A former congressman, who is facing criminal cases before a Manila court and allegedly masterminding the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and nine others two years ago, arrived Thursday night after being deported from Timor-Leste.

Arnolfo Teves Jr. arrived at Villamor Air Base after the plane carrying him from Timor Leste refueled at Davao City. After being booked, Teves was brought to the detention facility of the National Bureau of Investigation in Bilibid.

Teves was arrested in his home in Dili, Timor-Leste on Tuesday by Timor-Leste immigration police.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced in a recorded message on Thursday evening said he '' was first informed of this development by Prime Minister Gusmao in the ASEAN meeting that I just returned from in Kuala Lumpur, that Timor Leste was ready to send Teves back to the Philippines so this would not have happened without the assistance of President Horta and Prime Minister Gusmao of Timor Leste.”

Teves was picked up by a Philippine plane with a delegation consisting of NBI head Jaime Santiago and Assistant Justice Secretary Eliseo Cruz around 1:10 pm on Thursday.

The former lawmaker was handcuffed and shuttled when he was escorted by Philippine and Timorese authorities to the aircraft that left Timor Leste at about 2:42 pm and arrived in the Philippines on Thursday evening.

In a press statement on Friday, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the Philippine justice system was working, with the arrest of Teves proof of the government's commitment to uphold the rule of law under the directive of President Marcos.

"As Chair of Task Force Degamo, the Department of the Interior and Local Government sees this arrest as a strong message that our government will not stop until justice is served. This is the result of years of coordinated effort across government, guided by the priorities set by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. This arrest reflects the determination of our law enforcement agencies to track down and bring back those who attempt to evade justice," the DILG added. Yzabela Velez-White/DMS