Timor-Leste set conditions before deporting Teves, says Santiago

Cuffed but given a snack for his flight home, expelled Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. is moved under escort in Dili, Timor-Leste, before being flown back to Manila on Thursday, May 29, 2025. —Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines — The government of Timor-Leste set several conditions before proceeding with the deportation of expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr.

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) chief Jaime Santiago made this pronouncement during a press conference on Friday.

According to Santiago, Timorese immigration authorities told them that there should be a limitation of Teves’ life sentence to 40 years; no death penalty; no coerced evidence; and no political persecution.

They also specified that there should be an absolute prohibition on torture, as well as a ban on inhuman and degrading treatment.

“This was during the turnover from their immigration to our immigration. So, being a former judge, I advised our immigration that – Okay. You can sign that,” Santiago recalled.

“Upon signature, their immigration and ours, Teves was finally turned over to us. That’s how smoothly it happened yesterday,” the NBI chief narrated.

Santiago said the conditions set by the Timorese government have now become part of the Philippine government’s laws.

READ: Teves back in PH to face charges in Degamo slay

The document shows the conditions set by authorities in Timor-Leste before deporting expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. (Contributed photo)

He also gave a guarantee that the NBI accorded Teves his rights.

“We accorded him all his rights. As early as last night, his mother had already arrived. They hugged each other. He also hugged his lawyer. We provided him all his rights,” Santiago told reporters.

During the same forum, the bureau also presented Teves to the media.

This comes a day after his deportation from Timor-Leste.

The former district representative of Negros Oriental’s third district arrived in the country on Thursday evening.

He was immediately brought to the NBI for booking procedures.

As of this writing, Teves has been transferred to the NBI’s detention facility at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

The expelled lawmaker was deported from Timor-Leste after his arrest by Timorese immigration authorities on Tuesday evening at his residence in Dili.

He is facing multiple counts of murder and frustrated murder under the Revised Penal Code.

He was a subject of a manhunt in connection with the 2023 killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.

The case is also known as the Pamplona massacre./apl