AFP files perjury raps vs 2 activists

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines has filed perjury charges against two environmental activists who claimed they were kidnapped and coerced by the military to state that they surrendered to the government, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said yesterday.

The Department of Justice has issued subpoenas against students Jonila Castro and Jhed Tamano.

“It’s important to file perjury charges because they are liars,” Teodoro said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum.

“The (military) filed criminal charges because we want to teach them a lesson that they can’t jerk us around,” he added.

Castro and Tamano, who went missing last month, surfaced in the custody of state authorities days after allegedly being taken by state forces.

Flanked by military and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict officials, the students were allowed to speak in a press conference.

They caught by surprise Lt. Col. Ronnel dela Cruz of the 70th Infantry Battalion with their accusations that they were kidnapped and coerced by the military to agree to sign affidavits stating they voluntarily surrendered and that they left the armed communist movement.