Payne Haas's father, Gregor Johann Haas, was arrested in Cebu City on Wednesday and now faces extradition to Indonesia, where he is accused of trafficking drugs.
Indonesian authorities have been seeking Haas since last December after discovering five kilograms of crystal methamphetamine at an undisclosed location. They allege that Haas, who was using the alias Fernando Tremendo Chimenea, has connections to the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel.
Indonesian National Narcotics Agency (BNN) spokesman Sulistyo Pudjo Hartono stated, "We suspect him to have networks all over Asia, and we also suspect he has networks in Australia. We have good cooperation with Australian police, so we will work with them too."
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to Haas but declined to provide further details.
Professor Donald Rothwell of Australian National University explained that extradition would be a bilateral process between the Philippines and Indonesia, with no requirement for Australia's involvement. He also noted that the Philippines' commitment to international agreements could prevent extradition if it led to a potential execution.
One potential resolution might involve an agreement that Haas would not face the death penalty if convicted in Indonesia.
Payne Haas' coach Kevin Walters has expressed his support.
โWe're supporting Payne in every way we can,โ Walters said.
โPayne's a very strong individual and his family is as well. A lot of people probably don't understand or realise the person that Payne is. He's a tremendous guy and a tremendous family person and this moment in time he's going through, we'll get around him in every way we can. Payne is such a great person of integrity. I'm sure he'll find a way, and we'll help him find a way.โ Walters continued,
The incident is another in a series of personal challenges faced by the younger Haas. His mother, Uiatu โJoanโ Taufua, is facing manslaughter charges following a fatal car crash near the Gold Coast in December 2022. The case has been adjourned to allow for further psychiatric testing, and she has not yet entered a formal plea.
There is no suggestion that anyone else in the Haas family is involved in the allegations against Gregor Haas.
Payne Haas has shown considerable resilience throughout his career, more than once having to overcome significant family-related adversity.
The Indonesian authorities maintain a stringent stance on drug trafficking, with significant penalties, including the death penalty, for severe infractions. The last Australians to be executed in Indonesia were Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran in 2015.
