By Marita Moaje
MANILA – The safe return of former Negros Oriental Representative Arnulfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. to the Philippines was not an abduction but a lawful enforcement of existing arrest warrants.
Presidential Communication Office Assistant Secretary Erel Cabatbat, a member of the government extraction team, said this during a Palace press briefing on Friday, in response to a social media post of Axl Teves, son of the fugitive lawmaker, that his father was kidnapped and abused.
“Nirerespeto po natin ang naging pahayag ng anak ni dating mambabatas Rep. Teves na si Axl Teves. Pero ito po kasi ay pagpapatupad po ng ating batas, may mga arrest warrants po na inilabas at kailangan po nating ipatupad po iyon (We respect the statement of former lawmaker Rep. Teves’ son, Axl Teves. But this is the implementation of our law, there are arrest warrants that have been issued and we need to implement them),” he said.
“Nanggaling po dito sa Pilipinas ang arrest warrant at kung familiar po kayo sa court proceedings kung saan po galing ang search warrant, doon din po ibabalik (The arrest warrant came from here in the Philippines and if you are familiar with the court proceedings where the search warrant came from, it will also be returned there).”
Cabatbat also clarified that the operation followed legal procedures and was conducted peacefully in coordination with Timor-Leste authorities.
Meanwhile, Cabatbat also credited the success of the operation to the diplomacy efforts made by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
He said that the operation, carried out by officials from the Department of Justice (DOJ), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Immigration, and the Philippine Air Force, was made possible through high-level coordination and diplomacy inititated by President Marcos during a meeting with Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão at the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
He added the mission was executed under direct instructions from the President, who had earlier secured commitment from Timor-Leste’s leadership.
Teves has lived in Timor Leste for over two years while facing multiple criminal charges in the Philippines, connected to the high-profile assassination of former Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo in 2023 and other murder cases in 2019.
He was formally turned over to Philippine authorities at the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport in Dili on Thursday afternoon.
“May initial na pong usapan na pagdating po doon ay ibibigay sa atin kaagad si Representative Teves, pero may kaunting changes lamang po. Pero sa kabila po nito, naging maayos po iyong turnover, nagpirmahan lang po ng ilang dokumento at noong maayos na po iyong dokumento, inilabas po si former Rep. Teves na nakaposas po at naka-shackle po pati mga paa niya (There was an initial discussion that when we got there, Representative Teves would be handed over to us immediately, but there were only a few changes. But despite this, the turnover went smoothly, we just signed a few documents and when the documents were in order, former Rep. Teves was brought out in handcuffs and shackles, including his feet),” Cabatbat narrated.
Teves was flown back to the Philippines under tight security and handed over to the NBI after landing at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
He said that during the flight, he was read his Miranda rights and informed of about 10 pending arrest warrants against him. (PNA)
