TL Government Considers Arnolfo Presence Risk To Security & National Interest
Image : Arnolfo Teves Jr
SAPNewsTL, Dili : The Government of Timor-Leste considers the presence in the national territory of Filipino citizen Arnolfo Teves Jr., who is suspected of committing various serious crimes and formally charged by the judicial authorities of the Republic of the Philippines – a member country of ASEAN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations – as a serious and unacceptable situation.
Marciana da Conceição – SAPNews
The Presidency of the Council of Ministers through a press release said Arnolfo Teves Jr. his long stay in Timor-Leste, more than two years, could cause some problems in bilateral relations between the two states and set a serious precedent with potential implications for internal security.
“The perception that Timor-Leste can be seen as a refuge for individuals fleeing international justice risks the integrity of our borders and joint efforts to combat transnational crime,” President of the Council of Ministers Ágio Pereira said in a press release in Dili, 28/05/2025, after the arrest of Philippine citizens and citizens. Arnolfo Teves Jr.
Timor-Leste’s full accession to ASEAN, scheduled for October this year, further reinforces the responsibility of the State of Timor-Leste to actively cooperate with regional partners in defending justice, legality and stability in the region.
In this context, the Government informs that citizen Arnolfo Teves Jr. will be deported from Timor-Leste by administrative decision of the Ministry of Interior, because he is in the country without a valid visa, without legal authorization to stay and with his passport canceled by the Philippine Government.
“The decision is with immediate effect, based on national legislation on migration and based on the risks that the citizen’s stay poses to public order and national security.”
It is also important to note that the citizen in question faces several criminal charges in the Philippines, including 13 counts of murder, 13 counts of attempted murder and 4 counts of frustrated homicide, related to crimes committed between 2019 and 2023, including the assassination of then Governor, Negro Degamo that. Therefore, considering these facts and according to the Migration and Asylum Law, he was also banned from entering the national territory for a period of 10 years.
The Government reaffirms its commitment to the principles of the rule of law, respecting international norms of cooperation between States, and safeguarding security and stability not only for the national territory, but also for the Southeast Asian region, making joint efforts with ASEAN Member States.
Filipino citizen Arnolfo Teves Jr was arrested by the Immigration Police on Tuesday night around 8 pm in Dili, May 27, 2025.
After his arrest, Arnolfo Teves Jr. asked Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão to help him and wanted to stay in Timor-Leste.
“Good morning Prime Minister, we have been detained illegally, we ask if you can help us return home. Said Arnolfo Teves Jr at the Immigration Police Station, 28/05/2025
He is scheduled to be deported to his native Philippines this month because he is considered a fugitive from justice, although Teves Jr. has previously declared that he was falsely accused, so he decided to flee to Timor-Leste because TL is a country that respects human rights and can ensure his life.