MANILA, May 28 -- The government of Timor-Leste confirmed on Wednesday it has decided to deport and ban expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. from entering the Southeast Asian state for 10 years.

In a statement, the Timor-Leste government said it considers Teves' presence a "threat to national security and interests."

"The Government of Timor-Leste believes that the presence of Filipino citizen Arnolfo Teves Jr. in its territory, who is suspected of having committed several serious crimes and has been formally charged by the judicial authorities of the Republic of the Philippines - a member country of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations - represents a serious and unacceptable situation," it said.

Teves' extended stay in Tim...