Manila - Arnolfo Teves Jr., the expelled congressman from Negros Oriental, is anticipated to be extradited to the Philippines by late July, despite his intentions to appeal the decision in Timor-Leste, as confirmed by a Department of Justice (DOJ) official.
According to Philippines News Agency, Teves' legal team has a 30-day period to challenge the ruling of the Court of Appeals of Timor-Leste. "So if they exhaust the 30 days, which we anticipate they will do, then it will be after the filing, we will see the decision of the [Timor-Leste] Court of Appeals. Around the last week of July, we will see Mr. Teves back in the Philippines," Clavano stated during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City. He also noted that the Philippine government had won the extradition case because Teves' claims of facing the death penalty and poor human rights conditions in the Philippines were baseless. "We do not have a death penalty here in the Philippines. We also have had certain reforms and efforts in human rights, protection of human rights," he explained.
Teves is facing serious legal charges in the Philippines, including 10 counts of murder, 12 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder related to the March 4, 2023 shootings in Pamplona, Negros Oriental. He fled to Dili, Timor-Leste, where he applied for political asylum and was arrested at a golf driving range in March. Following his release from Becora Prison earlier this month, he was re-arrested and transferred to the custody of the Polícia Nacional of Timor-Leste.
His legal counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, has indicated that the extradition decision is still appealable, and they intend to pursue this recourse along with the option of political asylum. Last August, the Anti-Terrorism Council also designated Teves and his brother, former Negros Oriental governor Pryde Henry Teves, as terrorists due to their alleged involvement in several murder incidents and harassment in the province during their time in office. Pryde Henry was arrested on June 20 over his alleged involvement in terrorism activities and has since posted bail of PHP600,000.