The continued detention of political prisoners and alleged violations of safety and immunity guarantees – these are the issues that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) wants to take up at next week’s preliminary talks with the government, towards the possible resumption of formal talks in February. “In line with the objective of giving the formal resumption of peace negotiations a boost, the CPP sees the urgent need to get the GRP's [Government of the Republic of the Philippines’] commitment to comply with the JASIG [Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees], put an end to the continued detention of political prisoners and work to provide justice to all the victims of state violations of human rights," the CPP said in a statement posted on its website.
Also, the CPP pushed for the release of what it claims are some 400 political prisoners, the investigation of alleged human rights abuses under the Arroyo administration, and the indemnification of the victims of the dictatorial Marcos regime that ruled the country from 1972 to 1986. The CPP also said the government must reprimand and instruct the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and its other security agencies to stop violating the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL).
