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).
“Otherwise, there will be no sense for the NDFP to talk peace with the GRP's negotiating panel while its military and police forces continue to violate with impunity whatever agreements have been reached and signed," it said.
The CAHRIHL, signed in 1998, is the most substantial agreement that has so far come out of the GRP-NDFP talks.
Alexander Padilla, the government’s chief peace negotiator with the NDFP, said however that allegations of violations of safety, immunity and human rights agreements should not yet be entertained because both sides are only engaging in preliminary talks. “Wala pang pinag-uusapan na violations dahil all of these incidents ay iniimbestigahan pa [We are not yet discussing such violations because all of these incidents are still being investigated]," Padilla told GMANews.TV in an interview. “May allegations din naman laban sa kanila [There are also allegations directed against the CPP]," he added. Padilla likewise maintained the government is doing a “case-to-case review" as regards the demand of the CPP to release political prisoners. Arrested NPA leaders “In compliance with the JASIG, the CPP and the NDF reiterate their demand for the Philippine government to immediately release Ka Bart in order for this matter not to stall the resumption of formal peace negotiations. It further calls for the immediate release of Comrades Codaste and Brigano, as well as other detained NDF consultants," the CPP said. In alleging violations against government forces, the CPP cited the Jan. 4 arrest of ranking New People's Army (NPA) official Tirso “Ka Bart" Alcantara, whom it claimed is a “peace consultant". Padilla, however, earlier had said that Alcantara was arrested not because he was a communist rebel, but because he has “more than 10" standing warrants of arrest. The CPP also cited the “treacherous" arrest of at least two other cadres and their companions during the ceasefire period. “On December 17, NDF North-Central Mindanao leader Pedro Codaste was arrested with four others at a checkpoint in Bayugan, Agusan del Norte. On January 1, Edwin Brigano, an NPA cadre in the Southern Mindanao region was arrested while undergoing medical treatment for serious respiratory illness and hepatitis," it said. Meanwhile, the CPP denounced the AFP and the PNP for filing what it called trumped-up criminal charges against the arrested rebel leaders.
It said these were part of “a desperate effort to justify their illegal and treacherous arrests and continued detention." The CPP said that while most of the criminal charges are trumped-up, the others stem from legitimate acts of war. As such, these are governed by international rules and do not fall within the jurisdiction of Philippine penal laws, the underground party said. “If there are legitimate complaints, these should be subjected to negotiations in accordance with the CARHRIHL," it said. Padilla, however, declined to further comment on the issue, saying such matters will be discussed during the preliminary talks and appropriate action will be taken. –Jerrie M. Abella/MRT/JV
