MANILA, Philippines — Bent on staying overseas amid the government’s efforts to get him home, suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. has sought asylum in Timor-Leste, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said yesterday.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he received information that Teves arrived last week in the capital city of Dili, where he applied for a protection visa intended for asylum.
This prompted the DOJ to seek remedies to prevent the Timorese government from providing Teves asylum.
In a letter dated May 8 to Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Remulla asked for the Philippine ambassador to Timor Leste to inform the Timorese government that Teves’ designation as a terrorist is being sought by the Philippine government.
“We have written a letter telling Timor Leste that he is a person of interest in murder cases and he is being considered for designation as a terrorist by the country… giving a fair warning about a person asking for asylum (that he) may not necessarily be a good candidate for that,” Remulla told journalists.
“There is a special provision in law for that. If you want to seek asylum, usually (it’s) just for political purposes, but we don’t see any political reason for him to seek asylum in Timor Leste. It’s really for not wanting to face the consequences of certain actions by which he is being held to account for in our courts of law,” he added.
Teves has not returned home since charges were filed against him in connection with the firearms found in his property and since he was tagged as the mastermind in the murder of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and eight others.
The DOJ has since sought his designation as a terrorist to force him to return home.
Remulla said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) might be able to file multiple murder and frustrated murder complaints as early as Friday for the attack on Degamo’s residence of March 4.
He said the delays were caused by a few details that needed to be ironed out.
“Maybe (we can file) Monday, but we are trying to do it by Friday. I am asking them if they can speed it up because it’s been more than two months since the murders… might as well file the cases if they can already,” Remulla said.
Bantag surrender feelers
Meanwhile, former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag has again signified his intention to turn himself in to authorities more than two weeks since he was first reported to be ready to surrender.
On April 20, Remulla said Bantag sent surrender feelers to a Cabinet official following the announcement of a massive manhunt for him. He has not turned up.
“There were two feelers sent. One to a Cabinet official and another to one of my friends (in law enforcement), but looks like they are not really serious in surrendering,” Remulla said, referring to Bantag and his deputy Ricardo Zulueta.
He expressed belief that Bantag’s communication of intentions to surrender also covers Zulueta, saying the pair is “a package deal.”
When the pair surrenders, they would be turned over to the NBI, where they would be detained while the cases against them are being heard.
Bantag was tagged in the murder of broadcaster Percy Lapid and Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the contract to kill.
However, the NBI’s detention facility may be affected by the planned reconstruction of its building in Manila.
Detainees at the NBI may be transferred to BuCor facilities.
“One of the topics being discussed was the place of detention and we are amenable to special arrangements for director-general Bantag and Mr. Zulueta,” Remulla said, saying the pair does not want to be detained in a BuCor facility.
“Persons deprived of liberty are handled by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, not the BuCor. Although, when the NBI detention facility is closed down temporarily, they have to be transferred to another facility,” he said.
The DOJ believes that Bantag and Zulueta are still in the country, noting that a hold departure order has been issued by the Muntinlupa court, which is hearing the murder cases.