THE government requested a "red notice" from the International Police Crime Organization (Interpol) in serving an arrest warrant to former Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves in Timor Leste, the Department of Justice (DoJ) said.

A red notice is a "request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action," according to the Interpol's website.

Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said in a news forum over the weekend that once the request was granted, Interpol would inform Timorese authorities about the warrant issued by the Philippines against Teves.

Teves fled to Timor Leste, where he has sought asylum after he was charged in the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo last year.

The former congressman faces 10 counts of murder, 12 counts of frustrated murder and four counts of attempted murder.

Last March, Teves was arrested by Timorese authorities while playing golf in the Timorese capital of Dili.

The Philippine government filed an extradition request.

Vasquez said four principles govern Interpol's decision to bring a fugitive back to the country requesting extradition: independence and sovereignty of each member state, neutrality, cooperation, and respect for human rights.

"Remember that all red notices may or may not be allowed, depending on the determination of the local authorities. Like with Timor Leste, if we don't get lucky, nothing will happen. We may have a warrant of arrest, but if they won't accept it, if Timor Leste won't implement it, that's the end of the story," Vasquez said.

He said that Teves had used up all his legal options to fight the extradition request of the Philippine government.

"The Philippines has already won in the request of our government to bring him back, bring former Congressman Arnie Teves to face his cases here; it has already been granted by the court of appeals of Timor-Leste," he said.

"We already sent our chief state counsel there to know their process and we also have a local lawyer there who monitors whatever is needed once the decision is issued," Vasquez said.

Teves had filed a motion to suspend the Timorese court proceedings on his extradition, saying he was filing a complaint before the United Nations Human Rights Council against the Philippine government for allegedly violating his rights.

Vasquez said the prosecutor general of Timor Leste found the motion "totally irrelevant and immaterial."

Teves has filed two other motions: to annul judgment on procedural grounds, which has been denied, and for reconsideration on the merits of the case, which is pending and which the Timorese prosecutor general also has already answered.

"Why Prosecutor General? Because that is an internal process of Timor Leste. Similarly, if the time comes when someone requests extradition from us, the one who will stand as the lawyer of the requesting country is not their lawyer, not their private lawyer, not their embassy, but it would be the DoJ, it would be the Office of State Counsel, which is under my cluster, who will be attending the cases on behalf of the requesting party," Vasquez said.

The decision of the Timor Leste court of appeals on Teves' motion for reconsideration is final because the country does not have a Supreme Court, he said.

Timor Leste's Supreme Court "is still in the stages of development. It has only been 20 years since Timor became independent. They're still establishing their processes and their structure," Vasquez said.

He said there was a 20-day time frame once Timor Leste decided to grant extradition.

"We will now have 20 days to facilitate the return of the former congressman to the Philippines for him to face the charges here. That is extendable for another 20 days. So, effectively, 40 days if you count the extra because it's already running, the moment you decide that's what will happen," said Vasquez.

Teves was designated as a terrorist in August 2023 by the Anti-Terrorism Council.

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