THE Department of Justice yesterday said it is “doubly confident” Timor-Leste will affirm the Philippines’ bid for the extradition of former Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr.
DOJ Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano said Teves’ camp has not presented anything new to defeat the government’s request for extradition in its motion questioning a June decision of Timor-Leste’s Court of Appeals granting his extradition to Manila.
Teves a motion for reconsideration on July 26.
“That’s why we are doubly confident that there will be a confirmation of the decision that was first rendered,” Clavano told reporters.
He said the documents submitted by Teves’ camp before Timor-Leste’s Court of Appeals contain only “rehashed” arguments.
“It seems like a rehash of all their arguments to begin with. Political persecution, the fact that we have the death penalty here and all these other arguments which have already been ruled upon before,” he said.
Clavano previously said Teves used the “death penalty card” to delay or even prevent his extradition to the country. He said this showed Teves’ camp is “grasping at straws” to justify his refusal to return to the country and face the criminal charges filed by the authorities.
Teves is facing murder charges before a Manila court for allegedly masterminding the brazen killing of political rival, Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo last year. Nine others were killed in the attack at Degamo’s house in the province.
Aside from the Degamo case, Teves is facing murder charges in connection with several killings in the province in 2019.
The Anti-Terrorism Council has declared Teves as a terrorist, His passport has been also canceled by a Manila court.
Teves has denied any knowledge or link to the killing of Degamo and other crimes in Negros Oriental.
