6 rebels enter not guilty plea on firearms, explosives charges

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 18, 2021): 6 rebels enter not guilty plea on firearms, explosives charges (By Perla Lena)

ARRAIGNED. One of the six members of the communist terrorist group arrested in a police operation on Dec 30, 2020 in Calinog, Iloilo is being ushered for arraignment to the courtroom of Regional Trial Court Branch 76 in Janiuay, Iloilo on Monday (Jan. 18, 2021). All six suspects entered a not guilty plea on charges for possession of explosives and firearms. (PNA photo by Perla G. Lena)

Six members of the communist terrorist group (CTG) who were arrested in a police operation in Calinog, Iloilo last Dec. 30 pleaded not guilty on charges of illegal possession of explosives and firearms during the arraignment of their cases at the Regional Trial Court Branch 76 in Janiuay, Iloilo on Monday, Jan 18.

Accused for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act were Marilyn Chiva, Welsio Chiva, Lauriano L. Castor Jr. and Benito Caballero.

One Luisito Bautista Sr. was charged for violation of Republic Act 9516 or the Illegal Possession of Explosives Act together with Rodolfo Diaz Sr. who is also facing another charge for violation of RA 10591.

The male and female Chiva and Bautista are residents of Barangay Garangan, while Diaz, Castor and Caballero are from Barangay Masaroy.

In a phone interview, Associate Provincial Prosecutor Flosemer Chris I. Gonzales, who sits as chair of the Legal Cooperation Cluster (LCC) of the Western Visayas Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC 6), said “they will go to trial” as the next step following the rebels' not guilty plea.

“They still have an option during the pre-trial whether they can plead guilty for a lesser offense, we call plea bargaining,” he said.

The six suspects are among the 16 CTG members who were arrested during a police operation led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in seven barangays of Tapaz, Capiz and two in Calinog, Iloilo.

Based on a copy of the summary of profile furnished to the media last Jan. 4, the suspects were identified as members of the Milisyang Bayan, a reserve force of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Welsio Chiva was identified as organizer and facilitator of the Milisyang Bayan, Bautista was into intelligence and communication, Capillo as providing food stuff requirements and military supplies to the NPA, while Marilyn Chiva as support facilitator for finance of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA and member of the Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad (SPL) in their barangay.

Caballero is identified as organizer of NPA's Milisyang Bayan and transportation and communication facilitator, Diaz as underground organizer for the CPP-NPA-NDF (National Democratic Front) and recruitment and supply facilitator, whose house is being utilized as "Bahay bagsakan" of the communist NPA terrorists (CNTs); while Castor is an underground organizer for the CNT recruitment and ammunition and medical supplies facilitator.

The suspects are currently in the custody of the Calinog Municipal Police Station.

The CPP-NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127777