Friday, April 25, 2014

OPAPP denies NDF allegations of being prohibited from visiting Tiamzon couple

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 25): OPAPP denies NDF allegations of being prohibited from visiting Tiamzon couple
 
There is no truth to the allegations made by two members of the National Democratic Front (NDF) that they were prohibited from visiting the Tiamzon couple who are currently detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center.

"The assertion being circulated by Randall Echanis and Rafael Baylosis of the NDF that they were denied access to visit Benito and Wilma Tiamzon at the PNP Custodial Center without an explanation is not true," said the Government of the Philippines peace panel negotiating with the communist rebels in a statement on Friday.

It can be recalled that Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) chairman Benito Tiamzon and his wife, Wilma were arrested in Cebu last month by the PNP.

Mr. Tiamzon is included on the "Big Five" fugitive list alongside fellow New People’s Army (NPA) leader Jorge Madlos.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), in a statement, said that the PNP duty officer on April 13 (the day the visit was held), had already clarified to them that, as a matter of standard operating procedure, they need at least one week to process requests for visits.

Enchanis and Baylosis handed their request letter only on the day of visit.

“In light of this, the PNP regretfully informed Enchanis and Baylosis that they could not favorably grant the request and they were advised to reschedule their visit,” the OPAPP said in a statement.

It further explained that although visits are given the highest priority for immediate relatives, counsels, or their doctors, all others who do not fall under these categories have to undergo the usual scrutiny and process, which require an application submitted days in advance.

“With the distorted information being issued by the NDF, the government peace panel is constrained from making its usual ready endorsement to the PNP relative to their request made through Issa Dumanjug Palo, NDF Monitoring Committee for Human Rights secretariat head, for a rescheduled visit to the Tiamzons,” the OPAPP said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=638103

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