link to article: https://apnews.com/article/teves-philippines-east-timor-killings-asylum-899c6fc275e62c696da443a12c09dadf
A Filipino Politician named Arnolfo Teves Jr. is accused of orchastrating the killings of a provincial governor Roel Degamo along with 8 other men (and 17 more wounded) in the Phillipenes. He sought refuge in East Timor however his plans of safety failed after an interpol red notice (a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person) was issued for his arrest. He was arrested while playing golf in East Timors capital, Dili. Teves request for shelter was rejected and his appeal was being processed, however now the judicial branch of East Timor is on holiday in light of the Pope’s South eastern asia tour. His fate will be determined in after the Pope leaves the country.
East Timor is also in the process of joining the Association of Southeast Asain Nations. An association with ten countries, one of which being the Phillipenes. Although it could be possible for Teves to stay in refuge in East TImor, I believe they want to return him to his home country to help with their admission into the association. A very political, and smart move by the country. By returning a wanted criminal they will earn “points” with the Phillipennes who can later back them up during the decision making process of whether they should add East Timor to their Association.
This alliance- joining with Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia would expose East Timor to communism even more so than before. Seeing as both Vietnam and Laos have a communist government, along with China right above them, it would not be surprising to see more states within this alliance start to flip. This would in turn be bad news for the our country since we often try to combat communism, we may end up having many enemies across the Pacific. However from East Timor’s perspective it is a very strategic alliance, seeing as then they would have many barriers in between them and China/Russia. Setting them up with better odds if Those “super power” countries were to try invading southern countries.