‘Arrest of NDF consultant Baylosis a crackdown on dissent’

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultant Rafael Baylosis said his arrest manifests the government’s crackdown on what it dubbed as “enemies of the state.”

“The arrest of Baylosis is not only an attack to organizations but also an attack to everyone who criticizes the current administration. This is a crackdown on dissent,” Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary-general Renato Reyes said in a televised press briefing Friday.

He called the arrest of the NDF leader illegal, baseless and a violation of his rights.

“This is wrong in so many levels. This means it can abuse anybody who is seen as enemies of the state. Even the simple exercises of freedom of expression and organization are being criminalized,” Karapatan secretary-general Cristina Palabay said.

Baylosis and his companion, Guillermo Roque were arrested on a tip Wednesday.

He was the first consultant to be rearrested since President Rodrigo Duterte canceled peace talks with communist rebels and declared the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing New People’s Army as terrorist groups last year.

Baylosis, the “acting secretary" of the CPP, was released in 2016 to join the peace talks.

His family is appealing for his immediate release. 

READ: NDFP denounces illegal arrest of consultant

‘Trumped-up’ charges

Rachel Pastores, lawyer of Baylosis, said the charges against his client are “trumped-up.”

He noted that Baylosis had a valid and effective bail at the time of his arrest, citing the order of the Regional Trial Court of Manila denying the motion of the fiscal to cancel his bail.

Pastores said the initial charge against Baylosis was illegal possession of firearms but the Philippine National Police planted grenade to make the charge non-bailable.

The lawyer also claimed that Baylosis was arrested despite no pending warrant of arrest against him.

Police said the two rebels yielded automatic pistols tucked in their waists when they were arrested by a team of police and military operatives.

“The circumstances of Raffy’s arrest is clearly incredible, unbelievable and has hallmarks of perjury. It’s a bad script,” Pastores said.

She added: “It is clear that the objective is to further curtail his right to liberty,” the lawyer said.

Pastores, moreover, maintained that his client is covered by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees, contrary to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque’s remark that the JASIG has no value because the government cancelled the peace talks last year.

"As used and understood in this Joint Agreement, immunity guarantees shall mean that all duly accredited persons are guaranteed immunity from surveillance, harassment, search, arrest, detention, prosecution and interrogation or any other similar punitive actions due to any involvement or participation in the peace negotiations," the JASIG stated. 

It added: "All immunities acquired by virtue of this Joint Agreement shall remain in full force and effect even after the termination of this Joint Agreement, provided said immunities shall not cover acts which are contrary to the purposes of the peace negotiations and outside and beyond involvement or participation in the peace negotiations."

“Obviously Roque is innocent and ignorant of the agreements made during the peace negotiations,” Pastores said.

She added that the crackdown on NDFP consultants will not help the public’s clamor to resume the peace talks.

Authorities on Friday also announced the arrest of CPP secretary Rommel Salinas in Ozamiz City. 

But Palabay said Salinas was already arrested last year. 

EXPLAINER: Why Duterte's 'red-baiting' of activists is dangerous