law enforcement.
Teves' presence in Dili has created friction with the Philippines government amid Timor-Leste's bid for full ASEAN membership.
In March, Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla warned that failure to extradite Teves could strain relations and jeopardize Timor-Leste's ASEAN ambitions.
Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs Milena Rangel, responding to Remulla's comments, said the government would seek direct dialogue with Philippine counterparts.
Interestingly, just two months ago, Teves appeared in public wearing a T-shirt bearing the image of former Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, leading a rally of overseas Filipinos in Dili in support of Timor-Leste's ASEAN membership bid.
This gesture was interpreted by many as an attempt to curry favor with both local supporters and Manila.
Born on August 10, 1971, Teves served as the 3rd District Representative of Negros Oriental from 2016 to 2022.
A member of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), he was in his third and final term when implicated in Governor Degamo's assassination.
Teves also hosted a radio program and was an active figure on social media, often expressing support for Duterte.
Fundasaun Mahein, a Timorese NGO focused on national security, alleged that when Teves and his family arrived in Timor-Leste they were received by a presidential security advisor and given a residence in an upscale area in Dili.
This latest arrest may signal a turning point, although Teves' defense continues to push for protection under Timor-Leste's constitutional provisions for human dignity.
As ASEAN prepares to admit Timor-Leste in October, the arrest could be seen as a goodwill gesture – a sign that the young democracy is ready to uphold international laws and stand in solidarity with its Southeast Asian neighbors, said observers.
Source: https://www.ucanews.com/news/timor-leste-re-arrests-murder-accused-ex-filipino-lawmaker/10914