MANILA – Timor-Leste is set to deport former Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. as he has been in that country without a valid visa and legal authorization to stay.
In a statement late Wednesday night, a spokesman for the Timor-Leste government said the Timor-Leste authorities have been told to present Teves to the court in 48 hours.
“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 read.
“The decision, which takes effect immediately, is based on national legislation regarding migration and asylum and is grounded in the risks that this citizen’s continued presence poses to public order and national security,” it added.
The Department of Justice (DOJ), in a separate statement, said it has mobilized a team to assist in the deportation of Teves, the suspected mastermind in the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo.
The team to be mobilized will be composed of representatives from the Justice Department, the Bureau of Immigration, and the National Bureau of Investigation.
“As we await the arrival of Mr. Teves, the Philippine Government assures the public and the international community that due process will be strictly observed, and that justice will be pursued without fear or favor,” the DOJ said.
The DOJ said that the administrative deportation decision includes a 10-year ban on re-entry and is grounded in Timor-Leste’s domestic laws on migration and asylum as well as “respect for the principles of international cooperation and ASEAN solidarity.”
“The Government of Timor-Leste emphasized that harboring fugitives undermines efforts to combat transnational crime and disrupts diplomatic relations between sovereign states,” the DOJ said.
It added: “The DOJ lauds this act of regional responsibility and reiterates its appreciation to the Government of Timor-Leste for its commitment to justice, international rule of law, and regional stability.”
The former lawmaker is facing multiple murder charges over the killing of Degamo and nine others on March 4, 2023 at the Degamo residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental./PN
