FORMER Negros Oriental Rep. Arnulfo Teves Jr. was arrested yesterday in Dili, East Timor, the Department of Justice said.
Teves, who has been the subject of an Interpol “red notice,” is now under the custody of the East Timorese Police. He was tagged mastermind in the March 2023 attack that killed Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine others.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Teves’ extradition to Manila is now being worked out by National Central Bureau-Dili in coordination with a team from Manila and the Philippine Embassy in Dili.
He said Teves was apprehended at around 4 p.m. while playing golf at the Top Golf Driving Range and Bar.
“The arrest of Teves was made possible through the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies, including the International Police (Interpol), National Central Bureau (NCB) in Dili, in coordination with the East Timorese Police.” Remulla said.
“Today’s apprehension of Teves is 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 added.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has cancelled Teves’ passport.
Last month, the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 51 ordered the cancellation of Teves’ passport, saying his right to travel can be impaired since his case involves public safety following his designation as a terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council. The RTC also said Teves can be considered a fugitive from justice due to his failure to return to the country from the United States after the expiration of his travel authority on March 9, 2023.
Remulla said Teves’ capture “only proves that through concerted efforts and determination, terrorism can be thwarted and peace preserved.”
Remulla assured Teves he will be given due process in facing the murder charges in the country.
Teves is facing murder charges also for the 2019 killings of three individuals in Negros, including a former board member.
Teves has denied all accusations but has refused to return to the country, saying he feared for his safety.
Earlier, Remulla said Teves was jumping between Cambodia, Timor-Leste and Thailand. It was in Timor-Leste where he sought political asylum but was rejected by authorities.
Degamo’s widow, Pamplona town mayor Janice Vallega Degamo, expressed gratitude that Teves has finally been arrested.
“Words cannot express how it feels to finally see the man who terrorized our province and brutally murdered my husband surrounded by police,” she said in a Facebook post.
