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Timor Leste denies Teves' request for political asylum

Philippines | National

Timor Leste denies Teves' request for political asylum

By Joseph Pedrajas

Timor Leste has denied the request of embattled Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. to seek political asylum there amid criminal charges he is facing.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday night that Timor Leste’s Foreign Ministry rejected the application filed by Teves, who is reportedly staying in the capital city, Dili.

This came after DFA received an information from the Philippine Embassy in Dili on the suspended lawmaker’s whereabouts.

“Today, the Ministry of Interior of Timor-Leste confirmed that Representative Teves’ application for political asylum has been denied,” DFA said.

Upon also receiving the information, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told Manalo that the agency was already taking “concrete steps” to designate Teves as a terrorist.

“[I] already requested the Anti-Terrorism Council to create a technical working group (TWG) for this purpose,” Remulla told Manalo.

With Dili’s decision, Teves now only has five days remaining before he should depart the country, DFA said.

But “during this time, he also has the option to file an appeal regarding the decision,” it added.

Teves has been tagged as one of the brains behind the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.

He is also accused of murder charges in line with the 2019 killing of former Negros Oriental Board Member Miguel Dungog and two others, as well as of illegal possession of firearms and explosives charges.

Before Dili, Teves was reportedly in the United States for medical purposes and eventually in South Korea, according to some senators.

Related Tags

Timor-Leste DFA asylum request Governor Arnolfo Teves

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