Teves Returns to Philippines, Immediately Arrested: Video Shows Airport Encounter

Former Representative Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. returned to the Philippines from Timor-Leste on May 29, 2025, and was immediately taken into custody by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Video footage shows him being escorted by NBI agents at the airport, his hands cuffed. Despite the handcuffs, his feet were not chained. While boarding a Philippine Air Force plane, the handcuffs were transferred from his wrists to his waist, but the leg restraints remained absent. Upon arrival at Villamor Air Base, Teves was met by his lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio. However, when Topacio attempted to access the gate, he was stopped by security. Teves himself commented on his arrest during the flight, saying, "Kinuha nila ako by force…Wala naman ako problema kung mapauwi ako basta tama lang ba." The incident highlights the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding Teves's case and his return to the Philippines.