Ex NPAs slam Tiamzons over 'lavish lifestyle'

MANILA, Philippines - A group of former communist rebels are angry over reports that New People’s Army (NPA) leaders Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma are living lavish lifestyles.

Members of Peace Inc. on Friday lamented that communist leaders are spending huge sums while their fighters are experiencing hardships in the mountains.

The Communist Part of the Philippines (CPP), however, denied that the Tiamzons are living lavishly and accused the military of using “media spiel” to demonize the couple.

In a press conference, Peace Inc. president Agnes Lopez claimed that while the Tiamzons are spending much for dog and cat food, rebels in the mountains are making do with grasses.

She said it is now becoming clear that the communist leaders are just deceiving their members who are having hard time waging the armed struggle.

For her part, “Ka Lara,” a former NPA finance officer, claimed that the group had extorted millions in Quezon province for four years.

She said a huge sum went to Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Ma. Sison, who is now in self-exile in the Netherlands.

“Only a small portion goes to rebels’ operations,” the former insurgent said.

Earlier, the military claimed that the Tiamzons have spent P2,000 a month for the food of each of their pet dog and cat, four times as much the monthly combat pay of soldiers.

Lt. Jim Aris Alagao, spokesman of the Armed Forces Central Command, said since the Tiamzons have seven pets, they have shelled out about P14,000 a month for pet food alone.

The CPP, however, denied that the Tiamzons are living a lavish lifestyle.

“The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) was utterly frustrated that they failed to show any shred of evidence from the house rented by Comrades Benito and Wilma to support their long-standing claims that the leaders of the CPP were leading a lavish lifestyle,” the group said in a statement.

“They have long used this as a media spiel against the CPP leaders,” it added.

CPP said the Tiamzons’ rented house only had work tables and chairs, wooden beds, a dining table and a small television set.

“They upheld the standards of simple living and arduous struggle,” the group said.

CPP said the Tiamzons and their staff were only spending around P50-P55 per day for every individual.

“This is within the budget of around P60 which the CPP allows to be spent for the daily food allowance of its full-time members,” it said.

CPP said the Tiamzons’ pet dogs were sources of additional income for their staff.

“They were breeding dogs to help augment their budget and make them less reliant on the central fund. Breeding dogs and cats for sale is common among working-class and middle-class families seeking additional income,” the group said.

CPP said the dog and cat food, when bought in bulk, costs only around P500-700 per sack and not P2,000 as claimed by the military.