Court orders arrest of Jose Maria Sison, 30 other leftist leaders

MANILA, Philippines — A Manila court has issued a warrant for the arrest of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison and 30 other leftist leaders in connection with the “Inopacan massacre” and the subsequent discovery of mass graves in Leyte in 2006.

In her arrest warrant issued last Aug. 28, Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32 Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina also ordered the arrest of Rodolfo Salas alias Ka Bilog, Leo Velasco, Jose Luneta, Geronimo Pasetes, Prudencio Calubid and Luis Jalandoni.

Pasetes, Calubid and Jalandoni were consultants of the CPP’s political arm, the National Democratic Front (NDF).

Luneta, who was also co-founder of Kabataang Makabayan and former CPP secretary general, died in Germany in May 2018.

Also included in the arrest warrant and charged with 15 counts of murder are Eduardo Sarmiento, Juliet Sison, Francisco Pascual Jr., Mil Lominion, Fortunato Felicilda, Benjamin Beringel, Quirino Quinawayan, Fernando Rachel, Pecario Sonana, Jesus Solayao, Lino Salazar, Alfredo Taladro, Tito Gabar, Muco Lubong, Felix Dumali, Ciriaca Malimot, Luzviminda Orillo, Anselmo Balduhesa, Alfredo Mabingay, Bertino Oroza, Bonifacio Padoc, Rodrigo Papiona, Prescillono Beringel, Anastacio Dorias, Fr. Nick Ruiz, Sammy Labarda, Charlie Fortaliza, Luis Villena, Rolando Caballera, Donata Lumbrento and Luz Abejo.

Former Bayan Muna representative Satur Ocampo, who is out on bail, NDF consultant Vicente Ladlad and former Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas deputy secretary general Randall Echanis were also among the accused in the case.

Sison, in an interview from the Netherlands, denied involvement in the massacre.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), lauding the court’s issuance of an arrest warrant against Sison and his comrades, declared yesterday it will be coordinating with concerned agencies including the International Police (Interpol), in tracking  down the communist personalities.

Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesman, said that the military, just like the families of the massacre victims, is happy with the development.

“We are elated as the victims’ families are, for the issuance of the arrest warrant by the court against Mr. Jose Ma. Sison, his wife and 36 others for the mass murder of people who were suspected by the NPA of being government spies,” Arevalo said.

“We will be tracking them down. Aside from the Philippine National Police, we will also coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice (DOJ), Interpol and other relevant agencies for the service of the warrant of arrest or other legal recourse available,” Arevalo said.

“We are, as ever, firm in our resolve to hunt down these terrorists who perpetrated this dastardly, cowardly, devilish act to serve the warrant and arrest them,” Arevalo said.

He added that the AFP is confident the long arm of the law will soon catch up with Sison and his cohorts.

Sison fled to Europe in self-exile soon after peace talks with the government of former president Corazon Aquino failed in 1987, and has stayed in the Netherlands since, while the country’s longest-running insurgency continued to claim thousands of lives amid fighting with government troops.

The arrest warrant came following an order issued by Medina last Aug. 22, after finding probable cause that the “accused committed the offense as charged in the amended information.”

No bail was recommended for the 38 accused.

Malacañang said the best thing for Sison to do is to come home and face the charges against him. – With Edith Regalado, Jaime Laude