SC grants political prisoners provisional liberty for peace talks

The Supreme Court has granted provisional liberty to political prisoners allied with the Communist Party of the Philippines to allow them to attend the peace talks with the government in Oslo, Norway.

The SC en banc decided on Tuesday to allow the temporary release of Randall B. Echanis and Vicente P. Ladlad only "for the purpose of their attendance and participation in the formal peace negotiations in Oslo, Norway commencing in August 2016 up to six months thereafter, or as soon as the peace negotiations are concluded or terminated, whichever is earlier."

The court said once the peace talks end, their respective bonds will be deemed canceled.

The High Court set their cash bond at P100,000 for their provisional liberty.

The two are also required by the SC to return to the Philippines as soon as the peace talks end.

They are also required to report to the Philippine Embassy in Norway whenever required.

The resolution based on the SC en banc decision made on Tuesday was released to the media on Friday.

Tiamzons, et al. denied release

Meanwhile, the SC denied the plea of the Solicitor General seeking the temporary and conditional release of key members of the National Democratic Panel:

1. Tirso Alcantara

2. Alex Birondo

3. Winona Birondo

4. Maria Concepcion Bocala

5. Reynante Gamara

6. Alan Jazmines

7. Ma. Loida Magpatoc

8. Adelberto Silva

9. Benito Tiamzon

10. Wilma Tiamzon

The SC said the appropriate motions and pleadings regarding the 10 personalities "should be filed for the consideration of the trial courts."

"To grant temporary and conditional liberty to these personalities may have the inadvertent but irremediable effect of pre-empting the trial courts’ own determinations in the exercise of their original jurisdiction to try the cases before them," the SC said.

Satur Ocampo and Rafael Baylosis

The High Court also granted the provisional liberty of Satur Ocampo.

Ocampo was reminded to comply with the conditions of his cash bond.

Meanwhile, the cash bond of P100,000 of Rafael Baylosis was forfeited by the SC.

The Court added Baylosis' cash bond "can be reinstated only upon a justifiable cause as may be determined by the Regional Trial Court of Manila, Branch 32, after his arrest or surrender."

The SC said the GPH peace panel "may file the appropriate motions and pleadings before the Regional Trial Courts for their consideration." 

'Confidence-building'

For its part, youth group Anakbayan reiterated its call to President Rodrigo Duterte "to keep his word" to release all political prisoners "as part of the confidence-building" in the resumption of formal peace talks.

"The importance of the release of all political prisoners as discussed and agreed on in the preliminary talks for the peace negotiations must be stressed. There can be no real talk of peace while authorities hold negotiators as political prisoners and broad masses in the countryside remain hostage at gunpoint by the military," Anakbayan national chairperson Vencer Crisostomo said in a statement.

The group also called for the "urgency" of pulling out government troops from rural civilian communities "to avoid and remove any possible tension and further armed conflicts as peace talks are underway.

'Depends on judicial procedure'

Earlier, Presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza said the release of the Tiamzon couple and other peace consultants would still depend on "judicial process." 

"We're doing our best right now to comply with these processes. Legal processes kasi, judicial processes ang susundin. Hindi lang basta sabihin ng Pangulo, 'Labas na kayo diyan.' These are cases pending in court. They are in prison," he said.

He also reiterated that the release is "not a pre-condition" to the peace negotiations, but that the government is acting on it "because we feel it's but fair." — with Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/KG/RSJ, GMA News