Expelled Negros Oriental congressman and fugitive Arnolfo "Arnie" A. Teves Jr. is expected to be back in the Philippines from Timor-Leste this month, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said on Monday, Sept. 9.
Instead of a private plane that brought him to Timor-Leste, Teves will return to the Philippines onboard a Philippine Air Force (PAF) plane.
“Teves is coming home very soon. “Nandoon lang ang Papa ngayon sa Timor-Leste at expectation natin within the month ililipat si Teves (Pope Francis is currently visiting Timor-Leste and we expect that within the month Teves will be back),” Remulla said.
“May agreement na kami sa Air Force para ‘yung eroplanong sasakyan ay manggagaling sa ating Air Force (We have an agreement with the Air Force to provide the air transport),” he said.
Teves, who has been designated as a terrorist in July last year by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC), is facing multiple charges in the Philippines.
His criminal cases are pending before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 51 for 10 counts of murder, 12 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder concerning 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, 2024 that directed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to have his passport canceled.
The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) had also issued a “red notice” against Teves which is “a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.”
Teves flew to Timor-Leste to get asylum but was denied.
Last Aug. 28, the DOJ announced that the Court of Appeals of Timor-Leste denied the appeal of Teves not to be extradited to the Philippines.