SC junks gov't plea to release 10 communist leaders

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE 3 12:35 p.m.) — The Supreme Court denied the request of the Office of the Solicitor General to temporarily release 10 leaders of the communist National Democratic Front with criminal cases.

The high court rejected the Office of the Solicitor General's plea allow Tirso Alcantara, Alex Birondo, Winona Birondo, Maria Concepcion Bocala, Reynante Gamara, Alan Jazmines, Ma. Loida Magoatic, Adelberto Silva, Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Tiamzon to attend the formal peace negotiations alongside Communists Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison in Oslo, Norway.

The 10 NDF panel members are facing criminal charges, including a multiple murder case in connection to the killing of 15 government spies in Inopacan, Leyte in 1985.

The Supreme Court noted that the solicitor general should have sought the release of the 10 NDF members before the RTCs where their pending criminal cases were filed.

Provisional liberty granted

The high tribunal on Friday also confirmed the request to grant provisional liberty for leftist leaders former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, Randall Echanis and Vicente Ladlad.

The three were ordered to return to the Philippines after the negotiations in Norway.

"Their provisional liberty shall continue to be secured by the cash bond in the amount of P100,000 already posted with the Office of the Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court," the court order read.

Ocampo, Echanis and Ladlad are required to provide the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Manila with complete contact information, both in the Philippines and Norway. They are also required to report to the Philippine Embassy in Norway whenever required.

READ: SC affirms ruling vs Satur, 3 others over mass graves

On the other hand, the SC forfeited the bond posted by Rafael Baylosis may only be reinstated by the Manila RTC upon justifiable cause after his arrest or surrender.

Ocampo, Echanis, Ladlad and Baylon are facing charges of multiple murder in connection with the mass graves discovered by the Philippine Army in Leyte in 2006.  — with reports from Edu Punay