President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday vowed that the Philippine government would exhaust all actions to bring back former Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., the alleged mastermind in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, back to the country.
In a post on X, Marcos commended the collaborative efforts of the law enforcement agencies and the international partners in the successful arrest of the former lawmaker.
”Rest assured that the government will take all necessary actions to bring him back to the country so he can face the charges filed against him,” Marcos said.
”I assure the Filipino people that we will spare no effort in ensuring that justice will prevail in this case,” he said. ”I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all those involved in this operation for their unwavering dedication to upholding peace and order.”
According to the Department of Justice, Teves was arrested while playing golf in Dili at 4 p.m. of Thursday. He is now under the custody of the Timorese police.
The arrest came a few weeks after the first death anniversary of the late governor and the other victims who were killed on March 4, 2023, when armed men barged into his home in Barangay San Isidro in Pamplona and shot him in the middle of aid distribution.
Teves, who has since denied allegations against him, was placed on the red notice of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) in February.
Teves was designated as a terrorist along with 11 others by the Anti-Terrorism Council in August 2023 due to alleged killings and harassment in Negros Oriental.
Marcos earlier called on the former congressman to come home and face the accusations against him.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
