National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Medardo De Lemos admitted on Monday, March 25, that his team did not expect to get immediately expelled Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. out of Timor-Leste where he was arrested. 

“Sa first stage hindi tayo ganoon kahopeful (We were not hopeful for the first stage),” said De Lemos during a press conference on Monday, March 25, following his arrival last Sunday, March 24, from Timor-Leste.

Teves was arrested based on a "red notice" issued by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).  He was playing golf in the capital city of Dili where he was apprehended last March 21.

“Ang una nating anu doon exploratory lang tsaka confirmation na nandoon s’ya (The purpose of the trip was exploratory and to determine if Teves was there,” De Lemos said. 

He explained that Teves is undergoing court proceedings in Timor-Leste concerning his arrest based on Interpol’s  “red notice” which is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

“May court process diyan (There is a court process on that),” he said. 

“Ang pagkakaintindi namin doon sa kanila minimum of 7 days to a maximum of 40 days mareresolve ‘yan (From what was explained to us was it will take between seven to a maximum of 40 days to be resolved),” he also said. 

In the meantime, he said “kami naman ay naghahanda in the event na pihuntulutan kunin natin si Cong. Teves doon (we are preparing in the event we are allowed to get Teves).”

"Pinangako natin sa kanila (we promised them) that we will respect and wait for the legal proceedings of Cong. Teves," he said. 

“Hintayin natin ang court proceedings (We will wait the court proceedings) to wrap up before going back to Timor-Leste,” he added. 

At the same time, De Lemos said the Philippine Embassy in Timor-Leste and his counterpart in the country have promised him that they will monitor the proceedings and inform him of the developments.

“Noong nakausap namin si President Horta sabi nga n’ya gusto rin n’ya matapos kaagad ang proseso (During my meeting with Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta, the President said he wants the proceedings finished soon),” he recalled.

Though the NBI team returned to the Philippines without Teves, De Lemos declared “it’s a major victory for us to have located Cong. Teves and to have him arrested by the local authorities.”

He said that Teves was arrested at around 4 pm of March 21 just two hours after the NBI delegation landed in Timor-Leste.

“‘Pag hindi tayo dumating doon baka hindi sila ganoon kaagresibo na e-enforce ang red notice list (Had we not arrived the enforcement of the red notice would not have been aggressive),” he pointed out.

He also disclosed that his team was not allowed to participate in the operation that led to the arrest of Teves.

“Katulad din nga ng mga foreign counterparts natin, ‘pag may request dito sa atin, hindi sila pwede magparticipate sa enforcement operation. Ganoon din sa atin doon. Iinform ka lang nahuli na (Just like with our foreign counterparts, whenever we are requested to make an arrest, they can’t participate. The same with us. We will just informed them that the arrest was made),” he explained.

During the NBI delegation’s trip in Timor, De Lemos said he was able to talk to Teves on the afternoon of March 22 while the fingerprints of the expelled legislator was being taken.

“Nakausap na natin sya, may picture pa sya na siya mismo nagvolunteer, naka-smile siya (We were able to talk to him, get his picture with his permission where he flashed a smile),” recalled De Lemos.

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, the legal counsel of Teves, earlier claimed, that NBI officials were prevented from seeing Teves after being caught sneaking in a mobile phone to take hidden photographs which was allegedly prohibited.

“Very healthy si Cong. Teves. Sa tingin ko nagwowork out (Teves is very healthy. I think he is working out),” De Lemos recalled his talk with the expelled congressman.

Despite this, De Lamos said “natatakot s’ya na baka raw may mangyaring masama sa kanya (he is afraid to return to the Philippines because something might happen to him)."

Thus, he said he assured Teves that the NBI will keep him safe when he returns to the Philippines.

Teves, who has been designated as a terrorist in July last year by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC), is facing charges of 10 counts of murder, 12 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 51 over the March 4, 2023 shootings in Pamplona, Negros Oriental where 10 persons were killed including provincial governor Roel Degamo.

The RTC has already issued an arrest warrant against Teves on Sept. 5, 2023 and later released an order dated Feb. 5 that directed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to have his passport canceled.

The International Police Organization (Interpol) also issued last February a "red notice" against Teves.  The "red notice a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.”