President Marcos Jr. on Thursday said it is time for former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. to face the criminal cases filed against him, now that he has been repatriated to the Philippines from Timor Leste.
“It is now time for Arnie Teves to face justice,” Marcos said in a video message uploaded on the official Facebook page of the Presidential Communications Office, shortly after a Philippine Air Force plane carrying Teves from Timor Leste landed in Davao City for a refueling stop, enroute to Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
President Marcos welcomed Timor-Leste’s decision to repatriate Teves.
He noted that he was first informed of the development by Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão during the recently-concluded 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“This would not have happened without the assistance of President José Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Gusmão. They have been working very hard to bring this matter to a conclusion,” President Marcos said.
“As we know, the former Congressman, Arnie Teves, is facing charges of murder and other crimes related to the ambush killing of the former Governor Degamo. We would like also to assure our citizens that such lawlessness will not go unpunished,” the President added.
Arnie Teves is facing multiple criminal charges, including the high-profile assassination of former Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo on March 4, 2023, and other murder cases in 2019.
In another video from PCO, Arnie Teves was being informed that he was under arrest by virtue of a warrant issued by the Manila Regional Trial Court in September 2023 for 10 counts of murder, 12 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder.
In 2024, the Dumaguete RTC also issued an arrest order against Arnie Teves for murder, illegal possession of explosives, illegal possession of firearms, and for violating the Terrorism Financing Prevention & Suppression Act.
Pursuant to Section 25 of Republic Act 11479, or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, Arnie Teves and 12 others were designated under Resolution 43 (2023) of the Anti-Terrorism Council as leaders of a terrorist organization for the “orchestrated killings and acts of violence in Negros Oriental.” (PNA)
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Photo Caption: Former Cong. Arnie Teves is escorted Wednesday by security personnel from Timor Leste to the Philippine Air Force plane that flew him back to the Philippines. (Videograb from PTV)
