TIMOR Leste immigration police arrested anew expelled Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo Teves Jr.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday morning, May 28, 2025, Teves’ son, Axl, said that immigration police trooped to their residence and forcibly took the former congressman “without any form of documents.”
“Right now, he is still in the immigration building in Timor Leste. Being held illegally by the immigration officers also surrounded by Timorese police,” he said.
Teves is facing murder and frustrated murder in a Philippine court in relation to the killing of then Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo, along with several others, on March 4, 2023.
He is also facing murder charges in relation to the killing of three individuals in the province in 2019, including Miguel Dungog, a former board member of Negros Oriental.
Teves was arrested in March 2024 over an Interpol red notice requested by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
He sought asylum in Timor Leste.
The Timor Leste Court of Appeals (CA) earlier rejected the request of the Philippine Government for the extradition of Teves.
In a statement, the DOJ welcomed Teves’ arrest anew.
“While we welcome the recent pronouncements from Timor Leste indicating a renewed position that Mr. Teves should not remain in their territory, we await their action, whether he would simply be deported for being an undocumented foreigner or extradited forthwith pursuant to our pending application. We emphasize that the Philippine government has not been furnished with any legal or official document on the matter,” it said.
“Nonetheless, we are ready to arrange the transfer of custody by the most expeditious means once we are clarified on this issue. We remain ready and committed to bring Mr. Teves to justice in accordance with the rule of law and the principles of international cooperation. We continue to work closely with the appropriate authorities in Timor Leste and stand by to act the moment a formal process is initiated,” it added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)