The Department of Justice on Monday said the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) is expected to issue a “red notice” that would pave the way for the arrest of expelled Negros Oriental 3rd district congressman Arnolfo “Arnie” A. Teves Jr.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla stressed a red notice asks countries “to seek the location and arrest of a person wanted by a legal jurisdiction or an international tribunal with a view to his/her extradition.”
Remulla said that Interpol had already issued a “blue notice” against Teves last Feb. 19. This requests countries “to locate, identify or obtain information on a person of interest in a criminal investigation.”
“It will be converted into a red notice because he is undocumented already,” he said.
Remulla made the statement even as he considered the Feb. 8 order of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 51 mandating for the cancellation of Teves’ passport as “final and executory.”
Teves, who has yet to return to the Philippines, faces murder charges in court for the March 4, 2023 shooting in Pamplona, Negros Oriental that led to deaths of 10 persons including Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo as well as injuries to eight other individuals.
The expelled congressman has also been charged with multiple murder in the deaths of three persons in Negros Oriental in 2019.
Citing information he received, Remulla said Teves remains in Timor-Leste where he is seeking asylum.
However, the DOJ chief declined to give a time as to when Teves will be brought back to the Philippines.
“We have to take it a step at a time. It’s difficult to give a timeline,” he said.
“We are working on it because the court’s decision is already there so there is no way that he can travel unless he is granted asylum in another country which is far from our imagination,” he added.
In the meantime, Remulla assured that the Philippine and Timor-Leste governments continue to have talks about Teves.
“It is not even a political matter but a criminal justice matter,” the Justice Secretary stressed.