MANILA, Philippines — The order for the re-arrest of peace consultants Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma violates the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) between the government and Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
Jose Ma. Sison, CPP founding chairman and NDF chief political consultant, made the allegation over the weekend as he stressed that JASIG is a vital agreement that guarantees the legal immunity of rebel peace negotiators.
“The (government) violates the JASIG and does not respect its own signature on solemn agreements. It does not generate trust and confidence but the opposite,” Sison claimed over ABS-CBN.
The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 32 issued warrants for the re-arrest of the Tiamzon couple and co-accused Adelerto Silva on Wednesday. The three are facing murder charges over the killing of 15 civilians in Leyte province.
Benito is identified as the chairman of the CPP-NPA while Wilma is the alleged secretary general.
The Tiamzons were arrested in 2014, but were granted temporary freedom to be able to participate in the peace talks in Oslo, Norway in 2016. However, President Duterte issued Proclamation 360 late last year to revoke the peace negotiations with NDF.
Sison said the Duterte administration has “undertaken priorly and subsequently other acts to escalate a counter-revolutionary war against the people and the revolutionary forces.”
He added that the government relies too much on brute force and intimidation and unwittingly incites the people and revolutionary forces to fight back.
Sison said the government is obliged to respect the JASIG, which requires a 30-day written notice in advance to the NDF to give safety allowance to negotiators, consultants and staff.
It also requires the government and the NDF to comply with the immunity guarantees for the aforesaid negotiating personnel of either side during and after the peace negotiations.
“Said personnel should not be targeted for any surveillance, harassment and punitive action,” Sison said.
He added that the NDF would still be working closely with peace advocates for the resumption of peace talks either during Duterte’s term or that of his successor.
The 78-year-old communist leader is also considering the possibility of asking the CPP-NPA “revolutionary court” to issue a warrant for Duterte’s arrest for allegedly sabotaging the peace negotiations.
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza earlier said the JASIG is deemed no longer in effect because the government has terminated the peace talks with communist rebels.