Tiamzon couple, 5 others indicted in Cebu trial court

TOP REDS. Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army chief Benito Tiamzon (left) and his wife, Wilma (right). INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Department of Justice yesterday filed criminal charges against communist leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon and the five companions they were arrested with in Cebu last week.

In four separate indictments or information filed at 8 a.m. at the Cebu City Regional Trial Court, the DOJ accused the Tiamzon couple and their companions of illegal possession of firearms and explosives and obstruction of justice.

Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, chairman and secretary-general, respectively, of the Communist Party of the Philippines, as well as three others — Joel Enano, Arlene Panea and Rex Villaflor— were accused of violating Section 1 of Republic Act (RA) 9516 (illegal possession of explosive and incendiary devices).

Two fragmentation grenades were allegedly recovered and confiscated from the group after they were arrested on March 22 at a joint police and military checkpoint in barangay Zaragoza in Aloguinsan town, southwest Cebu.

The five were also accused of violating Section 28 (a) of RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) for possession of a .45-caliber Colt pistol and three magazines with 17 rounds of ammunition, and a 9mm Norinco pistol with a magazine loaded with seven rounds of ammunition.

Enano, Panea, Villaflor as well as Nona “Lorraine” Castillo and Jeosi Nepa were separately charged with violating Presidential Decree No. 1829 (obstruction of justice) for allegedly “harboring and concealing” the Tiamzon couple, who face a multiple murder charge in the the Northern Samar Regional Trial Court in Hilongos, Leyte.

The multiple murder charge is in connection with the discovery of mass graves in Inopacan, Leyte, purportedly of victims of communist purges in the 1980s.

The DOJ filed a separate charge against Castillo and Nepa for violating R.A. 10591 in relation to the recovery of a 9-mm Kimber pistol with a magazine loaded with seven rounds of ammunition and a .357-caliber revolver with six rounds of ammunition.

The charges were filed by Assistant State Prosecutor Niven Canlapan and approved by Prosecutor-General Claro Arellano.

Lawyers of the accused have claimed that the firearms and grenades were planted by the arresting team and that only the couple’s pet dogs and a cat were found when the accused, who were traveling in a Hyundai Starex van and a Toyota Innova multi-purpose vehicle, were flagged down at the checkpoint.

In his seven-page resolution dated March 24, Canlapan said he found probable cause to file charges against the seven.

He said the .45 cal. pistol, 9mm Norinco, two hand grenades and ammunition were recovered from the Starex van.

The 9mm Kimber pistol and .357 cal. revolver and ammunition were found in the Toyota Innova, according to the resolution.