Two top leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines were arrested on Saturday in the central Filipino province of Cebu, the military said.
It said Benito Tiamzon, the CPP chairman, was arrested by security forces along with his wife Wilma, also the secretary general of the communist group, in Zaragoza village in Aloguinsan town. But the communist group said the duo was arrested in Carcar City.
Wilma, who was previously arrested in October 1989 during the administration of then President Corazon Aquino, escaped from her jail in police headquarters in Camp Crame in Quezon City in December of the same year.
Officials gave no other details about the capture of the communist leaders, but military chief Emmanuel Bautista praised their arrest. He said the captured rebel leaders are facing a string of criminal charges.
“They are currently undergoing processing and documentation for legal disposition. The arrest of Benito and Wilma Tiamzon is another victory for the combined efforts between the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), PNP (Philippine National Police) and other stakeholders in pursuit of peace and security.”
“We will then continue to strengthen our resolve to bring other criminals to justice in honor of the victims of the violence perpetrated by the CPP-NPA (New People’s Army), and in honor of our people who deserve to live in a peaceful and developed society. We call on to the rest of the CPP-NPA members to lay down their arms, abandon the armed struggle and return to the comfort of their families and join us in bringing peace and development to our nation,” Bautista said in a statement.
Protest
The arrest of the Tiamzon couple has further doused any hope for the resumption of peace talks between the rebels and the Aquino government. The National Democratic Front of the Philippines has condemned what it branded as illegal arrest of the two leaders who are its consultants to the peace process.
It said both are immune from arrest because they have safety and immunity guarantees as provided under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees issued by government peace panel chairman Silvestre Bello for the duration of the peace negotiations between Manila and the rebel group.
“Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria are NDFP Consultants who have fulfilled and are fulfilling highly significant tasks in the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines,” it said.
The NDFP has demanded the immediate release of the communist couple. “This latest flagrant violation of the JASIG by the Aquino regime, in addition to so many other gross violations of the JASIG, most seriously prejudices the GPH-NDFP peace negotiations,” it said.
It said both are immune from arrest because they have safety and immunity guarantees as provided under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees issued by government peace panel chairman Silvestre Bello for the duration of the peace negotiations between Manila and the rebel group.
“Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria are NDFP Consultants who have fulfilled and are fulfilling highly significant tasks in the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines,” it said.
The NDFP has demanded the immediate release of the communist couple. “This latest flagrant violation of the JASIG by the Aquino regime, in addition to so many other gross violations of the JASIG, most seriously prejudices the GPH-NDFP peace negotiations,” it said.
Legitimate arrest
But the government peace panel said the arrest of the two communist leaders is legitimate, saying there has been no violation of the JASIG.
Presidential Adviser Teresita Deles said both the NDF and the Philippine government agreed to a procedure in July 2011 to verify the true identities of several dozen alleged NDF consultants in the list of JASIG–protected individuals carrying aliases. But she said through no fault of government, the NDF failed to open their own files that purportedly contained the photos and true identities of the said NDF consultants.
She said this failure had the effect of rendering the JASIG inoperative for those using aliases and those who are not directly involved in the peace process. “If indeed Benito Tiamzon was listed under an alias, he is no longer covered by the JASIG. Wilma Austria Tiamzon, on the other hand, jumped bail when she escaped from detention on December 26, 1989, when there were no peace talks, and six years before the JASIG came into effect. This makes her ineligible for JASIG protection, even assuming she was identified in the JASIG list by her real name,” Deles said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
“To sustain their claim to JASIG protection is ridiculous because that would mean they can wage war and violence against government and when caught, claim JASIG protection and expect to be released. It is even more outrageous considering that the peace negotiations have not moved for over a year now. And while we continue to be open to the resumption of the talks, last December, the CPP called for the overthrow of the Aquino government, saying they will just wait for a new administration before they go back to the table,” she added.
“To sustain their claim to JASIG protection is ridiculous because that would mean they can wage war and violence against government and when caught, claim JASIG protection and expect to be released. It is even more outrageous considering that the peace negotiations have not moved for over a year now. And while we continue to be open to the resumption of the talks, last December, the CPP called for the overthrow of the Aquino government, saying they will just wait for a new administration before they go back to the table,” she added.
Deles said the CPP and the NPA are well aware of the effects of the failed verification, but they only have themselves to blame for rendering the JASIG inoperative for most of their alleged consultants.
Just recently, President Benigno Aquino hinted that authorities may soon arrest a “big fish.” “Ang kaya kong masabi sa inyo ngayon, may ine-expect kami at masasabi ko lang, palagay ko pag nagtagumpay ang isang kasalukuyang operasyon, mabibilib kayo doon sa kalibre ng mga nadakip at madadakip,” Aquino said.
“Baka naman itong malapit na pong madampot ay mapansin na siya yung tinutukoy at mawala na naman. So hintayin ko na lang po na matapos yung operation makita ninyo yung abilidad na ipinakita ng ating law enforcement entities,” he added.
The NPA, armed wing of the CPP and NDFP, is fighting for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country.
“Baka naman itong malapit na pong madampot ay mapansin na siya yung tinutukoy at mawala na naman. So hintayin ko na lang po na matapos yung operation makita ninyo yung abilidad na ipinakita ng ating law enforcement entities,” he added.
The NPA, armed wing of the CPP and NDFP, is fighting for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country.
Kudos to Presidential Adviser Teresita Deles for countering the CPP/NDF's false propaganda assertions that their captured "consultants" should be released because they are covered under the JASIG. Her articulate explanation of why captured CPP/NPA/NDF insurgents engaged in attempting to violently overthrow the Philippine government are not covered by the JASIG is spot on.
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