DOJ mobilizes team for deportation of Arnie Teves

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday said it has mobilized a team to assist in the deportation of former Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., the alleged mastermind in the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo, to the Philippines from Timor-Leste.

In a statement, the DOJ said the team will be composed of representatives from the Justice Department, the Bureau of Immigration, and the National Bureau of Investigation.

It said this is based on the official deportation documents and the pronouncements of the spokesperson of the Government of Timor-Leste.

“As we await the arrival of Mr. Teves, the Philippine Government assures the public and the international community that due process will be strictly observed, and that justice will be pursued without fear or favor,” the DOJ said.

Last night, the Timor-Leste government said it will deport Teves as he has been in the country without a valid visa and legal authorization to stay.

The DOJ said that the administrative deportation decision includes a 10-year ban on re-entry and is grounded in Timor-Leste’s domestic laws on migration and asylum as well as “respect for the principles of international cooperation and ASEAN solidarity.”

“The Government of Timor-Leste emphasized that harboring fugitives undermines efforts to combat transnational crime and disrupts diplomatic relations between sovereign states,” the DOJ said.

“The DOJ lauds this act of regional responsibility and reiterates its appreciation to the Government of Timor-Leste for its commitment to justice, international rule of law, and regional stability,” it added.

Teves’ legal counsel, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, said the former lawmaker has already left Timor-Leste to return to the Philippines.

“That much is verified, although I do not have the details as of now,” Topacio said in a message to members of the media.

He said their law office has sent representatives to the DOJ, BI, and NBI to obtain information on the time and place of arrival of Teves "so that he may avail of the right to counsel once he lands in Philippine territory." 

"It is hoped that the heads of these agencies will have some sense of legal obligation, if not of common decency, left to provide us that information which we, as Mr. Teves' lawyers, have the right to receive," Topacio added.

When sought for confirmation, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the “process is ongoing.”

“We cannot second guess the system, the legal system of Timor-Leste, but hopefully this time, the executive responsibility for deportation will prevail,” Remulla said in a press briefing.

He added that there may be developments in two to three hours.

Meanwhile, Remulla said he is unaware if the ASEAN Summit influenced Timor-Leste’s decision to deport Teves.

However, he said that deportation is an “executive function.”

“Executive function ‘yan and sabi ko nga may plenary power ‘yung judiciary, meaning they change the rules as they go along. So walang— inexhaustible appeals. That’s not the work of a mature judicial system,” he added.

(That’s an executive function, and as I said, the judiciary has plenary power, meaning they change the rules as they go along. So there are endless appeals. That’s not the work of a mature judicial system.)

In March, the DOJ lamented the denial of the country’s extradition request for Teves, noting that this is “peculiar” after the Timor-Leste Court of Appeal granted the extradition twice before.

The former lawmaker is facing multiple murder charges over the killing of  Degamo and nine others on March 4, 2023 at the Degamo residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.

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

He 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.

Meanwhile, Remulla assured the families of the victims and Teves of due process.

“May due process lahat ‘yan. We even, we assured the executive of Timor-Leste that we will do things as observing all tenets of due process and fair play, unlike the victims who died here,” he said.

(All of that goes through due process. We even assured the executive of Timor-Leste that we will do things while observing all tenets of due process and fair play, unlike the victims who died here.)

Remulla said the government will “cross the bridge when [they] get there” regarding Teves’ custody.

He also stressed that the DOJ is continuing to work on other cases, including those involving other individuals who are running from the law.

“Marami pa ho tayong kasong pinag-aaralan at pinupursue, hinahabol, at hindi na tayo titigil. Sapagkat ito po ay pangangailangan ng taumbayan na magkaroon ng hustisya para naman ang bansa mismo na minamahal nila ay magmamahal din sa kanila,” he said.

(We are still studying and pursuing many cases, and we will not stop. Because this is the people’s need—to attain justice so that the country they love will also love them back.) —AOL, GMA Integrated News