Hushed talks

Other than the official statement released by Malacañang Palace, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste supposedly strongly backed the Philippine position to adhere to the rules-based international laws and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the disputed overlapping maritime claims over the South China Sea. This is not to doubt the official statement issued at the end of the one-on-one talks of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) with Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta last Friday at Malacañang.

PBBM disclosed such support in a joint press conference with President Ramos-Horta after their tete-a-tete meeting where both of them reaffirmed the firm bilateral relations of the Philippines and Timor-Leste. The two countries officially forged diplomatic ties 21 years ago. President Ramos-Horta arrived in Manila on Wednesday for his state visit. Ramos-Horta led his Timorese delegation in bilateral talks with PBBM along with some of the counterpart Cabinet officials of his visitor.

Prior to his arrival, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) would be present for the reception of Timorese delegation.

After the bilateral talks in Malacañang, the PCO issued a statement that both the Philippines and Timor-Leste have agreed to work together on civilian commercial aviation, social security agreement for professionals, and educational cooperation between their higher learning institutions.

Curiously, the PCO did not mention any discussion done by the two leaders on the celebrated presence in Timor-Leste of a fugitive from justice – ousted Negros Oriental Congressman Arnulfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. Being one of the most wanted man in the Philippines, Teves was seen in Timor-Leste roaming freely and even welcoming celebrity visitors like world boxing champion, former Senator Manny Pacquiao.

Pacquiao flew last Sept. 22 to Dili, the capital city of Timor-Leste where Teves gleefully hugged and even walked along with the former Senator at the Dili airport. Teves is known as the chief political supporter of Pacquiao who run but miserably lost to PBBM in the May 2022 presidential elections.

If the presence of the DFA is a protocol, the attendance of the DOJ in this meeting with the visiting Timorese head of State sends a strong signal. Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla has been most vocal in his single-minded pursuit to bring Teves back to the folds of the law. But that was before the alleged assassins hired by Teves recanted, one after the other, their sworn affidavits.

The DOJ built up the multiple murder cases from the testimonies that pointed to Teves Jr. as their alleged mastermind and supposedly paid them to kill Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo on March 4 this year. The DOJ prosecutors though remained confident the recantation won’t weaken their case against Teves Jr.

While distributing “ayuda” at his residence compound in Pamplona, heavily armed men stormed and brutally gunned down Degamo and nine other people dead. Aside from the Degamo case, the Regional Trial Court Branch 63 in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental issued a new arrest order last Oct. 4 against Teves Jr. and five others for their alleged involvement in the killings that took place in the province in 2019.

The slaying of the Governor came a few months after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) acted favorably to his election protest against a name-alike nuisance candidate. Thus, the Comelec unseated the earlier declared Gubernatorial winner Pryde Henry Teves, younger brother of the ex-Congressman.

Incidentally, the younger Teves filed his candidacy to the “special elections” scheduled on Dec. 9 for the third legislative district of the province following the decision of the House of Representatives to expel Teves Jr. as the incumbent Congressman. This extreme penalty was meted out to Teves Jr. for his continued refusal to personally face his cases in the Philippines and for not physically attending the sessions of the 19th Congress.

The Comelec though decided last week to give due course to the House Resolution to cancel the holding of “special elections.” On the other hand, the Senate committee on public order chaired by Sen. Bato dela Rosa who conducted five public hearings on the Degamo massacre have yet to decide whether or not to re-open their legislative inquiry after five suspects turned state witnesses recanted.

Known for his lucrative e-sabong business, Teves Jr. was conveniently on a medical leave in the United States when the Degamo massacre took place. From then on, Teves has refused to set foot back in the Philippines. He has been shuttling from one country to another to avoid arrest and only communicates through his lawyers. Like other countries with no extradition agreement with the Philippines, Teves flew to Timor-Leste as his latest safe haven.

For now, the long arms of the law could not reach Teves wherever he is.

While it might be trivial for the two heads of States to talk about such detail, the optics are not good. It projects the seeming attempt to sweep these matters under the rug. Ramos-Horta would certainly not want to tarnish his 1996 Nobel Peace Prize award he got for his long-lasting efforts to achieve a just and peaceful solution to the 21-year-old conflict in East Timor.

While in Manila, Ramos-Horta met also with other key personalities, including Pacquiao. According to a TV5 newscast, Ramos-Horta and Pacquiao met and reportedly engaged in a “friendly dialogue” about tourism, investments and the boxing potentials of Timor-Leste.

Remulla informed me he “spoke to him (Ramos-Horta) at length” before the latter winded down his three-day state visit last Saturday. The DOJ chief also earlier recommended the inclusion of Teves to the “terrorists” list.

In hushed talks perhaps, the happy days of Teves as a free man are numbered.