10 hours ago
2
Already have Rappler+?
to listen to groundbreaking journalism.
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
LAWMAKER. Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. in 2021.
House of Representatives
'The government will not stop. We will explore and exhaust all legal remedies available to us to ensure that justice is served and that Mr. Teves is held to face for crimes he is accused of,' the justice department says
MANILA, Philippines – A Timor-Leste court has reversed its earlier rulings, denying the Philippine government’s request to extradite former lawmaker Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. back to the country.
“It is peculiar that after having twice decided in favor of extradition—first in June 2024 and again in December 2024—the Timor-Leste Court of Appeal has now reversed its stance, taking a complete 180-degree turn to reject the Philippines’ extradition request. This sudden shift raises serious concerns, and we are currently seeking further clarification regarding the basis of this decision,” the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement on Thursday, March 20.
The justice department said the ruling was issued by the Timorese Court of Appeals on December 2, adding that decision’s official copy has yet to be available.
“The decision of the plenary of the Tribunal de Recursos of Timor Leste (TL), denying the request for extradition of Rep. Arnolfo Teves to the Philippines to face trumped up charges fabricated by the oppressive and dictatorial Marcos government, is a triumph of the rule of law, and an indictment of the kind of government we currently have: a government who ignores the Constitution and the laws of the Republic in the brazen desire to silence political dissent and destroy the legitimate political opposition,” Teves’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said in a statement sent to reporters.
Teves was the alleged mastermind behind the assassination of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo in 2023, and was also accused over the killings in his home province in 2019. Facing warrants in the Philippines, the former Negros Oriental lawmaker was arrested in Timor-Leste, where he applied for political asylum but was denied
In March last year, Teves was arrested by the Interpol and the Timorese police after the fugitive was on added on the Interpol’s red notice alert.
Months after his arrest, in June 2024, the DOJ announced that Timor-Leste has granted the Philippine government’s plea to extradite Teves. In August, the Southeast Asian country also denied Teves’ appeal against his extradition.
After two consecutive defeats, Teves and his legal team bought time in September 2024 when they filed another appeal. They contested the court’s ruling on procedural grounds, specifically questioning the number of judges involved in the earlier decisions.
“We reiterate our firm request for cooperation in this matter. Mr. Teves is facing serious charges, including multiple counts of murder, and must be brought home to face the full force of the law. Allowing him to evade justice would be the height of injustice, not only to the victims and their families but to the integrity of the rule of law,” the DOJ said.
“The government will not stop. We will explore and exhaust all legal remedies available to us to ensure that justice is served and that Mr. Teves is held to face for crimes he is accused of,” the agency added. – Rappler.com
How does this make you feel?
Loading
