NO PLEA FROM THE TIAMZONS. Police escorts keep reporters from interviewing Wilma Tiamzon as she steps out of the Toledo City Palace of Justice, where she and husband Benito Tiamzon, the top two officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines, were arraigned. Story, A2. (SUN.STAR FOTOS/ARNI ACLAO)
TWO top communist officials and their five companions did not enter a plea during their arraignment before Toledo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 29 Judge Ruben Altubar yesterday morning.
Defense lawyer Rachel Pastores told reporters that Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) officials Benito Enriquez Tiamzon and his wife Wilma Austria Tiamzon, Joel Enano, Arlene Panea, Rex Villaflor, Nona Castillo and Jeosi Nepa kept silent when charges against them were read.
“They didn’t enter any plea because they believe the charges are fabricated and they won’t dignify these by entering any plea,” said Pastores after the arraignment.
The lawyer said it was the court that entered a not guilty plea for them, following Rule 116 of the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Castillo and Nepa are charged for violating Republic Act (RA) 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Gun possession
The Tiamzons, Enano, Panea and Villaflor are accused of violating Section 1 of RA 9516 for illegal possession firearms and ammunition. Castillo and Nepa are on bail, while the rest are detained at the custodial center in Camp Crame in Manila.
The arraignment happened eight months after the accused were arrested by the police in Aloguinsan last March 22. The first arraignment was set last August, but it did not push through after the police failed to transport them.
“Fabricated case, planted evidence,” said Wilma. “Simple lang ang dahilan para supilin ang katarungang ipaglaban (These are simple grounds to suppress that rights we have been fighting for).”
The prosecution was represented by Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Reynaldo Menchavez Jr. and Assistant State Prosecutor Niven Canlapan.
Pastores said they tried to convince Altubar to reschedule the arraignment because they will file a petition asking the Court of Appeals in Cebu City to review the judge's dismissal of the defense's motion for judicial determination of probable cause.
Security
Journalists were barred by the police from entering the court during the proceedings.
They were only allowed to observe through the glass door, which was guarded by two uniformed policemen.
Other police officers, some of them in civilian clothes, were inside the court.
A court employee, who requested anonymity, said the judge did not issue an order barring the media from covering the proceedings.
Toledo City Police Station Chief Ricky Delelis also denied issuing a similar order.
The compound of Toledo City Hall of Justice was heavily guarded yesterday with more than 100 personnel from the police and military.
Threat
Delelis said they are securing the place because there was a threat that communist rebels might rescue the accused.
Supporters, who were carrying posters printed demands of the accused's freedom, were blocked at the gate by anti-riot policemen.
Pastores criticized the tight security given by the military and the police.
“Masyado yung overkill ang ginawa nila sa isang gawa-gawang kaso (That was an overkill considering the charges were fabricated),” she said.
At 7:30 a.m., Delelis said three helicopters that carried the Tiamzons, Enano, Panea, and Villaflor landed in Barangay Tubod, about 700 meters from the hall of justice.
The accused were later transported to the court by military service vehicles.
When the proceeding ended around 9:40 a.m., the Tiamzons and Panea boarded an armored personnel carrier (APC), while Enano and Villaflor were separately ferried by two military trucks.
“Ang gobiyernong ito ay walang respeto sa karapatang pantao (This government does not respect human rights),” Villaflor told the crowd.
“Planted ang evidence laban sa amin (The evidence were planted),” Benito shouted later.
Delelis said the accused were brought to Tubod and the helicopters airlifted the accused to the Mactan Benito Ebuen Airbase in Lapu-lapu City, before they were transported back to Camp Crame.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2014/12/02/npa-officials-keep-silence-379687
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