Refusal to extradite Teves may hinder Timor-Leste’s Asean bid – DOJ

Expelled Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — The refusal to expedite former Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr “will not be pleasant” for Timor-Leste, who is applying to be a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Tuesday.

Remulla made the pronouncement anew after stating that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is now in talks with the government of Timor-Leste after a Timorese court approved Teves’ appeal to block the Philippine government’s request to extradite him.

READ: Blocking Teves’ extradition will ‘greatly impact’ his case – Palace

“They have other things to say,” said Remulla in a chance interview, referring to the DFA.

“It’s not going to be pleasant for Timor-Leste because they’re applying to be in the Asean. And we are one of the founding fathers of the Asean,” he said.

The Philippines is one of the founding countries of Asean, along with Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

To become a member state of the Asean, apart from complying with the criteria, all 10 existing members must unanimously agree to accept the applicant country.

Remulla, who also stated that the Philippines plans to file a motion for reconsideration,  reminded Timor Leste that Teves is an undocumented Filipino who is accused of crimes in the Philippines.

“This matter is just a very simple matter of an undocumented Filipino who’s accused of a crime to be returned to the country. For them to complicate it is a big stretch,” said Remulla.

“All they have to do is deport him. That’s all they have to do. For them to go into certain matters that are intrinsically local to us, it’s a big stretch,” he added.

Teves is facing 10 counts of murder, 14 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder under the Revised Penal Code.

He is wanted for the killing of then-Governor Roel Degamo and several other persons in 2023.