President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday confirmed former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves returned to the country to face multiple criminal charges, including murder, in connection with the killing of former Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.
The former lawmaker was met by law enforcement authorities upon arrival and is now in government custody.
“I was first informed of this development by Prime Minister Gusmao in the ASEAN meeting that I just returned from in Kuala Lumpur, that Timor Leste was ready to send Teves back to the Philippines,” Mr. Marcos said.
“This would not have happened without the assistance of President (José Ramos) Horta and Prime Minister Gusmão of Timor-Leste. They have been working very hard to bring this to a conclusion,” he added.
Teves had been staying in Timor-Leste for more than two years after being implicated in the March 2023 ambush that killed Degamo and nine others. The government had repeatedly called for his return to face charges of murder and other related offenses.
The President reiterated his administration’s commitment to justice and thanked the Timorese leadership for their cooperation.
“It is now time for Arnie Teves to face justice… We assure our citizens that such lawlessness will not go unpunished,” Marcos said.
