The Department of Justice confirmed that fugitive and former lawmaker Arnie Teves has been arrested by authorities in Timor Leste.
Teves is the alleged mastermind on the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.
The DOJ said that Teves was arrested in Dili at 4PM on Tuesday night by the Timor Leste police.
The arrest of Teves comes a year after Degamo was brutally killed by armed men in his residence.
Nine others also died from the assassination of Degamo.
“Words cannot express how it feels to finally see the man who terrorized our province and brutally murdered my husband surrounded by police,” said Janice Degamo, the widow of the former governor, in a Facebook post.
Teves has been tagged as a terrorist and was placed under the red alert of the International Criminal Police Organization.
A red notice indicates that a person must be arrested by authorities in a country while waiting for his or her extradition.
“Today’s apprehension of Teves is a testament to the power of international cooperation,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said.
“It sends a clear message that no terrorist can evade justice and that nations stand united in safeguarding the safety and security of their citizens,” Remulla added.
