SPEAKER commended and thanked the government of Timor-Leste for rejecting the request of Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. seeking political asylum in the country.

Romualdez said this is a welcome and correct course of action as he stressed that Teves must come home and face the charges hurled against him.

Teves is allegedly the main suspect in the brutal killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo in March this year.

The solon was also suspended in the House of Representatives because of his unauthorized travel.

“Sana naman umuwi na si Cong. Arnie Teves para magiging moot na ‘yung suspension at gusto talaga nating bumalik siya at humarap talaga sa mga charges sa kanya,” Speaker Romualdez said.

“Na-deny na yung political asylum nya, dapat talaga bumalik at kung hindi, there may be another Ethics (Committee) recommendation for further sanctions against Cong. Teves,” Speaker Romualdez added.

Romualdez is part of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s delegation at the ongoing summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Timor-Leste is an observer country in the ASEAN.

As to the denial of the request, Romualdez said Timor-Leste is “on solid ground” with its decision to reject the request of Teves, saying President Marcos Jr. might even express gratitude to the foreign government’s leaders.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he would just acknowledge and thank the Timor-Leste leader for the action taken by his government because that is the right course of action … President Marcos is one who is very, very respectful of protocol and processes, due process,” the lawmaker from Leyte said.

“Obviously it has come to the knowledge of the government of Timor-Leste that there are indeed pending charges and more allegations…they are aware that when he (Teves) left the country that these weren’t apparent,” he further noted.

Teves was suspended by the House of Representatives for 60 days in late March for failure to return to the country and face the Ethics Committee despite the expiration of his US visa.

Romualdez said as a suspended lawmaker, Teves’s privileges and immunities are also suspended and certainly cannot be used to evade justice.

“Right now ay suspendido siya ngayon, wala siyang rights or mga privileges sa Kongreso. The rights, privileges and immunities of a congressman are for the discharge of the legislative functions that he has, to make sure that he can perform as a legislator in the service of his constituents. Those rights, those privileges and those immunities are not meant for congressmen to use it to evade or to avoid justice,” he added.