DOJ seeking Interpol 'red notice' vs. Arnie Teves

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 23) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) is trying to get International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a «red notice» against the alleged mastermind behind the Pamplona massacre and expelled Negros Oriental Rep. Arnie Teves, Sec. Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday.

Teves has been out of the country since late February and has not returned to the Philippines to face the murder charges lodged against him by the DOJ. Due to his continued absence, he was expelled from the House.

Teves is currently in Timor-Leste, where he has tried but failed to seek asylum. Remulla, earlier this month, discussed the ex-congressman's possible handover to the Philippines with Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta.

READ: DOJ chief tackles Teves 'handover' with Timor-Leste president

Currently, Interpol has issued a blue notice against Teves. This urges countries «to collect additional information about a person's identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.»

Remulla said the justice department is trying to get Interpol to upgrade the blue notice into a red notice.

According to Interpol, this is «a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. A red notice is not an international arrest warrant.»

Remulla said the agency is pursuing the red notice because of Teves' terrorist designation under the Anti-Terror law.

«Yung warrants na lang ang kailangan ilabas namin [We just need to release the warrants] for the PCTC (Philippine Center on Transnational Crime) to enter into the record the wanted status of Mr. Teves,» Remulla told media.

The PCTC, formed in 1999, was tasked to establish a «shared central database among government agencies for information on criminals, methodologies, arrests and convictions» for transnational crimes including terrorism, trafficking, piracy, and money laundering.