Tiamzons maintain innocence from criminal charges, promise to return to PHL

Temporarily freed communist couple Benito and Wilma Tiamzon on Friday maintained they are innocent of murder and other criminal charges they are currently facing before various regional trial courts (RTCs).

At a press conference in Quezon City a few hours after they were released from police detention, Wilma said the cases against her and Benito were just manufactured by the previous administrations with “falsified testimonies” and  “planted evidence.”

“Yung mga kaso na sinampa sa amin ay pawang gawa-gawa, nakabatay sa palsipikadong testimonya at mga planted na ebidensya,” she said.

“Kaya bagamat nasa korte na ang ilang mga kaso at gumagana na ang paglilitis, kung may nakakadalo sa inyo doon makikita sa tinatakbo [ng paglilitis] na talagang gawa gawa lang ang kaso,” she added.

Won't flee after Oslo talks

Despite the multiple criminal cases they are facing, Benito said he and his wife will definitely return to the country to prove their innocence and to continue fighting for the communist group’s causes.

“Ang pinakamahalagang concern namin ngayon ay lumahok sa isusulong na peace talks. Ni-release kami para sa peace talks at kami naman ay seryoso na lumahok sa peace talks. Pero, oo babalik kami pagkatapos ng peace talks dahil maraming grupo naman ang maguusap-usap,” Benito said.

The Tiamzons are facing multiple murder charges before Manila RTC Branch 32 over the deaths of several people whose remains were believed dumped in the mass grave unearthed in Leyte in 2006.

Military sources said the bones belong to communist rebels who were killed for suspicion they betrayed the communist movement during the nationwide purge initiated by the communist party in the 1980s.

The Tiamzons are also facing kidnapping and serious illegal detention cases before QC RTC Branch 81. The charges stemmed from a 1988 case, where four soldiers were held captives by the CPP-NPA for about two months.

Both regional courts have earlier granted the Tiamzon’s motion to post bail.

Meanwhile, similar motions of the couple were also granted by the Laoang, Northern Samar RTC where they are facing murder and frustrated murder cases and before the Toledo City, Cebu RTC where they are facing charges of illegal possession of explosives.

Benito and Wilma, chairman and secretary general respectively of the Communist Party of the Philippines, were arrested in March 2014 in Cebu, days before the NPA marked its 45th anniversary.

Since then, they have been detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

On Friday afternoon, the couple was released from detention to participate in the resumption of the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in Oslo, Norway set on August 22.

The Tiamzons were among the 17 out of the 22 detained NDFP consultants released by authorities upon the order of President Rodrigo Duterte in order for them to participate in the peace talks.

The Tiamzon couple was freed after four regional trial courts (RTCs) recently granted their petition for temporary bail.

'Decentralized operations'

At the press briefing, Benito dismissed as baseless the allegations that they were the ones who ordered the bombings of civilian communities and the murder of several soldiers and civilians.

“Una ang operation ng revolutionary movement ay decentralized. Yung mga overall policies lang ang dine-determine sa national level at ang implementation ay decentralized, iba’t ibang level at areas,” Benito said.

“Kaya hindi totoo na mula sa iba’t ibang tao, isa lang mag-oorder. May iba’t ibang leader ng command na nangangasiwa [sa operasyon],” he added.

Wilma, meanwhile, said their temporary freedom and participation in the peace talks does not necessarily mean that the communist group will already cease from its armed operations.

Wilma said they will continue their armed struggle until “true democracy” is achieved.

“Kahit sinong namumuno o leader na sa kasamaang palad ay mapasakamay ng kaaway ay hindi magiging dahilan para humina o mamatay ang rebolusyunaryong samahan na nabubuhay dahil lumalaban para sa tunay na demokrasya ng ating bayan,” Wilma said.

“Ang gusto namin ay i-explore lahat ng pamamaraan para lutasin ang problema ng ating bayan. Kung mawawala na ang batayan para sa armed struggle ay mawawala na ang armed struggle,” Benito said. — RSJ, GMA News