A lawmaker from Quezon province on Monday backed the filing of charges against a Quezon Provincial Board Member for allegedly coddling two suspected top members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who were recently arrested inside her home in Atimonan, Quezon.
Rep. Angelina Tan of the Fourth District of Quezon issued the statement after Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año said Provincial Board Member Rhodora Tan of the Fourth District of Quezon should be held criminally and administratively liable for allegedly coddling in her own residence in Barangay Zone 3, Poblacion, Atimonan, Quezon two members of the NPA, namely, Ruel Custodio alias “Baste” and Ruben Istokado alias “Oyo Miles,” both of whom have standing warrants of arrest.
Custodio is allegedly a finance officer of the Sub-Regional Military Area-4 of the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee, while Istokado is allegedly a political instructor of L1, KP1 of the Bicol Regional Party Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA.
Tan, meanwhile, commended members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) operatives who apprehended the two suspected rebels.
“I would like to commend our joint operatives from the AFP and the PNP for their successful operation that led to the arrest of two high-ranking rebel leaders. The arrest shows the firm resolve of our uniformed personnel to keep the country safe from lawlessness even in the midst of pandemic and holiday festivities,” Tan said.
Tan, who also chairs the health panel of the House of Representatives, said she has no relations at all to the beleaguered local official.
“Allow me to clarify certain misconceptions that I am related to Dhoray Tan. While we share the same family name, we are not in any manner related to each other. I took my husband’s last name, Engr. Ronnel Montanez Tan, a native of Gumaca, Quezon,” she said.
“We are not also political allies inasmuch as we belong to different political parties and have different political loyalties and affiliation. I belong to the Nationalist People’s Coalition [NPC] while Dhoray Tan ran as a member of the Nacionalista Party. She is also a staunch ally of the incumbent governor of Quezon, Danilo Suarez,” she added.
Earlier, Año said provincial board member Tan could face up to six years in jail if found guilty of obstruction of justice under Presidential Decree 1829.
At the same time, Año said Tan will also be facing administrative liabilities for Disloyalty to the Republic under Civil Service Commission Rules and Administrative Order 23, Series of 1992.
Similarly, under Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees, civil servants are expected to “at all times be loyal to the Republic and to the Filipino people and “uphold the Constitution and put loyalty to country above loyalty to persons or party.”