UNBOWED. Benito Tiamzon (left) and wife Wilma raise their clenched fists as they were escorted to the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame after their arrest in Cebu. (INQUIRER PHOTO)
The military’s Central Command denied allegations by the Tiamzon couple that they took P1.5 million from them after they were arrested last month.
Lt. Jim Alagao, Central Command spokesperson, said there is no legal basis for their claim. “It is just one way of the Tiamzons to undermine the Centcom’s efforts (in their arrest),” he said.
He said they only recovered P23,546 inside the two vehicles but these were turned over to their cohorts Nona Castillo and Rex Villaflor who were arrested with them.
Benito and Wilma Tiamzon were top leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
Militant group Bayan on Wednesday asked the military to return the P1.5 million supposedly intended for victims of typhoon Yolanda which ravaged Visayas region last November.
“Ang P1 M na padala ng South Mindano sa kasamaang palad ay kabilang sa mga nakumpiska nang arestuhin kami ng mga puwersa ng ISU at CIDG. Hawak ito ngayon ng Central Command ng AFP,” the Tiamzons wrote in a message that was released through Bayan.
(The P1 million that the South Mindanao [unit] sent was unfortunately among the items confiscated when were arrested by the ISU and the CIDG. It is now in the custody of AFP’s Central Command.)
Another P500,000 intended for “operations and medical budget” was also allegedly taken from them.
“The Tiamzons are blaming us for the loss of the money which I think they have spent on their lavish lifestyle. While their comrades are up in the mountains, they are living inside a mansion that is fully air conditioned. This can be verified by the soldiers, policemen and media friends who were there at their not-so-safe house during the raid,” said Major General John Bonafos, commander of Central Command.
Bonafos said it was “ironic” that the Tiamzons were talking of huge amount of money at their disposal while their fighters on the field “have a meager ‘supamil’ (support to families) of P800 to P1,500 per month.
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