NDF consultant appeals arrest order

MANILA, Philippines — Before his arrest, National Democratic Front (NDF) consultant Vicente Ladlad filed an appeal on the arrest order of the Manila regional trial court (RTC) in connection with his alleged role in the massacre of suspected government spies in the 1980s.

Ladlad filed a motion for reconsideration on Nov. 5, seeking the court’s consideration of his absence in the hearing last Oct. 22.

Ladlad said he was not able to attend because of safety and security concerns after his name was included in the Department of Justice’s proscription petition before the Manila RTC seeking a terrorist tag on him and 600 other alleged communist leaders.

Ladlad, through his lawyer, claimed he might end up incarcerated just like his colleagues in the NDF who were rounded up by government agents after the peace talks failed.

Ladlad was arrested Thursday with two of his staff, spouses Alberto and Virginia Villamor, and charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Police and military intelligence agents raided their supposed safehouse in Barangay San Bartolome and seized an AK-47 assault rifle, an M16A1 assault rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, four hand grenades and assorted ammunition.

Lawmen also seized several documents, including books and CDs they tagged as “subversive.”

The NDF demanded the release of Ladlad, as well as other communist leaders, from detention.

NDF peace panel chairman Fidel Agcaoili said the charges against Ladlad and the other consultants were all “trumped up.”

Agcaoili cited that just two weeks ago, Ladlad’s wife Fides Lim reported being tailed by suspected state agents as she left her house. 

A check with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) revealed the license plate of the Toyota Innova van tailing Lim was registered to a red Honda TMX motorcycle.

“Ladlad is the third NDF consultant actively participating in the peace talks to be arrested by the Duterte regime,” Agcaoili said.

Agcaoili said that less than a month ago, Adelberto Silva, a member of the NDF Reciprocal Working Committee on Social and Economic Reforms, was arrested with five others in Sta. Cruz, Laguna on Oct. 15.

He said a third consultant, Rafael Baylosis, was arrested along Katipunan Ave. in Quezon City on Jan. 31. – With Rhodina Villanueva, Romina Cabrera, Jose Rodel Clapano