MANILA, Philippines — The Manila Regional Trial Court has ordered alleged communist leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon returned to detention on murder charges since the reason for their temporary liberty — to facilitate peace talks — has been scrapped.
In an order dated January 11, Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32 Presiding Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina said she finds no reason to continue the Tiamzons' and their co-accused Adelberto Silva's temporary liberty since President Rodrige Duterte has already terminated peace talks with the communists.
In August 2016, the court allowed the three to post bail for them to participate in the peace talks between communist rebels — represented by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines — and the government.
"In light of President Rodrigo Duterte's express and categorical declaration, with the issuance of Proclamation No. 360, formally terminating the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People's Army/National Democratic Front, which issuance said accused does not dispute, the Court finds no reason to further allow their temporary liberty," the court said.
The court also canceled their bail bonds of P100,000 and ordered warrants of arrest issued against the alleged rebel leaders.
The Tiamzons and Silva, through the National Union of People's Lawyers, earlier asked the court to deny the prosecution's motion for recommitment so to give peace talks a chance.
They told the court to defer any ruling on the motion bringing them back to detention "so as not to render moot and academic the efforts and overwhelming calls toward the resumption of the peace negotiations."
In its motion to cancel bail filed November 27, or days before President Rodrigo Duterte signed a proclamation tagging the CPP and NPA as terrorists, the prosecution said the president had formally cancelled the peace talks, thus "there is no more legal ground" for the bail of the accused.