By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat
MANILA – Two consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) will be released from detention after local courts granted their urgent motions for release on bail.
Ernesto Lorenzo will walk free from Camp Bagong Diwa detention facility after the Taguig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 271, Infanta RTC Branch 65 and Malolos RTC Branch 83 all granted the motions for his release, according to the Public Interest Law Center (PILC).
Pedro Codaste will be released from Malaybalay Provincial Jail after the Malaybalay RTC Branches 8 and 9 and Butuan RTC Branch 5 granted the motions for his release on bail.
Ma. Kristina Conti of the PILC and one of the legal counsels of NDFP consultants told Bulatlat that the jail wardens of the respective jails are processing the release of Lorenzo and Codaste.
The local courts also granted Lorenzo and Codaste permission to travel. The two, however, still need to process their passports and visa for their participation in the formal peace talks in Oslo, Norway scheduled Aug. 20 to Aug. 27.
The PILC and the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers are hopeful that other local courts will also grant the motions for release on bail of all the 22 NDFP consultants.
Sickly
Both Lorezo and Codaste are suffering from illnesses.
Lorenzo was arrested combined elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the Philippine National Police and the Anti-Transnational Crime Unit (ATCU) on July 20, 2015 in Gilmore, Quezon City. His wife Joyce Latayan was arrested from their home in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan on the same day.
Lorenzo suffers from asthma, hepatitis B, gallstones and a slip disc.
According to Karapatan, Lorenzo was transferred to the Special Intensive Care Area-1 of the Metro Manila District Jail at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City on Aug. 12 while Latayan is still detained at the Major Crime Intensive Unit in Camp Crame.
Codaste, meanwhile, was arrested on December 17, 2010. He has been suffering from hypertension.
The NDFP said Lorenzo’s arrest was based on a warrant for destructive arson filed in 2010 in Lucena City.
Codaste faces two counts of murder and two counts of frustrated murder.
Motions granted so far
As of today, local courts granted the motions for release on bail of the following NDFP consultants:
– Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Tiamzon in Manila Branch 32 (1 out of 4 courts)
– Renante Gamara in Infanta Branch 65 (1/2 courts)
– Adelberto Silva in Manila Branch 32 (1/3 courts)
– Rafael Baylosis in Manila Branch 32 (1/1 court)
– Tirso Alcantara in Taguig Branch 271 (1/3 courts)
– Alan Jazmines in Taguig Branch 271 (1/2 courts)
– Ariel Arbitrario in Tagum Branch 1 (1/2 courts)
– Loida Magpatoc in Butuan Branch 5 (1/3 courts)
– Maria Concepcion “Concha” Araneta-Bocala in Iloilo Branch 23 (1/3 courts)
– Porferio Tuna in Nabuturan Branch 3 (1/4 courts)
– Alfredo Mapano in Malaybalay Branch 8 (1/3 courts)
The NDFP has maintained the charges against its consultants are fabricated.
The NDFP has also insisted that the arrest and detention of its consultants violate the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guaranteed (Jasig) signed by both parties in 1995.
The urgent motions for release on bail were filed following the Aug. 5 resolution of the Supreme Court calling on local courts to give appropriate priority to cases involving NDFP consultants. In its en banc resolution, the high court said “the peace negotiations shall resume in the higher interest of peace and national security.”
The temporary liberty of NDFP consultants is only for the duration of the peace talks.
Other conditions imposed by the GRP panel include returning to the Philippines after the formal peace negotiations in Oslo, Norway and reporting to the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Norway whenever required. The GRP panel also maintained that once the participation of the NDFP consultants ceases or the peace negotiations are terminated, their respective bonds shall be automatically canceled. 
