(UPDATE) EXPELLED Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. was arrested in Dili, East Timor Thursday while he was playing golf, the Department of Justice (DoJ) said.
It said that Teves was arrested at the Top Golf Driving Range at around 4 p.m.
Expelled Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr.
Expelled Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr.
He was placed under the custody of the Timorese Police while his extradition to the Philippines is being worked out by the National Central Bureau (NCB) in Dili in coordination with the Philippine Embassy.
The former lawmaker was tagged as the mastermind in the assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and five other individuals in March 2023.
Teves was designated as a terrorist in August 2023 by the Anti-Terrorism Council and has been the subject of a Red Notice.
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Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the arrest of the former lawmaker was made possible through the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies, including the International Police (Interpol), in coordination with the East Timorese Police.
Remulla described Teves’ arrest as a “testament to the power of international cooperation.”
“It sends a clear message that no terrorist can evade justice and that nations stand united in safeguarding the safety and security of their citizens,” he said in a statement.
Teves is also facing multiple murder charges in Negros Oriental in connection with a series of killings that took place in 2019.
He was expelled from the House of Representatives in August 2023 for his long absence, having been allowed to take a medical leave from February 28 to March 9, 2023.
In September 2023, Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 51 Presiding Judge Merianthe Pacita Zuraek issued an arrest warrant against Teves.
Zuraek also ordered the immediate cancellation of Teves’ passport.
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