NDF consultants Benito, Wilma Tiamzon now out on bail

National Democratic Front (NDF) consultants Benito and Wilma Tiamzon were released from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center before noon on Friday after posting bail.

Tiamzons now released fr PNP Center @gmanewsbreaking pic.twitter.com/OHrseHFSLJ

— amitalegaspi (@amitalegaspi) August 19, 2016

The Tiamzons were released from the PNP custodial center at around 11:30 a.m.

They exited through Gate 3 of Camp Crame in Quezon City, aboard a red car with an "8" plate number, the license plate number used members of the House of Representatives.

Vencer Crisostomo, Anakbayan National chairperson, said the vehicle is owned by Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao.

At the main gate of Camp Crame, the vehicle carrying the Tiamzons stopped, allowing the couple to greet their supporters.

One supporter greeted Benito by saying, "Buhay pa!" 

The Tiamzon couple also thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for releasing them and allowing them to participate in the peace talks scheduled to begin in Oslo, Norway on August 22.

In a speech before supporters, Wilma said, "Nagpapasalamat kami kay Presidente Duterte na maibabalik sa tamang landas ang usapang pangkapayapaan. Kailangang mapaksa ang mga makabuluhang usapin sa ating lipunan at mga batayan kung bakit mayroong digmaan na nangyayari." 

Benito, for his part, said, "Kami ay nagpapasalamat kay Presidente Rodrigo Duterte sa pagpapalaya sa amin at sa pagbubukas muli ng usapang pangkapayapaan para pag-usapan ang mga malalimang reporma sa lipunan, sa ekonomiya, sa pulitika na kinakailangang para bigyang wakas ang armadong labanan." 

"Sa kabuuan, kami ay malaki ang tiwala na susulong at makakamit ang mga pagkakasundong pangkapayapaan para makamit ang mga repormang panlipunan. Alam namin na maraming hamon, sagka na kailangang igpawan para magtagumpay ng lubos ang usapang pangkapayapaan," he added.

Tiamzons greet supporters @gmanewsbreaking pic.twitter.com/M4drkfeFoi

— amitalegaspi (@amitalegaspi) August 19, 2016

Greeted with raised fists, cheers

An hour before the Tiamzons were released, supporters from militant groups such as Gabriela, Anakbayan, Anakpawis, Courage, Piston, Karapatan, among others staged a rally in front of the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame. This prompted the PNP to close its gates.

The rallyists were asking the PNP release the couple immediately as they have been waiting for them for days.

When the Tiamzons finally arrived at the main gate, they were greeted by their supporters with raised fists and cheers.

Aya Santos, Karapatan public information officer, said they were very happy with the release of the two believing that it will really help in the peace talks.

“Masaya kami na nakalaya na yung mag-asawang Wilma at Benito Tiamzon, kasama nung iba pang consultants na pinalaya in past days para makasama sila sa usapang pangkapayapaan. Ito ay tagumpay na tinitignan namin sa mga sectorial organization na nakikibaka para sa kanilang paglaya,” Santos said in an interview with GMA News Online.

Crisostomo said it was good to see that the Tiamzons raise their fists without handcuffs.

“Dati pag nagtataas kamao sila nakaposas pa, ngayon wala nang posas yung taas kamao, hindi naman sila sumuko dyan at talagang inspired kami kasi kahit na nakakulong sila, kahit na nasa preso sila, tuloy tuloy sila sa paglaban. Inspirasyon sila ng mamamayan na lumalaban rin para sa  kapayapaan, kalayaan,” he said.

In a statement, lawyer Edre Olalia, NDF panel legal consultant, said Benito and Wilma will join other released political detainees in peace talks in Oslo.

“Victory so sweet, so sublime. It was a looong, intense, and arduous journey. Kudos to the negotiators, tireless advocates of peace, paralegals and supporters who did not bat an eyelash amidst all the twists, turns, and twirls. Pat in the back too for the indefatigable and unwavering defense lawyers. It was like a symphony of united efforts. Now we go to work,” he said.

Decades of conflict

Benito and Wilma are chairman and secretary general respectively of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA).

They are among the 22 consultants earlier cited by the NDF, the CPP's political wing, as valuable to the peace talks between the Philippine government and the communist rebels in hopes to end five decades of conflict.

Peace talks earlier brokered by Norway were stalled in 2012 after the Philippine government refused to free communist leaders who had been in jail for decades.

The Tiamzons were arrested only in 2014, exactly a week before the NPA marked its 45th anniversary on March 29 that year.

They are facing multiple murder charges before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) over the deaths of several people whose remains were believed to have dumped in the mass grave unearthed in Leyte in 2006.

The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 32 earlier ordered the temporary release of the couple and set the bail at P100,000.

The Tiamzons are also facing kidnapping and serious illegal detention cases before Quezon City RTC Branch 81.

The charges stemmed from a 1988 case where four soldiers were held captive by the CPP-NPA for about two months.