THE lawyer of the fugitive and expelled congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. said on Saturday that a court in Timor Leste had invalidated the Philippine government’s request to extradite him to face murder charges here.
In a press conference Saturday, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio presented documents he said were issued by the Timor Leste Court of Appeals ruling as “null and void” its earlier decision to reject Teves’ appeal against his extradition.
The Manila Times tried to reach an official from the Department of Justice or the Palace to verify Topacio’s claim but was unable to do so.
Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo ‘Arnie’ Teves Jr. Contributed Photo
Citing the documents he presented, Topacio said a new trial would be conducted on the extradition of Teves.
They also mean that the first extradition request is null and void and that the extradition will not push through as the government has been claiming, he said.
Teves is facing 10 counts of murder, 12 counts of frustrated murder and four counts of attempted murder before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 51 concerning the March 4, 2023 shootings in the town of Pamplona in Negros Oriental.
He is also facing multiple murder charges in Negros Oriental in connection with a series of murders that took place in various parts of the province in 2019.
Teves was designated as a terrorist in August 2023 by the Anti-Terrorism Council.
He fled to Dili in Timor Leste last year to seek political asylum.
However, he was apprehended in March while playing golf.
Topacio twitted Justice Department officials.
“So, where is the extradition that they are claiming? Aren’t they ashamed to tell the media that what they claim is news actually makes no sense?” he said.
Topacio said Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla should explain why the DoJ was always issuing fake news with regard to the return of Teves.
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