DOJ junks kidnap raps vs Joma, others

Over student’s recruitment

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed the complaint for kidnapping filed against Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison and other activists over the recruitment of a student to youth organization Anakbayan.

In a 12-page resolution, DOJ prosecutors junked the charges of kidnapping, failure to return a minor under Article 270 of the Revised Penal Code and violation of Republic Act 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and other Crimes Against Humanity against Sison for lack of probable cause.

Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Jane Elago, Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares and five Anakbayan members were also cleared of the charges.

DOJ Assistant State Prosecutors Xerxes Garcia and Noel Antay Jr. approved on Oct. 15 a resolution, recommending the dismissal of the complaint against the respondents for enlisting 19-year-old Alicia Jasper Lucena, a senior high school student at the Far Eastern University, into an armed group.

Lucena’s mother, Relissa, and the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group filed the complaint last year.

They alleged that Anakbayan recruited Lucena to join the militant group and become a member of the CPP, New People’s Army (NPA) and National Democratic Front (NDF).

“There is no evidence presented that Anakbayan is the recruiting arm of the CPP-NPA-NDF,” the DOJ resolution read.

In August last year, Relissa told a Senate hearing that Alicia went missing. But in a letter to her parents, the student admitted that she left home on purpose.