A female member of the New People's Army (NPA) has been convicted by the Taguig City regional trial court (RTC) for her involvement in the 2005 and 2006 attacks in Quezon province that resulted in the deaths and wounding of members of the government's law enforcement agencies.
Convicted was Maria Salome Crisostomo-Ujano, alias "Weng" and "Row," in a decision promulgated last May 16 by RTC Judge Marivic C. Vitor.
Ujano was found guilty of rebellion and was sentenced to a jail term ranging from 10 years to 17 years and four months.
In her decision, Judge Vitor declared: “Certainly, the prosecution was able to prove the fact of public uprising and taking arms against the government as the prosecution’s witnesses categorically testified of their experiences and encounters with the rebel group, NPA."
However, the judge said: “Considering that the prosecution failed to establish that accused Ujano acted as leader of the NPA during their encounters with the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Air Force, and the Philippine National Police, or gave command to other members of their group, she should only be imposed the penalty of participant."
The decision pointed out that two soldiers, Sgt. Alex Ayupan and SSgt. Clodualdo Casanova, testified having seen Ujano among the NPAs during a number of these attacks.
“They both recognized accused Ujano as one of those most wanted CPP-NPA members posted in their bulletin in their camp,” it said.
During the trial, Ujano denied she was there during the attacks and claimed that she “reported at WCC (Women’s Crisis Center) on Nov. 9, 21 to 25, 2005 executing her functions as Executive Director.”
But the decision stated: “This Court is not convinced with accused Ujano’s alibi,"
It pointed out that "her (Ujano) presence in their office or elsewhere on such dates were not supported by clear and convincing evidence.”
“It can be deduced that the purpose of the uprising or movement of NPA group is to remove from the allegiance to the government the armed forces as their attack was directed to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, particularly the Air Force and Army; and units of PNP,” it said.
“The Army, Air Force including the PNP were instructed to conduct different missions which are to do follow-up operations, patrolling, to rescue those ambushed by and encountered by the NPA, and conduct a hot pursuit of the NPA. The NPA, during these different missions of the armed forces, managed to attack, ambush and had firefight encounters with the armed forces,” it also said.
"The acts of the NPA members constitute acts of rebellion under Article 134 of the Revised Penal Code,” it stressed.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla on Wednesday, May 22, lauded the department’s Task Force on Counter-Terrorism and Terrorism Financing led by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor (SDSP) Peter L. Ong for having secured the conviction.
“We stood united once again in the face of sinister terrorists and conquered this menace by our resilience and unity. We will never back down against such evil who continue to destabilize the government and sow discord and division. This is the very guarantee we can give our country and people,” Remulla said.