MANILA, Philippines — A Taguig court has convicted National Democratic Front (NDF) consultant Frank Fernandez and his wife for illegal possession of firearms, according to human rights group Karapatan.
In its ruling, the Taguig City Regional Trial Court Branch 266 convicted communist leader Fernandez, 75, and his wife Cleofe Lagtapon, 65, over illegal possession of guns. They were acquitted of illegal possession of explosives and violation of the election gun ban.
Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay condemned the conviction of Fernandez and Lagtapon, who were arrested in March 2019 in Laguna.
Palabay said Karapatan believes that the guns and grenades recovered from them were “planted by security forces.”
She said the couple’s lawyers would file an appeal.