Timor-Leste to deport Arnie Teves but lawyer says habeas corpus granted

Timor-Leste will deport former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. as he has been in the country without a valid visa and legal autorization to stay, the government of the southeast Asian nation said on Wednesday.

In a statement, a spokesman for the Timor-Leste government said the decision would take effect immediately.

However, Teves' lawyer, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, said Timor-Leste's Court of Appeal has granted the former lawmaker's petition for a writ of habeas corpus.

He said Timor-Leste authorities have been told to present Teves to the court in 48 hours.

"The Government hereby informs that Arnolfo Teves Jr. will be deported from Timor-Leste by administrative decision of the Ministry of the Interior, as he is in the country without a valid visa, lacking legal authorization to remain, and holding a passport that the Government of the Philippines has cancelled," the statement read.

"The decision, which takes effect immediately, is based on national legislation regarding migration and asylum and is grounded in the risks that this citizen's continued presence poses to public order and national security," it added.

Department of Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano said it would await the action of the Timor Leste government on Teves.

"I cannot speak for Timor Leste. We will only base our decisions and actions on what they officially communicate to the Philippine government. What happens there internally is no longer within our jurisdiction to comment on," he said.

Teves is the principal accused in the killing of then Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo in March 2023. He has since applied for asylum in Timor-Leste.

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

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.

"His extended stay in Timor-Leste for over two years poses a disruptive factor in bilateral relations between the two States and establishes a serious precedent with potential implications for internal security," the Timor-Leste government said. 

"The perception that Timor-Leste might be viewed as a refuge for individuals fleeing international justice undermines the integrity of our borders and our shared efforts to combat transnational crime," it added.

"The imminent full accession of Timor-Leste to ASEAN, scheduled for October this year, further reinforces the responsibility of the Timorese State to actively collaborate with its regional partners in upholding justice, legality, and stability in the region," the Timor-Leste government said. –NB, GMA Integrated News