Joma, 3 women guerrillas get 14 years for rebellion

DAVAO CITY – The city regional trial court here has sentenced exiled Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Ma. Sison to 14 years imprisonment for rebellion, along with three women guerrillas of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Bislig, Surigao del Sur.

Davao Regional Trial Court Branch 29 Judge Merlyn Canedo imposed the 14-year imprisonment to Lucie Dolotina Canda, Jocelyn Campus and Victorina Segura who pleaded guilty to rebellion charges after they were caught by the military during an operation in Sitio Greenfields, Sta. Juana, Tagbina, Surigao del Sur in October 2006.

Canda, alias Ka Madie, is the deputy secretary as well as finance and political officer of the NPA’s Front Committee 14. Campus, on the other hand, is the unit’s medical officer and Segura is the vice team leader of the same rebel unit based in the province.

The three reportedly pleaded guilty to charges of rebellion filed against them by the Army’s 36th Infantry Battalion.

The military included Sison in the charges, being the highest-ranking communist leader.

Sison has been in self-exile in the Netherlands since the 1980s.

Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Obaniana said the verdict showed the government’s relentless anti-insurgency effort.

Obaniana noted the legal steps taken by the 36th IB after they captured the NPA amazons.

"This is an example of a consummated operation wherein the rebel leaders were captured, prosecuted and sentenced," 36th IB commander Lt. Col. Joel Madarang said.

Madarang said troops recovered a P120,000 hacksaw from the communist rebels operating in the town of Tagbina.

"The recovery of the hacksaw would show that the NPA rebels are also into illegal logging aside from extorting money from local traders and residents in the area," Madarang said.

Last month, Army troops uncovered a cache of firearms and ammunition stashed in two caves at Sitio Greenfields.

The military said the cache contained hundreds of dynamite explosives and other high-powered firearms used by the NPA rebels operating in Surigao and Agusan provinces.

The caves are also used as a bomb-making factory by the rebels, the military said.