FORMER Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. on Tuesday refused again to enter a plea, this time for the killing of a former board member in the third district of the province.
Teves’ silence during the arraignment prompted anew the Manila Regional Trial Court (MRTC) Branch 15 to enter a “not guilty plea” on his behalf and set the pre-trial on July 29 for the alleged slay of provincial board member Michael Dungog in 2019.
Teves arrived at the court wearing a Kevlar helmet and a bulletproof vest. He was transported to Manila City Hall from Annex 2 of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology or BJMP in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.
However, the hearing was held in the sala of Branch 16 to allow more orderly proceedings since Branch 15 was undergoing renovation at the time.
Teves’ co-respondents in the case included Hannah Mae Sumerano, Richard Cuadra, Jasper Tanasan, Alex Mayagma, and Rolando Pinili.
Teves attended yesterday’s arraignment via video teleconferencing on the 2019 murder charge.
“He is still protesting the manner by which he was repatriated by the Philippine government,” said lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, legal counsel of Teves.
Earlier, Teves also refused to not enter a plea for his consolidated case of illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of explosives, as well as his multiple murder case over the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo in March 2023.
