Teves now at NBI detention facility in New Bilibid Prison
Former representative Arnolfo Teves Jr.’s mugshot taken during processing at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Pasay City. — Photo from NBI
Updated @ 3:41 p.m., May 30, 2025
MANILA, Philippines — Expelled Negros Oriental 3rd District representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. was sent to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) detention facility at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City on Friday.
Teves was transferred to the NBI’s detention facility, specifically Building 14 in New Bilibid Prison, a day after the government of Timor-Leste deported him.
He arrived at the detention center at 12:46 p.m.
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“This is separate from BuCor (Bureau of Corrections); it is being supervised and maintained by the NBI;” clarified NBI Director Jaime Santiago in a press conference.
“Building 14 is distinct and separate from BuCor… Do not be surprised why it is in BuCor. That is the NBI’s detention facility — [it’s under] our control,” he added.
Meanwhile, Santiago said the NBI will then return the warrant to the court handling Teves’ case the same day as his transfer.
Teves and his counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, for their part, praised the NBI for respecting the rights of Teves — from his deportation, up until his arrival and arrest in the country.
Building 14 history
Building 14 is within the Maximum Security Compound of the NBP. Its gate, however, is not accessible via the heavily guarded main entrance of the national penitentiary.
Its inmates are not allowed to mingle with the other inmates because its only gate is along the NBP main road leading to the Reception and Diagnostic Center and near the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Museum, formerly the lethal injection chamber.
It has 29 cells measuring 8 square meters each. The building is equipped with CCTV cameras, signal jammers, and its own sets of guards.
The building used to be a death chamber for convicts scheduled to die by electric chair. A total of 84 inmates were executed in the building. The last execution took place Oct. 21, 1976. /das/atm
