By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, stressed that it is now time for expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. to face the criminal cases filed against him in the Philippines, assuring the public that “lawlessness will not go unpunished.”
“It is now time for Mr. Teves to face justice,” the President said in a video message posted on the Presidential Communications Office’s Facebook page, shortly after a Philippine Air Force plane carrying the former Negros Oriental representative landed in Davao City for a refueling stop before heading over to Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
Teves was then turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) late Thursday, where he underwent booking process, taking of mugshots, and medical examination before being transferred to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City on Friday.
Teves was arrested by immigration authorities in his residence in Dili, Timor-Leste on Tuesday, according to the Department of Justice. The Timor-Leste government decided to immediately deport Teves back to the Philippines and also banned him from entering the Southeast Asian country for 10 years.
Marcos thanked Timorese leaders for their prompt action, recalling that Prime Minister Xanana Gusmāo first informed him of the development during the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia early this week.
“This would not have happened without the assistance of President José Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Gusmão,” the President added. “They worked very hard to bring this matter to a conclusion.”
Teves faces multiple criminal charges, including the alleged assassination of the late Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo in 2023 and other murder cases in 2019.
He was arrested by virtue of a warrant issued by Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) in September 2023 for 10 counts of murder, 12 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder.
An arrest order was also issued against Teves by the Dumaguete RTC in 2024 for murder, illegal possession of explosives, illegal possession of firearms, and for violating the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act. (with report from Louisa Erispe and Harley Valbuena / PTV News)
-jpv
