Former congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. was at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) facility on May 30, three days after he was arrested in Timor- Leste evening of May 27 after more than two years of eluding manhunt by Philippine authorities for a string of murder cases including the killing of a governor of Negros Oriental.
There was something in Teves’ cold stare and body movement that reeks of impunity, of someone used to escape punishment.
Teves, who was representative of Negros Oriental’s 3rd district in 2023, left the country after he was implicated in the murder of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine others on March 4 of that year.
He was initially suspended as member of the House of Representatives and on August 16, 2023 expelled “for disorderly conduct.”
Reports said Teves entered Timor-Leste, a Southeast Asian county that comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, on May 9,2023. His application for asylum was rejected but he continued to stay there. There were confusing reports of “arrest”, then “house arrest”, and sightings of him in public places.
Last December, it was reported that the Timor-Leste Court of Appeals again granted the Philippoines’ extradition request for Teves. But last March 20, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that the Timor-Leste Court of Appeals denied the country’s extradition request for Teves, citing its earlier rulings. The DOJ said it will appeal the Timor-Leste CA ruling.
Teves’ eventual arrest happened the day after the 46 th summit of the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) Leaders in Kuala Lumpur last May 26 which President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. attended.
Timor-Leste, which gained independence in 2002, wants to join ASEAN, where decisions are done by consensus. The Philippines will also be the chair of ASEAN next year and will be in the position to set the agenda for the organization.
Photos of Teves at the NBI by Bullit Marquez for VERA Files.
