Atty. Ferdinand Topacio at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay, May 31, 2023 |聽 蜜桃工作室 FILE PHOTO /Ryan Leagogo
The lawyer of expelled Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. on Saturday said safe refuge, political asylum and other such legal remedies were 鈥渟till very much on the table鈥� for his client who is currently under the custody of Timorese authorities.
鈥淒ue to its history as an oppressed people, the Timorese are quite heavy on human rights and denial of due process as well as a disapprobation of political persecution,鈥� Teves鈥� lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said in a statement.
Topacio visited Timor-Leste on March 28 to March 30 and had an 鈥渋ntensive and extensive鈥� discussion with a lawyer there who discussed Timorese laws applicable to his client鈥檚 case.
鈥楴o illegal activity鈥�
鈥淚 am now able to say with greater confidence that all that previous talk from the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) and the DOJ (Department of Justice) of deportation and swift repatriation are nothing but pure and unadulterated balderdash,鈥� Topacio said.
Timor-Leste鈥檚 Constitution is 鈥渧ery strict on due process of law,鈥� which will be 鈥渁pplied unconditionally鈥� to Teves, he said.
Citing information from law enforcement authorities in Timor-Leste, Topacio said intelligence officers had monitored the movements of Teves and 鈥渇ound no evidence of any activity related to terrorism, or any illegal activity at all, and [neither] was he in hiding.鈥�
READ: Teves seeks political asylum after arrest in Timor-Leste, says lawyer
鈥淚 have also confirmed that Rep[resentative] Teves has not violated any laws while in Timor-Leste and that his detention was merely in compliance with procedural matters relating to Timor-Leste鈥檚 Interpol membership,鈥� he added.
Teves, who was charged with multiple murder in connection with the killing last year of his political rival Roel Degamo and nine others, was arrested in Timor-Leste on March 21 while playing golf, according to the DOJ.
Assistant Justice Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV said the Philippine government is working out with Timor-Leste the return of Teves, either through deportation or extradition. But Topacio warned that it could take a while before his client could be returned home since his case must first be presented before a Timorese court.
The expelled lawmaker and his bodyguard Marvin Miranda were charged with the murders at Degamo鈥檚 home in Pamplona town on March 4, 2023.