The filing of murder cases against suspended Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. will allow the Philippine government to formally seek assistance from international law enforcement agencies to secure him from anywhere once arrest warrants are handed down.
Department of Justice Secretary Jesus Remulla on Tuesday said once the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and other law enforcement bodies start tracking Teves, it will “affect (Teves) a lot.”
“The Interpol notices will go red when we have a proper warrant of arrest. And there will be no more movement allowed within borders and boundaries. It is not a matter of questioning anymore. It is a matter of rendition,” Remulla explained to the media.
An Interpol red notice is a request for law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.
“The individuals are wanted by the requesting member country or international tribunal. Member countries apply their own laws in deciding whether to arrest a person. Extracts of Red Notices are published at the request of the member country concerned and where the public’s help may be needed to locate an individual or if the individual may pose a threat to public safety,” according to the Interpol website.
Prosecutors have approved the filing of murder charges against Teves and five others for deaths that occurred in the province in 2019.
Remulla said the cases are not yet covered by a recent Supreme Court circular allowing a Manila trial for the cases arising from the assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and nine others in Pamplona town on March 4. Witnesses pointed to Teves as the mastermind but they later recanted.
“Since these are past cases initially from 2019, venue nyan sa Negros before i-transfer (the venue will be in Negros [Oriental] before it is transferred) by motion to Manila,” he explained.
Teves’ whereabouts remain unknown since he went on leave before the Degamo slay.
His official leave from Congress expired on March 9.