Court enters 'not guilty' plea for Teves in illegal possession of firearms case

A Manila court entered a not guilty plea for former Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. on Thursday for his case over illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 12 entered the plea for Teves after he invoked his right to remain silent in separate hearings.

“That may be his way of saying that he refuses to enter a plea,” Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, Teves’ legal counsel, said in a Zoom interview. 

The case stemmed from the alleged firearms, explosives, and ammunition seized by police authorities in a raid at Teves’ home in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental in March 2023.

Teves, escorted by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation, personally attended the arraignment at the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 12.

LOOK: Former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnie Teves leaves the Manila RTC Branch 12 after his arraignment for his illegal possession of firearms and explosives case.

Teves invoked his right to remain silent. The court entered a “not guilty” plea for him. | via @joahnacasilao pic.twitter.com/SZ23ABGaq8

— GMA Integrated News (@gmanews) June 5, 2025

The court held the pre-trial hearing following the arraignment.

The prosecution said that they will present 13 witnesses, while the defense said they will present 23 witnesses, including Teves himself, Teves’ son, Axl, and his legal counsel, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio.

Meanwhile, the prosecution filed a motion to consolidate his illegal possession of explosives case with the illegal possession of firearms case. This was adopted by the defense.

The judge granted the motion.

The next hearing for the case was set for July 29. The court scheduled hearings lasting until 2027.

“We are ready to defend him. We have been ready for many years. At alam naman po natin ang ebidensya dito. Dinepensa naman po natin siya before the preliminary investigation of the Department of Justice,” Topacio said.

(We are 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 during the preliminary investigation of the DOJ.)

“The evidence is there. The evidence, they will speak for themselves. Ready naman po kami gawin ‘yun at i-presenta sa korte when the time comes and as the cases roll on,” he added.

(The evidence is there. The evidence, they will speak for themselves. We are ready to do that and present them in court when the time comes and as the cases proceed.)

Aside from this, Teves is facing murder, attempted murder, and frustrated murder charges over the killing of Degamo and nine others on March 4, 2023 at the Degamo residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.

Teves and several others have also been charged with the alleged killings of three individuals in Negros Oriental in 2019.

He and 12 others have also been designated as terrorists by the Anti-Terrorism Council, citing several alleged killings and harassment in Negros Oriental.

He was expelled by the House of Representatives in August last year for disorderly conduct and continued absence. 

A Manila court has ordered his transfer from the NBI detention facility in the New Bilibid Prison to the Manila City Jail. —VAL, GMA Integrated News