Fugitive Filipino lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr, tagged as massacre mastermind, deported from Timor-Leste

Manila: Former congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. is now in the custody of the Philippine government after being deported from Timor-Leste, where he had lived for over two years.

Timorese outlet SMNews reported that Teves boarded a Philippine Air Force plane around 1 pm local time on Thursday.

Teves Jr was expelled as Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative after he was tagged as the mastermind of a massacre that killed 12 people, including a rival politician.

The aircraft departed from Dili, capital Timor-Leste, at 2:40 pm (local time), bound for Villamor Air Base in the Philippines.

Threat to national security

The deportation comes after the Timor-Leste government officially declared Teves a “threat to national security and public order”, prompting immigration authorities to arrest him at his residence in Dili on Tuesday night.

In a statement, the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that a joint team composed of representatives from the DOJ, Bureau of Immigration (BI), and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) was deployed to coordinate with Timorese authorities and ensure Teves’ safe and lawful repatriation.

“He’s already in Philippine custody,” said Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, who emphasized that Teves will now face charges related to the 2023 Pamplona massacre, including the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and 12 others.

Multiple counts of murder

Teves is facing multiple counts of murder and frustrated murder under the Revised Penal Code. 

Upon arrival in the Philippines, he will undergo a medical check-up and biometric verification before being detained at an NBI facility.

He is expected to appear in court soon for arraignment on the murder charges.

Despite previous legal manoeuvres to avoid deportation, Timor-Leste ultimately deemed his continued presence “disruptive” to bilateral ties with the Philippines. 

The Presidency of the Council of Ministers issued a statement earlier this week underscoring the urgency of his removal due to national security concerns.

The DOJ noted that the repatriation is a result of both diplomatic cooperation and the legal foundation provided by the deportation documents released by Timor-Leste’s Ministry of the Interior.