Other NDFP consultants face arrest, Palace says

MALACAÑANG on Thursday, November 8, said other National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultants may be arrested since the 1995 agreement that guaranteed their safe passage and immunity from arrest is already deemed ineffective.

Three NDFP consultants have been arrested since January, about two months after President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation 360 on November 23, 2017, formally terminating the peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) because of the string of attacks launched by its armed wing, the New People's Army, against government troops.

First to fall was Rafael Baylosis on January 31. Adelberto Silva, vice-chairperson of the NDFP Reciprocal Working Committee on Social and Economic Reforms, was arrested in October.

Before dawn Thursday, a joint police and military team also arrested Vicente Ladlad for alleged illegal possession of firearms.

Presidential Spokesperson Panelo said Ladlad's arrest did not violate the 1995 Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig), which was already deemed ineffective after the issuance of Proclamation 360.

"I don't think so because first, the Jasig is operative only if there are peace talks ongoing. But it has been terminated by the proclamation of the President on November 23, 2017," he said, when asked if Ladlad's arrest violates Jasig.

"There has been an announcement by the President even last year about the arrest of these people, given the proclamation that the peace talks have ended," he added.

Jasig had guaranteed the NDFP consultants safe passage and immunity from arrest while the peace talks were ongoing. The NDFP is the political arm of the communist party.

Panelo said there is no need to issue an arrest warrant on communist insurgents committing a "crime of rebellion" like Ladlad.

"The crime of rebellion is a continuing crime and therefore, no warrant of arrest is needed for that," the Palace official said.

Bayan Muna Party-list Representative Carlos Zarate denounced Ladlad's arrest.

"These arrests of peace consultants is ominous of things to come as the government is further precluding possible enabling conditions for the continuation of the peace process,” said Zarate. (With Keith A. Calayag/SunStar Philippines)

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