Marcos thanks Timor-Leste leaders, says ex-solon must now face justice
Former Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo Teves arrived in the Philippines Thursday night after more than two years since he was implicated in the murder of his political opponent and nine others in what is now known as the Pamplona massacre.
Authorities of Timor Leste, where Teves has been staying since March 2024, deported him yesterday afternoon, citing that his passport had been cancelled.
The aircraft carrying Teves first touched down at the Davao airport at around 8 p.m. for refuelling, before flying to Villamor Airbase, where he was handed over to waiting lawmen.
In a statement, Mr. Marcos revealed that he was first informed of the development by Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão during the recently concluded ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.
“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,” he 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.
“It is now time for Arnie Teves to face justice,” Mr. Marcos said.
“We assure our citizens that such lawlessness will not go unpunished,” he added.
Also wanted by the Interpol, Teves allegedly masterminded a March 2023 attack that killed ten people, including Degamo.
He was detained at a driving range in the capital, Dili, last year, but a Timorese court blocked his extradition in March.
Following that ruling, Justice Sec. Crispin Remulla said “It’s very hard to predict an immature justice system at work. Very immature is the justice system of Timor-Leste.”
“There’s no basis for the decision. So it’s obvious that some people are making money out of this. Maybe the lawyers or maybe more than the lawyers,” he added.
In an abrupt turnaround, East Timor announced Teves’ impending deportation late on Wednesday, saying his continued presence represented a security risk.
“The Government hereby informs that Arnolfo Teves Jr. will be deported from Timor-Leste,” it said in a statement, using the country’s alternate name.
It added that East Timor’s “imminent full accession” to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had reinforced its responsibility to collaborate regionally on legal matters.
On Thursday, the Philippines’ Department of Justice said it was preparing a team to facilitate Teves’ repatriation based on deportation documents from East Timor.
Degamo had been distributing aid on March 4, 2023 at his home in Pamplona when six people carrying rifles and dressed in military fatigues entered the compound and opened fire.
The killings came months after Degamo was declared the winner of a disputed vote, unseating Henry Teves, the ex-lawmaker’s brother.
Teves was expelled from the House of Representatives after refusing to return to the Philippines to face murder charges.
On Wednesday, Teves’ son Axl posted videos on social media of his father being dragged away by Timorese police, claiming he had been “kidnapped.”
Degamo’s widow, Janice, meanwhile, called the arrest a “significant step toward justice.”
Meanwhile, the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) lauded the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for securing Teves’ deportation and repatriation.
In its statement, the ATC said the “return marks a crucial development in our nation’s fight against terrorism, impunity, and politically motivated violence.”
“We commend the Government of Timor-Leste for recognizing the seriousness of the charges and their potential impact on regional stability. Their decision aligns with the spirit of international cooperation and ASEAN solidarity in upholding the rule of law,” the statement reads.
It noted that the former lawmaker, along with 12 others, was designated under ATC Resolution No. 43 (2023) as the leader of a terrorist organization pursuant to the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
Likewise, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) acted on this designation by freezing the assets of the group under Resolution No. TF-69. With AFP
