JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday said expelled congressman Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. is hiding in a Southeast Asian country and is being protected by a “few local warlords.”
Remulla this was the information they received in their continuing monitoring of Teves’ whereabouts, when asked in a press briefing for an update on the government’s efforts to locate and bring back Teves to the country after a Manila court issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with the March 4 attack that killed Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and nine others.
He said they are validating the information.
He declined to say what country. Last week, Remulla said Teves was most likely moving around Timor Leste, Cambodia, and Thailand.
Teves has denied any knowledge or link to the March 4 attack in the governor’s house in Pamplona, Negros Oriental, but has refused to return to the country, citing fears for his security despite repeated assurances from the authorities, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
He tried to seek political asylum in Timor Leste but his bid was refused, Remulla earlier said.
Remulla, in the briefing, said they are finalizing a letter to the United Nations informing it of the arrest warrant issued against Teves.
“We are looking at the final letter we are writing to the UN under the Anti-Terrorism Act. We are just collating the documents and finalizing the print of the letter informing the UN of a warrant of arrest against a known terrorist as we consider it our duty to inform the UN so that the UN will do its duty of informing all the member-states to arrest Arnie Teves and company and bring them back to the Philippines for trial,” Remulla said.
He said UN member-states have the obligation to deport Teves to Manila.
The Anti-Terrorism Council has designated Teves, his brother Pryde Henry Teves and 11 other individuals as being terrorists under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
