‘Arrests and harassments’’ of peace consultants

SINCE the all-out war declaration of the Armed of Forces of the Philippines, four consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines have been illegally arrested while threats and harassment against a negotiating panel member and consultants continue. These are clear violations of agreements between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the NDFP on safety and immunity guarantees and on human rights and international humanitarian law.

On May 11, 2017, at around 6 pm, NDFP consultant Rommel Salinas, Bishop Carlo Morales of the Iglesia Filipino Independiente (IFI), public school teacher Ma. Teofilina Morales, and IFI driver Isadome Dalid were accosted in a checkpoint of the 102nd Infantry Battalion-Philippine Army in Gango, Ozamiz City. The four were brought to the Ozamiz City Police Station and their access to their legal counsels were restricted. Guns and explosives were planted in their personal belongings. The next day, May 12, trumped up cases of illegal possession of firearms and/explosives (Republic Act 9516) were filed against Salinas and Bishop Morales, while the two others were released.

Salinas is the fourth NDFP consultant arrested after the Febr. 3 all-out war declaration of the AFP, despite statements of the GRP on the reaffirmation of its adherence to the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, which were previously signed by both parties.

The Jasig explicitly states that consultants to the peace process should be immune from illegal arrest and detention, among other forms of violations. The Carhrihl also upholds the individual and collective right to liberty against unwarranted and unjustified arrest and detention.

On Feb. 6, NDFP consultant Ariel Arbitrario was re-arrested in Toril, Davao City on highly questionable legal grounds. Arbitrario was later released before the fourth round of formal peace talks on April 2-6, 2017 in The Netherlands.

NDFP consultant Promencio Cortez was illegally arrested on Feb. 9, 2017 in Baguio City, and was charged with numerous trumped up cases. Bayan Metro Manila campaign officer and NDFP consultant Ferdinand Castillo was illegally arrested on Feb. 12, 2017 in Caloocan City, after he led a series of consultations among workers. Castillo experienced physical and psychological torture and was charged with fabricated cases of illegal possession of firearms and murder. Cortez and Castillo are still detained to this day.

Then there are the recent threats and harassment against NDFP negotiating panel member Benito Tiamzon and NDFP consultant Wilma Tiamzon. This incident, Karapatan said, adds to the long list of harassment by State agents on NDFP consultants released on bail to participate in the formal peace talks.

With the upcoming fifth round of peace talks, we call on the GRP and President Rodrigo Duterte to release all detained NDFP consultants, including Salinas, Castillo, Cortez and wrongly convicted consultants at the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) Eduardo Sarmiento, Leopoldo Caloza and Emeterio Antalan.

While Duterte has announced his decision to release at least fourteen political prisoners at the NBP, this should be made real before the fifth round of the GRP-NDFP peace talks. We will continue to press for the release of all political prisoners. All of them deserve partial justice through immediate release from imprisonment. –Cristina Palabay, secretary general, Karapatan