Expelled congressman Arnolfo “Arnie” A. Teves Jr. defended his decision not to enter any plea — whether guilty or not guilty — during his arraignment on Thursday, June 5, before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) on charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
Due to his refusal to enter a plea, RTC Judge Renato Z. Enciso ordered that a plea of “not guilty” be officially recorded on the case.
Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, Teves’ legal counsel, said that his client “refused to enter a plea because of certain legal complications in Timor-Leste.”
Topacio told journalists: “It’s a symbolic act. It’s a legal act in so far as the government of Timor-Leste is concerned. It’s an act of protest as to the actuations of the Philippine government especially the executive branch.”
He explained that Teves’ decision stemmed from the move made by the Timor-Leste government to arrest the former legislator and turn him over to Philippine authorities as part of deportation proceedings for being an undocumented alien.
Prior the arrest of Teves, Topacio reminded that the Timor-Leste’s Tribunal De Recurso denied the request of the Philippine government to have the fugitive extradited.
Following the arrest of Teves, Topacio said the Timor-Leste court granted the petition of the lawyers in issuing a writ of habeas corpus that would compel the government to release the former congressman.
“Dahil nga po hindi sinunod ng gobyerno ng Timor-Leste ‘yung writ of habeas corpus na inisyu ng Tribunal De Recurso ay iimbestigahan po ng parliament ng Timor-Leste kung bakit po tinurn over sa Philippine government si Ginoong Teves notwithstanding the existence of a final and executory court judgment on the request of the Philippine government for extradition and denied the same,” Topacio also said.
Apart from the illegal possession of firearms and explosive case, Manila RTC Branch 12 is also handling a separate case for one count of murder against Teves.
Teves is currently detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) facility at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
NBI Director Jaime B. Santiago said the bureau will wait for the orders of other courts on the transfer of Teves to the Manila City jail. (Jeffrey Damicog)
