Leftists warned vs ‘inventing’ charges

Malacañang assailed leftists yesterday for "inventing" charges against the government to escape prosecution for their own violations of the law.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said every accusation of human rights abuse coming from leftist leaders was expected, especially now that the government was bent on pursuing the charges against them.

The Makati Regional Trial Court(RTC) has upheld the indictment of Anakpawis party-list Representative Crispin Beltran and 1st Lieutenant Lawrence San Juan for rebellion.

The ruling of Judge Encarnacion Moya of Makati RTC Branch 164 was in response to Beltran’s motion for a judicial determination of probable cause. But supporters of Beltran had criticized the Arroyo government and the Department of Justice (DoJ), which filed the charges, for alleged political persecution of the militant lawmaker.

"We cannot expect them to say anything good about the government because they are being pursued by authorities for their own violations," Ermita said over radio station dzRB.

"They are fighting against a legitimate government. Sila ay mag-iimbento ng mga storya (They will invent stories)," Ermita said.

He said even he had been accused of ordering the killings of militant and leftist members.

"They just can’t find something new to say and maybe they just want to get attention," Ermita said.

Earlier, the government had filed rebellion charges against Beltran and San Juan in connection with an alleged plot to oust President Arroyo in February.

The reported plot prompted Arroyo to briefly declare a state of emergency and issue a policy against those conspiring to overthrow the government.

The Supreme Court challenged certain aspects of Mrs. Arroyo’s proclamation, particularly the authority to conduct warrantless arrests.