Prosecutor frees NDFP consultant’s wife

SAN PEDRO CITY — The prosecutor’s finding that the allegations against National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Rey Casambre was “preposterous” only proved that he and his wife were arrested on “trumped-up” charges, the couple’s lawyer said.

On Tuesday afternoon, Casambre’s wife, peace advocate Patricia Cora, 72, walked out of jail after the prosecutor ordered her release and further investigation of the case.

But Casambre, 67, also the executive director of the Philippine Peace Center, remained in jail as he was facing separate charges of murder and attempted murder in Lupon, Davao Oriental.

Johnny Umpong, chief prosecutor of Bacoor City, Cavite, ordered the conduct of a preliminary investigation of the case of illegal possession of explosives filed against the couple.

Preposterous

“What’s good is that while the case has not been [fully] dismissed at the fiscal’s level, it was not elevated yet to the court,” said Rachel Pastores, chief counsel of the Public Interest Law Center, which was helping the Casambres.

In his resolution, Umpong described as a “preposterous allegation” the police claim that law enforcement officers found a hand grenade, a .45-caliber pistol, a laptop computer and an electrical cord all stuffed in the dashboard compartment of the couple’s car when they were arrested on their way home to Bacoor City on Friday last week.

“[T]he alleged objects cannot fit inside the dashboard compartment considering the Toyota Vios has a small dashboard compartment where only a small iPad can be accommodated,” Umpong added.

Casambre was the fourth NDFP consultant arrested this year since the collapse of the peace negotiations between the government and the umbrella organization of all underground communist groups.

Pattern

On Monday, Pastores also presented as witness Julio Lusania, the driver of NDFP consultant Adelberto Silva, when Silva and four others were arrested in Santa Cruz, Laguna, in October.

Lusania testified that he saw police officers place a plastic bag inside Silva’s car during a search.

“The arrests of the (NDFP) consultants and the filing of illegal possession of explosives are becoming a pattern. This has to stop,” Pastores said.

She said even the murder charges against Casambre were “clearly trumped-up and surprising,” as these allegedly happened on Sept. 13, 2018, in Davao Oriental. Casambe had never been to the province in recent years, she added.

“Imagine, [Casambre supposedly committing murder], then appearing on TV for interviews and speaking in forums … really it’s preposterous,” Pastores said.