Arnie Teves camp denies reports of looming deportation

The camp of former Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. on Tuesday denied reports that the former lawmaker would soon be deported out of Timor-Leste.

On Monday night, a report on State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, citing information from Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, said Teves’ application for political asylum was denied denied and that he would be deported within two days.

The Department of Foreign Affairs reportedly confirmed this.

“I am in constant touch with his lawyers in TL who are on top of his legal affairs therein, and as of this writing, we do not have any information on the status of the asylum request, much less that it has been denied,” Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, Teves’ legal counsel, said in a statement.

Topacio said the denial of an asylum application is subject to appeal and that the law provides a transitional period of 20 days.

“In Mr. Teves' case, we have every intention to appeal. The information is thus erroneous and, to borrow from Kipling, 'twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools’,” he added.

Teves, the alleged mastermind in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and others, applied for asylum in Timor-Leste in 2023.

In May 2023, the DFA said that the application of Teves was denied. The Justice Department later said that Teves is asking Timor-Leste to reconsider its denial.

Meanwhile, when sought for confirmation over the deportation, Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano said they are still waiting for the decision of the courts in Timor-Leste.

“We are following all the right processes and we do hope for a favorable outcome,” he said in a message to reporters.

Teves is facing multiple murder charges for the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and others at the home of the then-governor on March 4, 2023.

The former lawmaker was out of the country at the time of the attack and never returned following the governor’s death. He denied any involvement in the incident.

He was arrested in Dili, Timor Leste last week while playing golf based on the INTERPOL red notice issued against him in February.

Aside from the murder of Degamo, Teves and others have also been charged with the deaths of three individuals in Negros Oriental in 2019.

Teves and 12 others have also been designated as terrorists by the Anti-Terrorism Council, citing several alleged killings and harassment in Negros Oriental.

In early February, a Manila Court ordered the cancellation of his passport.

He was expelled by the House of Representatives in August last year for disorderly conduct and continued absence despite an expired travel authority — RSJ, GMA Integrated News