MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Tuesday challenged Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma to prove that the firearms and explosives allegedly found in their possession at the time of their arrest were planted.
Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma denied that the government allowed the planting of evidence.
“Hindi iyan patakaran ng pamahalaan at kailangan nila iyang patunayan sa pamamagitan ng kongkretong ebidensiya kapag nilitis ang kaso,” he said in a text message to media.
(That is not the policy of the government and they have to prove that through concrete evidence during the trial of the case.)
Benito Tiamzon, supposedly the chair of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), was arrested in Cebu last Saturday with his wife, alleged head of the CPP’s finance committee, and five others.
Lawyer Rachelle Pastores, however, said what they had with them in the vehicle were not weapons, but three puppies and four cats.
Initial reports quoted the military saying that the other five people arrested were members of the CPP’s central committee but they were later said to be staff personnel of the couple.
The Tiamzons, in a letter, claimed that they were covered by the Joint Agreement of Security and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig) as National Democratic Front (NDF) consultants.
However, Justice Secretary De Lima said they have yet to receive validation of the claim. She also said the Jasig should not be implemented because of the stalled peace talks.
Pastores said the couple presented their safe conduct pass when their vehicle was stopped at a checkpoint but the arresting officers confiscated the cards instead.
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