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Former Negros Oriental Rep Arnolfo Teves after he was arrested by Timor-Leste authorities. The NBI team was allowed by Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta to talk to Teves while he is still being processed.  Photo courtesy NBI

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Rep Arnolfo Teves

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17256864250701725686399203.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Negros Oriental Rep Arnolfo Teves after he was arrested by Timor-Leste authorities. <em>Photo courtesy NBI/File</em></span></span></span></div><div><span></span><span data-teams="true" id="isPasted"><span dir="ltr">MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Saturday said “it will not be too long” before expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. would return to the Philippines, noting that the government of Timor-Leste does not want the fugitive “to stay longer” in their country.</span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">Teves fled the Philippines last year after he was tagged as the alleged mastermind behind the murder of late Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, who was shot to death in a compound in March 2023.</span></span><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/7/doj-eyes-completion-of-probe-on-officials-involved-in-guos-escape-this-month-1305"></a><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr"></span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">“Ang President ng Timor-Leste mismo na si Jose Ramos-Horta mentioned na it will not be too lang before he (Teves) will go home,” Clavano said in a news forum.</span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">“I don’t think that the President of Timor Leste wants him (Teves) to stay longer,” he said.</span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">The DOJ expects extradition operations against Teves to start in the coming weeks, after Pope Francis’ visit in the southeast Asian nation.</span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">“There is a papal visit happening [in Timor-Leste] from September 9 to 11,” the DOJ spokesperson said.</span></span></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/10/lawyer-says-teves-released-in-timor-leste-1726">Teves released, re-arrested in Timor Leste</a></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">“We hope to execute the operation right after the papal visit… That will depend on the authorities of Timor-Leste,” he said.</span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">The Philippine government earlier released a statement, saying that Timor-Leste’s Court of Appeals has denied Teves’ request to reconsider his extradition. </span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">But the former lawmaker’s legal counsel labeled the announcement as “fake news.”</span></span></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/9/nbi-told-to-find-teves-as-court-orders-cancellation-of-passport-1928">NBI told to find Teves as court orders cancellation of passport</a></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">“Nagpalabas ng pahayag na deny ang apela, fake news po yan. Wala pang decision,” Teves’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said in a separate news briefing.</span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">“Ang lumabas ay stay order. Nalito si Totoy (Clavano). That’s the problem when you send a boy to do a man’s job,” he said.</span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">“Wala pang desisyon...  He’s been released within Timor-Leste. We’re resorting to all legal processes,” he said.</span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">Teves’ camp has repeatedly asserted that the Negrense politician fled the Philippines to avoid political persecution.</span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr">In February, the DOJ said it received an order from a Manila court for the immediate cancellation of Teves’ passport as the court ruled that the former lawmaker is “indeed a fugitive from justice&quot; whose right to travel can be restricted in the interest of public safety.</span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr"><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES:</strong></span></span></div><div><span data-teams="true"><span dir="ltr"><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xwYgkcS3bbk?&amp;t=40s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></span></span><br/></div>

<p>The Department of Justice on Saturday said “it will not be too long” before expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. would return to the Philippines, noting that the government of Timor-Leste does not want the fugitive “to stay longer” in their country.</p>

The Department of Justice on Saturday said “it will not be too long” before expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. would return to the Philippines, noting that the government of Timor-Leste does not want the fugitive “to stay longer” in their country.

Teves’ extradition expected to begin after papal visit in Timor-Leste next week: DOJ

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Teves’ extradition expected to begin after papal visit in Timor-Leste next week: DOJ

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 07, 2024 02:31 PM PHT

Read More:

Mico Clavano

DOJ

Timor Leste

Arnolfo Teves Jr

Roel Degamo

Degamo murder

Pope Francis

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