Archive · 29 May 2025
East Timor to Deport Ex-Philippine Lawmaker in 2023 Killings
A former politician from the Philippines, named Arnolfo Teves, is going to be sent back to his home country from East Timor.
He is suspected of planning a killing in 2023 where a governor and nine others died.
Teves was caught in East Timor last year, but at first, he wasn't sent back.
Now, East Timor has decided to send him back, partly because they want to work well with other countries in their region.
The government in the Philippines is ready to take him back and deal with the charges.
East Timor agreed to deport ex-Philippine lawmaker Arnolfo Teves, wanted in connection to the 2023 killings.
Teves is accused of masterminding a March 2023 attack that killed Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and nine others.
Teves was detained in Dili last year, but a Timorese court initially blocked his extradition.
East Timor cited regional legal collaboration and its ASEAN aspirations as reasons for the turnaround.
Manila is preparing to facilitate Teves' repatriation based on deportation documents from East Timor.
- Who
- Arnolfo Teves, a former Philippine lawmaker, is to be deported.
- What
- Teves is to be deported from East Timor back to the Philippines.
- When
- Deportation will occur imminently.
- Where
- East Timor.
- Why
- East Timor is deporting Teves because of his alleged involvement in the 2023 killings and its commitment to regional legal matters.
Differing Perspectives
Agreed Facts
Legality of Deportation
Differing Perspectives
The original court decision to block extradition suggests a different view on the legality.
Agreed Facts
The East Timor government views the deportation as a matter of upholding regional legal collaboration, as well as the country's ASEAN aspirations.
Fairness
Differing Perspectives
Teves' son claimed his father was "kidnapped".
Agreed Facts
Degamo's widow called the arrest a "significant step toward justice".
- Suspect
- Arnolfo Teves
- Accusation
- Masterminding 2023 killings
- Victim
- Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo
- Location of Deportation
- East Timor
- Date of Attack
- March 2023
- Reason for Deportation
- Regional legal collaboration