MANILA, May 29, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - East Timor has agreed to deport an Interpol-wanted Philippines murder suspect after two years of political wrangling, with the government linking the case to its aspirations to join the regional ASEAN bloc.

Former Philippines congressman Arnolfo Teves allegedly masterminded a March 2023 attack that killed then-provincial governor Roel Degamo and nine others.

Teves was detained at a driving range in Dili last year, but a Timorese court blocked his extradition. Manila's justice secretary suggested the decision may have been bought, saying it was "obvious that some people are making money out of this".

In an abrupt turnaround, East Timor late on Wednesday announced Teves' impending deportation, saying his continued presence represented a security risk.

"The Government hereby informs that Arnolfo Teves Jr. will be deported from Timor-Leste," it said in a statement, using the country's alternate name.

It added that East Timor's "imminent full accession" to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had reinforced its responsibility to collaborate regionally on legal matters.

On Thursday, Manila's Department of Justice said it was preparing a team to facilitate Teves' repatriation based on deportation documents from East Timor.

Ex-lawmaker Teves is the prime suspect in the murder of former Negros Oriental governor Degamo.

Degamo had been distributing aid at his home in Pamplona when six people carrying rifles and dressed in military fatigues entered the compound and opened fire on March 4, 2023.

The killings came months after Degamo was declared winner of a disputed vote, unseating Henry Teves, the ex-lawmaker's brother.

Arnolfo Teves was expelled from the House of Representatives after refusing to return to the Philippines to face murder charges.

On Wednesday, Teves' son Axl posted videos on social media of his father being dragged away by Timorese police, claiming he had been "kidnapped".

Degamo's widow Janice, meanwhile, called the arrest a "significant step toward justice".

Teves is currently being held in detention while awaiting administrative processing, a source at Dili's interior ministry told AFP.