MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 12 on Thursday, June 5, 2025, entered a “not guilty” plea on behalf of former Negros Oriental lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. in his illegal possession of firearms and explosives case. Judge Renato Enciso made the plea after Teves opted to invoke his right to remain silent during his arraignment.

The charges against Teves stem from firearms, explosives, and ammunition allegedly seized by authorities during a raid at his home in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, in March 2023.

Following the arraignment, the court proceeded with pre-trial proceedings, where both prosecution and defense marked their evidence and identified witnesses. Hearings for the formal trial on the charges have been scheduled and are expected to run until 2027, with the next hearing set for July 29.

Teves, who arrived in court under heavy guard, clad in a bulletproof vest and helmet, was subsequently returned to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) custodial facility inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. He remains in NBI custody, with no discussion held regarding any potential transfer of his detention during the proceedings.

The former lawmaker faces a multitude of other serious charges across various courts. These include 10 counts of murder filed at Manila RTC Branch 51 for the killing of Governor Roel Degamo and nine others in 2023. He is also charged with four counts of attempted murder at Manila RTC Branch 51, a murder case at Manila RTC Branch 12, another murder case at Manila RTC Branch 15, and a separate murder case at Bayawan RTC Branch 63. Additionally, Teves faces multiple cases under the Terrorist Financing Prevention and Suppression Act at the Quezon City RTC Branch 77.

Teves was expelled from the House of Representatives after refusing to return to the Philippines to face the murder charges. He was detained in Dili, Timor-Leste, but an earlier attempt at extradition was blocked by a Timorese court. However, in an abrupt turnaround last week, East Timor announced Teves’ impending deportation, citing his continued presence as a security risk and highlighting its reinforced responsibility to collaborate regionally on legal matters ahead of its imminent full accession to ASEAN.