Albayalde gives 4 leftist leaders until this week to surrender
PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde on Monday appealed to four left-leaning party-list leaders to surrender to police authorities following the issuance of arrest warrants over the murder charges that were filed against them.
Albayalde said police were giving former Bayan Muna representatives Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño, National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Liza Maza and former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano until this week to give themselves up.
“We give them the respect as government officials so we made an appeal today for them to personally appear,” Albayalde said.
Albayalde issued a similar appeal to other Bayan Muna members Vicente Cayetano, Delfin Pimentel, and Emeterio Antalan.
The arrest warrants were for the alleged murders of farmers Danilo Felipe in 2001, Jimmy Peralta in 2003, and Carlito Bayudang in 2004 – known supporters of Akbayan, the rival party-list of Bayan Muna.
Albayalde directed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) over the weekend to immediately send out arresting police units to serve the warrants.
Amid Albayalde’s appeal, supporters and sympathizers of the four leftist leaders protested outside the Camp Crame national headquarters and called for the dropping of “false charge” against them.
Members of Bayan Muna, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Gabriela, and Kadamay were among the protesters chanting “Hands off Satur, Liza, Paeng, and Teddy”.
“We call on the Duterte government to respect the rights of Liza, Ka Paeng (Mariano), Ka Satur, and Teddy. No harm must come to them, especially from quarters who wish to take advantage of this situation,” Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said in a statement.
The four Bayan Muna leaders said in a press briefing last July 28 denounced the arrest order, claiming “political persecution.” ROY NARRA
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