(Eagle News) –Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday, Nov. 14, dismissed the claims of the wife of Vicente Ladlad that his arrest was meant to derail the peace process.
In the first place, Lorenzana said that contrary to Fides Lim-Ladlad’s claims, there was no existing peace process to speak of as President Rodrigo Duterte himself had suspended, if not stopped, the same in June.
In November 2017, President Duterte issued Proclamation 360 that effectively terminated the peace talks with the Communists, citing what he said were their acts of violence that supposedly included the killing of a baby.
According to Lorenzana, “upon termination of the peace talks, Mr. Ladlad should have turned himself in as his provisional liberty to be part of the NDF (NDF) negotiating panel as a negotiator had also expired,” apparently in reference to the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees inked between the National Democratic Front and the government.
The agreement guarantees safety and immunity to negotiators involved in the peace talks.
“The arrest of Mr. Vicente Ladlad was a legitimate law enforcement operation conducted by the proper authorities who recovered high-powered firearms and explosives in his possession,” Lorenzana said.
“Anyone found violating Philippine laws will be dealt with accordingly. This is now best left to the courts. Mrs. Ladlad should trust in the fairness of our justice system,” Lorenzana added.
Ladlad and two others were arrested on Nov. 8 after police said they were found in possession of firearms that included AK-47 and M-16 rifles during the implementation of a court-issued search warrant.
