Alleged CPP chairman Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma Austria confer with their lawyer, Edre Olalia, during their inquest at Camp Crame in this police handout. (AFP/PNP-PIO)
Communist leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon and their five co-accused together with their counsel walked out from the inquest proceedings Monday in Camp Crame in Quezon City, to protest what they called “illegal” proceedings.
Lawyer Rachel Pastores argued the proceedings are illegal because her clients were arrested in Cebu and not in Metro Manila, particularly in Quezon City. The seven suspects were moved Sunday to Camp Crame, main headquarters of the Philippine National Police, from Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, where they were flown earlier from Cebu after their arrest Saturday afternoon.
The military tags Benito as the current chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), and his wife, as secretary general.
Joining the Tiamzons in the walkout were Rex G. Villaflor, a resident of Makati City; Nona C. Castillo, of Consolacion, Cebu; Joel E. Enano, of Buhatan, Sorsogon; Jeosi M. Nepa, of Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu; and Arlene J. Panea, of Mactan, Cebu.
“The proceeding is highly irregular and thus illegal. We walked out because the state prosecutor here in Manila has no jurisdiction over the case,” Pastores said.
Before entering the compound of the Custodial Center, Benito shouted “Tuloy ang laban!” followed by Wilma’s “Happy Anniversary” statement, referring to the upcoming 45th anniversary of the NPA on March 29.
Earlier, the PNP’s Custodial Center scheduled the inquest at 10 a.m. but this started at around 11 a.m. and ended after more an hour following the walkout.
Pastores explained the “trump-up” charges against the suspects were allegedly committed in the Visayas, and thus, a court that issued their arrest warrants should hold the inquest proceedings.
At Sunday’s news conference in Camp Aguinaldo, Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Emmanuel Bautista said the arrest warrant for the Tiamzons was based on a charge for multiple murder originally issued by Branch 18 in Hilongos, Leyte.
But, Bautista said, the case was “now transferred to Manila RTC (regional trial court) Branch 32 under Judge Mario Dela Cruz.”
The prosecution has yet to issue an official statement about the proceedings.
Meanwhile, Pastores said they strongly condemned another “trumped-up” charge that the police and military are set to file against her clients, for illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions.
“Paano magkaka-illegal possession of firearms, e tatlong tuta at apat na pusa lang ang nakuha sa kanila [How can there be a case of illegal possession of firearms, when the authorities found only three puppies and four cats with them]?” Pastores asked.
But according to the military, confiscated from the suspects were a Colt cal. 45 pistol with defaced SN; Norinco 9mm pistol with SN 9801585; Kimber 9mm pistol with SN 881970; Smith & Wesson cal .357 revolver with SN 668880; 3 magazines and 17 rounds of ammunition for cal .45; magazine and 19 rounds of ammunition for 9mm pistol; 6 rounds of ammunition for cal .357; and 2 hand grenades.
The OR/CR of the 2008 Grey Hyundai Starex Van bearing plate number MDN-171 showed it is owned by Villaflor with address at 4109 Catanduanes Street, Barangay Pitogo, Makati City, the AFP said Sunday.
The OR/CR of the 2009 Black Toyota Innova Wagon bearing plate number YGY-897 showed it is owned by Darlon David C. Lenares, of Poblacion, Dalaguete, Cebu.
Also confiscated were four laptop computers, 16 cellular phones and 20 flash drives/USBs.
The Tiamzons and their five companions were arrested Saturday afternoon in Barangay Zaragosa, Aloguinsan, Cebu by elements of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and the police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/83357/tiamzons-5-co-accused-walk-out-of-inquest-proceedings-at-camp-crame
Just some political theater by the commies. The usual playbook for captured CPP/NPA leaders is to deny all charges and characterize them as being "trumped up," assert that the trial court has no jurisdiction over their case, argue that there are flaws in the warrants of arrest and therefore they are being illegally detained, and claim that they have suffered physical and psychological abuse at the hands of their government captors. Their lawyers well claim they are being harassed and intimidated by government security forces and thus prevented from offering their clients an effective defense.
ReplyDeleteLet me see, the Tiamzons and the other five people captured with them total seven commies being detained. CPP front organizations will rally around them. Perhaps they will be given the propaganda moniker " The Cebu 7." lol