THE Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig) signed between peace negotiating panels of the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) has been re-instated starting Friday.

Jasig's re-implementation involves the re-establishment of NDF members' safe conduct passes in and out of the country, immunity from arrest or detention, and an indirect impasse on the proceedings of various criminal cases charged against its identified members.

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The following with ongoing warrants of arrest are to form part of the tentative list of Jasig grantees:

1. Jose Ma. Sison, chief political consultant, who has 15 counts of murder charges before the Regional Trial Court Branch 18 in Hilongos, Leyte;
2. Iglecerio Pernia, NDF consultant, who has two counts of highway robbery charges before MTC-Daraga and RTC Branch 6 in Legaspi City;
3. Randall Echaniz, NDF consultant, has 15 counts of murder, illegal possession of firearms and explosives, and writ of amparo charges under RTCs Branch 28-Manila, Branch 30-Basey, and RTC Branch 32-Hilongos, Leyte;
4. Jaime Soledad, NDF consultant, has 19 counts of murder charges before RTCs Branch 32 -Manila, and Branch 25-Maasin, Leyte;
5. Rafael Baylosis, NDF consultant, has 17 counts of murder under RTC Branch 32-Manila;
6. Edgardo Friginal, NDF consultant, has multiple frustrated murder, kidnapping, 2 counts of murder and robbery under RTCs Branch 39-San Jose, Branch 10-Malolos, and Branch 96-Baler;

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process granted the re-instatement of the agreement starting on Thursday.

This is the third time Jasig is implemented under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's term, which serves as a predominant sign that the current administration has in fact "accentuated the importance of peaceful bargaining agreements."

Some government officials, however, expressed alarm on what they called as "hazards" of the reinstatement of Jasig.

On June 15, government representatives Nieves Confesor and lawyer Segfrey Candelaria went to the Netherlands to have informal talks with the NDF camp, represented by Luis Jalandoni, Fidel Agcaoili, and Jose Maria Sison.

During the talks, the three CPP leaders allegedly wrestled out five conditions from the GRP representatives which, according to reports, were all to their utmost advantage. The most glaring of which are as follows:

1. Re-implementation of Jasig a month before formal talks will take place to allow the NDF personalities listed absolute freedom to move around the Philippines and even travel to other countries;

2. Suspension of pending criminal court proceedings of 12 personalities -- 10 are currently detained while two are now at large meaning they have been trying to elude the law -- and the possible release of those in detention;

3. Immediate release of more than 200 political offenders from jail and the withdrawal of the bounty on Sison and Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal;

These demands were strongly criticized. A government official who requested anonymity said that agreeing to the proposed release of the 10 detained personalities from detention is a clear violation of the GRP panel's legal limitations.

"Only the court can judiciously determine the outcome of a case to include the release of an accused from jail," the government source said.

"Both Confesor and Candelaria failed to realize that they have placed the government in an awkward position and is in the losing end of this deal. Have they not realized that the Communist Party of the Philippines could only be using this as their leverage against the government? They cannot even give us a temporary or even a limited ceasefire to show their sincerity for peace. How can we trust them to stick to their end of the bargain if the formal peace talks would push through?" the same source added.