Teves has 30 days to appeal Timor-Leste extradition -DOJ

The camp of former Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves has 30 days to appeal the Timor-Leste Court of Appeals' decision to grant the  Philippines’ extradition request against him, the Department of Justice  (DOJ) said Friday.

“We are very confident that the same decision would be rendered in the motion for reconsideration order and that would be denied in due course by the Timor-Leste judicial authorities,” DOJ Undersecretary Raul Vasquez told reporters.

On Thursday evening, the DOJ  said they expected that Teves would be returned to the Philippines after the Timor-Leste authorities granted the extradition request so the former representative could face the murder charges filed against him over the killing of Negros Oriental Governor  Roel Degamo in 2023.

However, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio —  Teves’ legal counsel — said the expelled legislator could not be extradited due to a pending resolution on his political asylum request in Timor-Leste.

Vasquez countered that the ex-legislator’s application for political asylum had been rejected twice. He also said  Teves could be again arrested by Timor-Leste authorities, this time based on being an undocumented alien following the cancellation of his Philippine passport.

“‘Yung political asylum was the first recourse that was availed of by former Congressman Tevez.  This was denied.  They filed a motion for reconsideration. This was denied as well. So to our minds, as lawyers, that is the end of the rope on that particular aspect,” said Vasquez.

(Political asylum was the first recourse that was availed to former Congressman Tevez.  This was denied.  They filed a motion for reconsideration. This was denied as well. So to our minds, as lawyers, that is the end of the rope on that particular aspect.)

“Whether or not to arrest him for purposes of making sure that he won't slip out of  Timor-Leste or that he will be available whatever the result of his appeal because we understand that the lawyers said that they will be appealing, that's within their rights. But as to the arrest, as far as we could see it,  he could be arrested as an undocumented alien,” he added.

The DOJ said it is also preparing for Teves’ possible return.

Degamo kin welcomes extradition

Meanwhile, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, widow of the slain governor, welcomed the development.

“It's an answered prayer po. Talagang naiiyak ako pero talagang ano, yan yung prayer namin na managot talaga yung may sala. And the one step to make  that happen is to have him come home and face us, face the court,” she  told Saleema Refran’s “24 Oras” report.

(It's an answered prayer po. This makes me emotional. We had been praying that those behind my husband’s death pay for their crime. One step to make that  happen is to have him come home and face us, face the court.)

Teves has been under the custody of Timor-Leste police since March following his arrest based on the International  Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) red notice issued against him in February.

A red notice is a request for law enforcement worldwide to locate and arrest a person pending his extradition,  surrender, or similar legal action.

The notice stemmed from the multiple murder charges filed against Teves for the Degamo killing, which he repeatedly denied.

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 Teves' passport.

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