The Supreme Court said it is not the proper court to seek the freedom of 10 communist leaders from.
The Office of the Solicitor General failed to convince the Supreme Court to order the temporary release of 10 leaders of National Democratic Front facing criminal cases.
The OSG requested for the release of Tirso Alcantara, Alex Birondo, Winona Birondo, Maria Concepcion Bocala, Reynante Gamara, Alan Jazmines, Ma. Loida Magoatic, Adelberto Silva, Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Tiamzon to enable them to attend the formal peace negotiations alongside Communists Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison in Oslo, Norway.
The high court said that the OSG should have sought the release of the 10 NDF members from the regional trial courts (RTCs) where their pending criminal cases are filed.
The 10 NDF panel members are facing criminal charges, including a multiple murder case in connection to the killing of 15 government spies in Inopacan, Leyte in 1985.
But if the SC denied freedom for the aforementioned NDF leaders, it granted temporary liberty of three leftist leaders. Former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, Randall Echanis and Vicente Ladlad are allowed to avail provisional liberty to attend to the negotiations but were ordered to go back to the Philippines as soon as the talks in Norway closes.
“Their provisional liberty shall continue to be secured by the cash bond in the amount of P100,000 already posted with the Office of the Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court,” the court order read.
Ocampo, Echanis and Ladlad are required to provide the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Manila with complete contact information, both in the Philippines and Norway. They are also required to report to the Philippine Embassy in Norway whenever required.
On the other hand, the SC forfeited the bond posted by Rafael Baylosis may only be reinstated by the Manila RTC upon justifiable cause after his arrest or surrender.
Ocampo, Echanis, Ladlad and Baylosis are facing charges of multiple murder in connection with the mass graves discovered by the Philippine Army in Leyte in 2006.