Taguig court finds NDFP peace consultant, wife guilty of illegal possession of guns

This photo, taken Dec. 22, 2016, shows Frank Fernandez giving a press conference somewhere in southern Negros Occidental. It was his first public appearance after 30 years. (Contributed photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The Karapatan rights group on Thursday said the Taguig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 266 has convicted a peace consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and his wife for illegal possession of firearms.

According to Karapatan in a statement, Frank Fernandez, 75, and wife Cleofe Lagtapon, 65, were convicted of the criminal charge but were acquitted from the charges of illegal possession of explosives and violations of the Commission on Elections’ gun ban by the same court.

Their co-accused Ge-ann Perez, meanwhile, was acquitted in all of the charges.

“Karapatan condemns the decision convicting the elderly Fernandez and Lagtapon. We strongly support their assertion that the trove of grenades and guns used against them were planted by security forces who arbitrarily arrested them, aside from the absurd possibility that two elderly and sick individuals have those in their possession,” Karapatan said.

“The inconsistencies in the details of their arrest based on the accounts of the arresting authorities further reveal this glaring travesty of justice,” it added.

It can be recalled that on March 24, 2019, all three were arrested by the police and military, claiming that pistols and three hand grenades were seized from them in Laguna.

The progressive group then called for the immediate release of all three accused who have been detained since their arrest.

The three were among of several NDFP consultants who have been arrested since former President Rodrigo Duterte signed Proclamation No. 360 in November 2017, terminating peace talks with the communist-led NDFP.

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JPV