Former Negros Oriental Cong. Arnie Teves Arrested in Timor-Leste
ARNIE TEVES – The camp of the former Negros Oriental Congressman claimed that his petition for writ of habeas corpus was granted.
Former Negros Oriental 3rd District Cong. Arnolfo Teves has yet to return to the Philippines since March 2023 when he was tagged as the alleged mastermind behind the death of then-Governor Roel Degamo.
The Teves and Degamo families are strong political rivals in Negros Oriental. On March 4, 2023, several men barged in the Degamo residence in Pamplona where the then-Governor’s wife, Janice, was the mayor. They killed the Governor and several other people who were at his family’s residence.
Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves’ name was dragged into the incident as he’s the principal suspect in the slay of Roel Degamo and nine (9) others. Recently, amid his stay in Timor-Leste, Arnie Teves was arrested by the immigration officers.
According to Axl Teves, the son of the former Negros Oriental Congressman, there were no documents as well as arrest warrants against his father when he was nabbed by the immigration authorities. The arrest took place at their residence in Dili.
The government of Timor Leste has ruled to deport Arnie Teves due to an expired Visa and for having no legal authorization to stay in the Southeast Asian nation. The order is effective immediately.
“The Government hereby informs that Arnolfo Teves Jr. will be deported from Timor-Leste by administrative decision of the Ministry of the Interior, as he is in the country without a valid visa, lacking legal authorization to remain, and holding a passport that the Government of the Philippines has cancelled,” the statement of the Timor-Leste government reads.
According to the foreign government, its ruling is based on the national legislation on asylum and migration as well as “grounded in the risks that this citizen’s continued presence poses to public order and national security”.
However, based on the report, the petition for writ of habeas corpus filed by Arnie Teves was granted. The said petition challenges the detention of the former Negros Oriental Congressman.
According to Teves’ lawyer, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, the authorities in Timor-Leste were ordered to present the former Negros Oriental Congressman to the court within 48 hours.
Following the arrest of Arnie Teves, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, the widow of Roel, looks forward to the proper legal proceedings.