Government to cancel Teves passport

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is in the process of canceling the passport of expelled Negros Oriental congressman Arnie Teves Jr. who is wanted in the country for multiple murder, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said yesterday.

Remulla revealed that Teves is still in Timor-Leste and is believed to be seeking asylum, although his chances are not good.

He noted that Teves has filed an appeal over the decision of the Timor-Leste government to deny his request for asylum.

“If you are a fugitive from justice, your right to travel is impaired, basically. His passport is in the process of being canceled,” Remulla said partly in Filipino during a press briefing.

“You have a limit now on your constitutional right to travel when you are a fugitive from justice and you cannot seek (protection) from a government if you have a record (of being wanted by the law),” he added.

Teves has warrants of arrest for multiple murder in relation to the March 4 assassination of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine others, as well as the killing of three persons in the province in 2019. He was also designated a terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council.

According to Remulla, the Department of Justice is also working on having Teves placed in the red notice of the International Criminal Police Organization or Interpol, especially since the expelled congressman was designated as a terrorist.

The name of Teves as a fugitive will be also placed in the records of the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime.

Remulla earlier said he would sign this week a letter asking the government of Timor-Leste to hand Teves over.