President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday urged Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves to return to the Philippines after Timor-Leste denied his request for political asylum.
“Come home. That’s the best advice that I can give him,” Marcos said while en route to Manila from Indonesia.
The President said he was able to briefly discuss the matter with Timor Leste Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak on the sidelines of the 42nd ASEAN Summit.
“Yes, it turns out that congressman Arnie Teves applied for political asylum but was denied,” Marcos said.
“I think they will continue to go through the process,” he said, noting that Teves can still appeal the decision.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to inform the Timor-Leste authorities that Teves was wanted for murder and a suspect in the March assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.
On Thursday, Remulla said Teves was still in Timor-Leste, asking for reconsideration, and was also trying to seek refuge in Cambodia.
The Justice Secretary, however, said he told the Cambodian ambassador that Teves is a person of interest in the killing of Degamo. Vince Lopez, Maricel V. Cruz, Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta
“When we first found out that he was trying to seek refuge in Cambodia, we also said the same thing to the Cambodian ambassador. We told them it’s a local case, it’s a celebrated case,” he said.
Remulla had said that Teves appears to be the main mastermind in the March 4 shooting at the governor’s home that led to the death of 10 people and the injuries of several others.
Teves has refused to return to the country, saying he fears for his life. He has repeatedly denied involvement in Degamo’s killing.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez also urged Teves to just come home and face the charges against him.
Earlier, he warned Teves that his continued absence in the House of Representatives could result in further sanctions.
Teves has already been suspended for refusing to return to the country and to fulfill his duties in the House.
Meanwhile, Teves’ lawyer, Ferdinand S. Topacio, threatened to take legal action, including filing a graft case before the Office of the Ombudsman, if his client’s passport is canceled.
Topacio said there are three grounds for the cancellation of a passport — a person is a fugitive from justice, has been convicted by final judgment, or the passport was tampered with or fraudulently secured.
“None of these grounds apply to Congressman Teves,” he said.
Topacio insisted that Teves is not a fugitive from justice since no warrant of arrest has been issued and he has not been convicted of a crime. He also said there was no showing that Teves’ passport was tampered with or fraudulently acquired.
Teves has been charged with murder in connection with the alleged killing of three persons in Negros Oriental in 2019. While the complaint has been filed, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has not resolved it.
At the same time, Topacio expressed concerns over the statements made by Remulla in seeking to designate Teves as a terrorist.
Also on Thursday, Senator Ronald Dela Rosa asked the provincial police director in Negros Oriental to escort people testifying before his panel on the Negros Occidental killings.
He also admonished members of both the Degamo and Teves camps to stop threatening each other.
“You are here so that we can hear you and not for you to be hurting each other, not to fight,” he said. “So, I admonish you, after this hearing, no more contact, don’t go near each other.”
Dela Rosa also directed the Senate sergeant-at-arms to increase their presence inside the committee hearing room during the breaks, suspensions, or adjournments of the hearing.
Hearings into the killing of Governor Degamo continued Thursday.