Teves extradition seen delayed amid ‘new proceedings’

MANILA, Philippines — The extradition of former Negros Oriental lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. will be delayed as the Philippine government’s request undergoes “new proceedings” before a Timor-Leste court.

While the Department of Justice (DOJ) insisted that the Timor-Leste court had already ruled on the government’s request to extradite Teves, it said the former lawmaker’s legal team is contesting the ruling on procedural grounds, “specifically questioning the number of judges involved in the decision.”

With this, the Philippine government will again present its evidence on the extradition case “but this time before three judges,” DOJ spokesman Mico Clavano said.

“We are confident that the outcome of the new proceedings will be the same as the previous decision. The legal merits are clear and we expect that Mr. Teves will face justice in the Philippines soon, given the strong evidence against him,” the DOJ said yesterday.

The DOJ said the move of Teves’ legal team is “a clear afterthought” raised only after the proceedings had concluded unfavorably for him.

It said Teves and his lawyers were fully engaged in the proceedings, had the opportunity to present their case and were afforded due process throughout.

“In Philippine law, such a move would be barred under the principle of estoppel, which prevents a party from challenging procedural issues if they actively participated in the process and failed to raise objections earlier,” the DOJ said.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the DOJ remains committed to bringing Teves home.

“No amount of underhanded tactics will derail our determination to get this fugitive home to face the murder charges. The victims need justice,” he said.

For its part, Teves’ camp insists that the Timor-Leste court “nullified” its previous decision, contrary to the position of the DOJ.

“It was also underhanded to say that the procedural remedies employed by the lawyers of Mr. Teves were flawed, as in fact it was sustained by the proper judicial authority in TL (Timor-Leste),” Teves’ legal counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, said in a separate statement.

“The said DOJ statement is unseemly as it casts aspersions on the judicial system of TL,” he added.

The Court of Appeals of Timor-Leste earlier granted the Philippines’ request for the extradition of Teves, who faces several murder charges in connection with the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and others, prompting the former lawmaker’s camp to file a motion for reconsideration.