Arnie Teves arrested in Timor-Leste

Former Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. was arrested in Timor-Leste where he sought asylum.

Based on the Facebook post of Teves' son Axl early Wednesday, the former lawmaker was nabbed by immigration officers in Timor-Leste, Unang Balita reported.

Allegedly, no warrant or any other document was shown during the arrest.

Based on a report by local media hatutan.com, Teves was nabbed and placed under the custody of Timor-Leste immigration police.

Teves was allegedly the mastermind in the killing of former Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine others on March 4, 2023 in the Degamo residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.

The former lawmaker has denied the accusation.

GMA Integrated News also contacted the Bureau of Immigration for comment.

Teves' lawyer Atty. Ferdinand Topacio told GMA Integrated News that Teves was taken by immigration police from his home in Dili.

"At around 8 p.m. yesterday (Dili time), our client, Rep. Armolfo Teves, was taken from his residence in Dili together with his Timor Leste counsel, Dr. Joao Serra, by immigration police. The lawyer was manhandled by the said police," Topacio said.

He said Teves and Serra have since been detained in the compound of the Ministry of the Interior.

"No warrant or any written authority was shown to Mr. Teves and Dr. Serra as to the cause of detention," Topacio said.

"We are held against our will. They are not letting me go," Teves said in a video posted by Axl on Facebook.

In a statement, the Department of Justice said the government “notes” recent developments regarding Teves.

The DOJ reiterated that it has been prepared to bring Teves home to face the charges against him, but the Timor-Leste Court of Appeal denied the government’s extradition request in March.

“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,” the DOJ said.

“We emphasize that the Philippine government has not been furnished with any legal or official document on the matter,” it added.

Teves and others have also been charged with the alleged killings of three individuals in Negros Oriental in 2019.

Teves and 12 others have also been designated as terrorists by the Anti-Terrorism Council, citing several alleged killings and harassment in Negros Oriental.

He was expelled by the House of Representatives in August last year for disorderly conduct and continued absence. —with a report from Joahna Lei Casilao/KG/AOL, GMA Integrated News