Rody’s threat to arrest NDF consultants hit

MANILA, Philippines -  President Duterte’s threat to arrest consultants of the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front disregarded an agreement that guarantees the safety and immunity of CPP-NDF officials involved in the peace process, rights advocates said yesterday.

“Talking tough, threatening peace consultants with arrests, non-release of political prisoners and statements that disregard the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) are counter-productive,” Karapatan secretary-general Cristina Palabay said.

The group issued the statement after Duterte, in a speech in Davao City, said he would have the CPP-NDF peace consultants arrested once they return home from the failed rounds of peace talks in the Netherlands.

“Just and lasting peace is in the best interest of this country… it is not based on simply surrendering arms but rooted far more deeply in resolving issues of injustice, poverty, landlessness and trespasses against our sovereignty,” Palabay said.

The JASIG is among the basic agreements signed in 1995 between the government peace panel and the CPP-NDF. It guarantees the safety and immunity of the CPP-NDF’s negotiators, consultants, staff and personnel participating in the peace process.

“The disregard of JASIG adds to the lack of conducive, reliable and enabling environment for the continuation of the peace talks, apart from other detrimental factors such as the continuous rights violations under the Oplan Kapayapaan and war against drugs,” Palabay said.

“The peace negotiations are already tackling provisions of the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms, which will serve as basis for the attainment of significant reforms like land distribution. CASER can pave the way toward national development and will give the poor a dignified life,” she said.

Palabay urged Duterte to exercise sobriety in his pronouncements, which she said affects the policies and processes on the ground.

“We reiterate the call for the peace talks to continue. We call for adherence to previously signed agreements in the peace process, and the lifting of the martial law declaration in Mindanao.”