MANILA, Philippines - Militant groups yesterday asked the Manila Regional Trial Court to junk the criminal case filed by the police and military against their leaders.
Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Karapatan party-list demanded the release of Adelberto Silva, Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma Austria and seven others, who were charged with murder in connection with a mass grave found in Hilongos town in Leyte in 2006.
The Police Regional Office 8 and the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division filed the charges against the 10 and several other members of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
Most of those charged are currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.
Roger Soluta, KMU vice chairperson, said the murder charges against them were trumped up.
He added that five of them, including Silva and the Tiamzons, were NDFP consultants who were involved in peace negotiations with the government since the talks resumed in 2011.
He said their arrests violated an agreement between the government and the NDFP stating that no NDFP consultant would be arrested during the peace talks.