A Manila court entered a not guilty plea for expelled Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves, Jr. yesterday for his illegal possession of firearms and explosives case.
Judge Renato Enciso of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 12 entered the plea for Teves as he invoked his right to remain silent in separate hearings.
“That may be his way of saying that he refuses to enter a plea,” Teves’ legal counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, said in an interview.
The former lawmaker’s case stemmed from the alleged firearms, including explosives and ammunition, seized by authorities during a raid at his home in Negros Oriental’s Bayawan City in March 2023.
Authorities reportedly claimed the recovered high-powered firearms and explosives were unlicensed.
Teves — clad in a bulletproof vest and helmet — appeared yesterday for arraignment and pre-trial proceedings at the Manila RTC Branch 12, facing charges related to illegal possession of explosives.
Meanwhile, the prosecution filed a motion to consolidate the illegal explosive possession case with the illegal possession of firearms case.
This was adopted by the defense.
Topacio said the next hearing for Teves’ case was set for July 29, as the court had scheduled hearings to last until 2027.
“We’re ready to defend him. We have been ready for many years. And we already know the evidence in this case. We already defended him before [and] during the preliminary investigation by the Department of Justice,” Topacio said.
“The evidence is there. It will speak for themselves. We are ready to do that and present them in court when the time comes and as the cases proceed,” he added.
His legal team has requested that the hearing be conducted via Zoom, a request that the judiciary may grant under certain conditions.
Meanwhile, two of Teves’ co-accused are being held separately within the detention center at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
NBI custody
Teves will remain in NBI’s custody for the time being, despite a court order directing his transfer to the Manila City Jail male dormitory.
The Manila RTC issued a commitment order for Teves’ transfer, but the NBI has chosen to keep him temporarily at its detention facility located inside the New Bilibid Prison.
The NBI’s decision was made because Teves is facing multiple cases across different courts, including some in Manila and others in Bicutan, prompting the agency to hold him until the proper venue for his detention is determined.
The NBI has expressed willingness to comply with the court’s final ruling on the matter.
Due to limited detention facilities, Teves is currently housed with two other detainees who have been screened to ensure they pose no threat to him.
The NBI maintains constant monitoring to ensure his safety.
Teves is facing a string of charges, including 10 counts of murder — among them the high-profile assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo in 2023 — along with 12 counts of frustrated murder and four counts of attempted murder.
He and several associates have also been designated as terrorists by the Anti-Terrorism Council, accused of orchestrating multiple killings and acts of harassment in Negros Oriental.
Teves has denied any hand in the murder of Degamo.
He was flown back to the Philippines on a Philippine Air Force plane on May 29, and underwent booking and a medical check-up before being transferred to Bilibid’s Building 14, a facility previously used to house high-profile inmates.
Teves was arrested on May 27, in Timor-Leste, where he sought asylum. / With reports from ABS-CBN News / JB, WDJ