A former lawmaker accused of killing his political rival and 12 others arrived in Manila after staying in Timor Leste for months, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. confirmed on Thursday night.
In a video message posted across his social media accounts, Mr. Marcos confirmed that former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo A. Teves, Jr. returned to the country in a chartered plane.
“I was informed by Prime Minister [Kay Rala Xanana] Gusmão in the [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] meeting that I just returned from in Kuala Lumpur, that Timor Leste was ready to send Teves back to the Philippines so this would not have happened without the assistance of President [José Ramos-Horta] and Prime Minister Gusmão, ”Mr. Marcos Said.
He assured Filipinos that lawlessness will not go unpunished.
This comes after the Timorese government on Wednesday, a day after the ASEAN Summit concluded in the Malaysian capital, ordered Mr. Teves’ deportation for being an undocumented alien.
Mr. Teves will face multiple charges upon his return, including those related to the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel R. Degamo, as well as accusations of orchestrating several other killings in the province.
He has denied any wrongdoings. His camp filed a habeas corpus plea against his arrest yesterday as a last-ditch effort to prevent his return in the Philippines.
He left the country shortly after Mr. Degamo’s murder in 2023 and remained overseas despite the cancellation of his passport.
Timor Leste is seeking membership in the ten-member regional bloc, which the Philippines will chair in 2026. — Chloe Mari A. Hear
