AFP hails conviction of 2 NPA leaders in 2002 ‘military agent’ murder case

From the Daily Tribune (Sep 28): AFP hails conviction of 2 NPA leaders in 2002 ‘military agent’ murder case

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) yesterday hailed as a “landmark decision” a recent court ruling convicting two New People’s Army (NPA) leaders for the murder of a suspected military agent in Nueva Ecija in 2002.

Col. Noel Detoyato, AFP-Public Affairs Office chief, welcomed the conviction of Leopoldo Caluza and Emiterio Antalan, both ranking commanders of the NPA in Nueva Ecija, handed down by Judge Toribio Elao Jr. of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 266 of Pasig City on Sept. 17.

“This is a landmark decision, maybe the first time in recent memory that NPA leaders are convicted before the court,” Detoyato said.

“This clearly proves that our judicial system is working well and the AFP’s full trust and adherence to the rule of law,” he added.

Judge Elao sentenced the two NPA leaders to maximum reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Caluza, former head of the NPA’s Provincial Military Department, Nueva Ecija Provincial Party Committee, and Antalan, of the NPA’s Central Luzon Regional Committee, were charged with the murder of Kathlyn Ramos on Oct. 27, 2002 at an NPA camp in Mount Kaliwanagan, San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.

The two were arrested in 2009 by virtue of arrest warrants issued by a San Jose City court in Nueva Ecija. They were subsequently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.

The case was transferred to the Pasig City RTC Branch 266 upon the order of the Supreme Court in 2010.

Ramos, according to former NPA rebels who surrendered to the government and stood as witnesses, was executed on suspicion of being a military deep penetrating agent (DPA). Her body was exhumed on Oct. 5, 2006 with the help of the witnesses.

Ramos is a daughter of former Intelligence Service of the AFP operative, MSgt Pablo Ramos, who was also killed by suspected comrades of Antalan and Caluza in 2010.

Aside from the life imprisonment sentence, Judge Elao also ordered the convicts to pay the Ramos family of P120,000 for death indemnity, reimbursement of actual expenses and moral damages.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/afp-hails-conviction-of-2-npa-leaders-in-2002-military-agent-murder-case