MANILA – Former and current Philippine government officials are set to testify in the ongoing extradition hearings against former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves, Jr. in Timor-Leste.

According to Department of Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez, the witnesses include former Supreme Court associate justice Francis Jardeleza, Bureau of Corrections Director General Pio Gregorio Catapang, Jr., National Amnesty Commission Chairperson Leah Tanodra-Armamento and Presidential Human Rights Committee Undersecretary Nonoy Catura.

Vasquez said the witnesses would testify on the allegations of poor human rights protection in the Philippines, lack of fair and impartial trials, safety threats, and torture fears. 

“At the end of the day, it is a fair and it is an impartial trial by a fair and impartial judge, and that is our justice system… Our Constitution is so pro-accused we have rights of the accused under the Bill of Rights and it is high time for Teves to face the charges against him and not use the media to prove his innocence,” Vasquez said.

The DOJ bared its witnesses following the revelation of Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, that aside from himself, former Commission on Human Rights commissioner Wilhelm Soriano and former Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo would testify for Teves.

Topacio and officials of the DOJ exchanged strong words after Teves was released for a brief period of time and then “re-arrested”.

Topacio however said that from Becora Prison in the capital Dili, Teves was moved to a “holding area”  inside the headquarters of the Timor-Leste police. 

“Hindi po cell iyon, they call it a holding area, wala pong rehas iyon, isang kwarto lang iyon, in the headquarters of the national police of Timor-Leste,” Topacio said.

Justice official reiterates Teves still in Timor-Leste police custody

Teves was the alleged mastermind of the March 2023 attack, which killed Roel Degamo, then-governor of the central province of Negros Oriental, and nine others.

Gunmen wearing military-style uniforms entered Degamo's home and opened fire on March 4, killing nine, including the governor, in the country's deadliest political attack in years. A tenth victim died two months later. 

Teves's brother, Henry, was unseated as governor of Negros Oriental after the election commission declared in September 2022 that Degamo was the rightful winner of the election earlier that year following a vote count.

Teves said he and his clan had nothing to do with the assassination.

– With a report from Agence France-Presse