TEVES ARRESTED IN TIMOR-LESTE; FILES HABEAS CORPUS PLEA

EXPELLED Negros Oriental 3rd district Congressman Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. on Tuesday night was arrested in Timor-Leste where he sought asylum.

Immigration officers arrested the former solon at his residence in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste.

Teves’ legal counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, said the former lawmaker was taken by immigration police at around 8 p.m. (Dili time).

According to Topacio, Teves and his Timor-Leste counsel, Dr. Joao Serra, are currently being held at the compound of the Ministry of the Interior.

Topacio added that “no warrant or any written authority” was shown to his client to explain the grounds for his detention.

Teves was accused as mastermind in the killing of former Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine others on March 4, 2023 in the Degamo residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.

The former lawmaker consistently denied the allegations, describing them as politically- motivated.

He sought asylum in Timor-Leste.

In a video provided by Teves’ son, the lawmaker was seen forcefully being arrested in their home in Timor-Leste.

Meanwhile, Topacio also said Teves’ Timor-Leste legal team has filed several pleadings, including one for habeas corpus.

He added that he last spoke to the former Negros solon on Tuesday night and is not able to contact him after that.

Topacio alleged that Teves’ legal team in Timor Leste is also barred from seeing the lawmaker.