Malacañang said on Friday the transfer of former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. from Timor-Leste to Philippine authorities and his subsequent turnover to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) completely observed due process.
With Teves’ arrest, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured citizens “that lawlessness will not go unpunished.”
“It is now time for Mr. Teves to face justice,” President Marcos had said in a video message released a few minutes after authorities brought Teves back to the country on Thursday.
Teves has fled the country to evade multiple murder charges for the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and nine others in 2023 and other individuals in 2019.
In a Palace press briefing on Friday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Assistant Secretary Erel Cabatbat said Philippine authorities followed all the legal procedures during Teves’ transfer from Timor-Leste to the Philippines, including informing him of his rights and the pending arrest warrants issued by the court.
Cabatbat was a member of the Philippine extraction team who traveled to Timor-Leste to bring Teves back to the Philippines.
“May kanya-kanya po tayong opinyon at nirerespeto po natin ang naging pahayag ng anak ni dating mambabatas Rep. Teves, na si Axl Teves. Pero, ito po kasi ay pagpapatupad po ng ating batas,” Cabatbat said.
“May mga arrest warrants po na inilabas at kailangan po natin ipatupad po iyon. Nanggaling po dito sa Pilipinas ang arrest warrant at kung pamilyar po kayo sa court proceedings kung saan po galing ang search warrant, doon din po ibabalik,” Cabatbat added.
Cabatbat said the Philippine Air Force plane carrying Teves departed Timor-Leste at 2:42 pm (Manila time) Thursday and arrived in Davao City at 7:27 p.m.
After refueling, the plane took off from Davao City at 8:27 pm and arrived at the Villamor Air Base at 11:19 p.m.
At 12:03 a.m. Friday, Teves was formally turned over to the NBI. | PND
