Human rights groups condemned the June 29 the court’s conviction against elderly and sick National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultant Frank Fernandez, 75, and his wife, Cleofe Lagtapon, 69. The conviction is related to the fabricated case of illegal possession of firearms.

The couple, along with Ge-ann Perez, were arrested on March 24, 2019 in Barangay Calumpang, Liliw, Laguna. State forces claimed then that three .45 caliber pistols, three magazines and ammunition, and three grenades were seized from them.

Fernandez and Lagtapon were undergoing treatment in Laguna when arrested. Fernandez suffers from chronic artery disease, chronic stable angina, hypertension stage 2-uncontrolled, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hyponatremia, in addition to other age-related diseases.

Meanwhile, Karapatan announced that the couple was acquitted from the cases of illegal possession of explosives and COMELEC gun ban. Perez, who was co-accused, was acquitted of all charges and released on June 30.