EXPELLED Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo Teves Jr., the alleged mastermind in the killing of the province’s governor, Roel Degamo, was arrested on Thursday, March 21, 2024, in Timor Leste.
In a statement, the Department of Justice confirmed Teves’ arrest by the Timorese police in Dili while playing golf at 4 p.m. Thursday.
The arrest came after Teves, who was wanted for multiple murder, was placed on the red notice of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) in February.
“Today’s apprehension of Teves is a testament to the power of international cooperation,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said.
“It send[s] a clear message that no terrorist can evade justice and that nations stand united in safeguarding the safety and security of their citizens,” he added.
Remulla said coordination is ongoing for the extradition of Teves to the Philippines.
Aside from Degamo killing in March 2023, which also resulted in the death of 11 innocent individuals, Teves also has a standing arrest warrant over the killing of several individuals in the province since 2019.
He repeatedly denied accusations linking him to the murder incidents and he also refused to go back to the country despite the calls from government officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., due to threats against his life.
Teves was designated as a terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council while his passport was cancelled in the orders of the DOJ.
In a statement, Demago’s wife said no words can express how she feels following the arrest of Teves.
“Words cannot express how it feels to finally see the man who terrorized our province and brutally murdered my husband surrounded by police,” she said. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)