MANILA, Philippines — In what human rights defenders describe as an “absurdity” in the antiterror law, two women from Mountain Province are facing complaints for terrorism financing after they allegedly sold grocery items and provided meals of rice and adobo to New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.
Marcylyn Pilala, an Igorot and “sari-sari” store owner, along with Alaiza Lemita, the sister of a slain activist, asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday to toss out the complaints.
Filing separate counteraffidavits, Pilala and Lemita denied any involvement in the decades-old communist insurgency.
Two attempts
Lemita said the complaint filed against her by Police Staff Sgt. Reyanante Malvar of the Batangas police was the “third attempt” to harass her for what she supposedly did more than seven years ago.
“These accusations have been dismissed and are being resurrected without new or credible evidence,” she said.
The complaint against Lemita was based on the sworn statement of Ronie Gutierrez, a former rebel who claimed that about two weeks after an armed encounter in Batangas on March 10, 2017, Lemita tried to deliver food to his NPA unit using “an ambulance.”
This first attempt failed because of a police checkpoint, he said. But the following day, the woman succeeded in bringing rice and adobo, which she concealed in sacks, to the rebels at Barangay Banilad, Nasugbu town.
“Once again, I strongly deny these accusations not only for being false but also for representing a continued effort to harass me using fabricated criminal complaints. The lack of credible witnesses, together with the state’s repeated attempts to prosecute me, shows that this complaint is baseless and should be dismissed,” Lemita said.
At the time of the alleged food delivery, Lemita was a third-year student at Batangas State University, according to her counteraffidavit which also had copies of her school records, grades, and ID as attachments.
Grocery ‘pickups’
“In addition to its legal infirmities, the complaint should be dismissed for being factually baseless. The allegation that I provided cooked rice, adobo, and cash to the NPA on March 10, 2017, is entirely false,” she said.
Meanwhile, the complaint against Pilala was based on the affidavits of alleged rebel returnees Victor Baltazar and Karen Baltazar, who claimed that in March 2020, Pilala received a sum of P100,000 and used it to buy provisions for the NPA.
Karen, along with her husband and comrades, said they would often pick up grocery items, such as canned goods, rice, medicines, bath soap, and personal hygiene kits, from Pilala’s sari-sari store at Barangay Gueday, Besao, in Mountain Province.
“I vehemently deny the above accusations. Contrary to the complainants and their witnesses’ false claims, I am a civilian; I am not, and never have been, a member of the underground communist movement,” Pilala said.
Working as substitute teacher
“I am being charged with a crime I did not commit. I have lived a simple life and have never been charged or accused of any crime until this instant case against me was filed,” she added.
Pilala explained that from March 2 to June 14 that year, she was working as a substitute teacher at Pangweo Elementary School in Besao.
“I did not receive any PHP100,000 in March 2020,” she said, attaching a copy of her bank statement to her counteraffidavit.
Pilala said she could not have possibly supplied or sold provisions to the NPA since she started managing her mother’s store only in October 2021, long after the Baltazar couple had surrendered.
“I have maintained employment at various schools and establishments, which render the allegations of the spouses Baltazar impossible,” she said.
For Beverly Longid, national convener of Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas, the complaints against the two women showed that even simple acts like selling or providing food could be twisted as basis for criminal accusations under the antiterror law.
‘Weaponized’ law
“It’s a clear example of how these laws are weaponized to intimidate and harass those who stand up for their rights,” Longid said.
The complaints also relied solely on the claims made by purported rebel returnees: “individuals who are often paid or coerced by state agencies, including the police and military, to fabricate evidence against rights defenders and civilians,” she said.