NDF consultants with safe conduct passes can now be arrested – AFP
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2019 10:10:35 +0000
The Armed Forces of the Philippines has said that National Democratic Front consultants with safe conduct passes may now be arrested following President Duterte’s decision to permanently terminate the government’s peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-NDF.
Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said the safe conduct passes that were issued to individuals for being consultants to the peace negotiations ipso facto loses efficacy when the peace negotiations, which is the SCP’s reason for being, has been terminated. “This follows that such individuals availing of such SCPs may now be validly arrested,” Arevalo said.
Arevalo said if the NDF consultants will not voluntarily turn themselves in, government has no recourse but to arrest them anytime.
Arevalo had earlier said localized peace talks are not a waste of people’s money, contrary to the statement of CPP founding leader Jose Maria Sison.
Arevalo said since January 2018 to date, more than 11,000 NPA regulars, supporters, and sympathizers who have realized that they have been deceived have descended from their mountain hideouts to rejoin their families, avail themselves of government benefits, and live normal lives.
“Mr. Sison has the temerity to call President Duterte “stupid” for thinking that government will be successful in attaining peace by engaging NPA commanders and fighters on the ground instead of the CPP-NPA’s national leadership. Mr. Sison speaks like a smart aleck to conceal his panic. He is of course aware that localized peace engagement has been immensely successful,” Arevalo said.
“Mr. Sison consistently calls localized peace talks as a “waste of people’s money,” “cheap trick,” “absurd and stupid,” and by other deriding terms. He moves heaven and earth to prevent it because it will further relegate him to history’s dustbin and render him and his ilk, as they are now, insignificant,” he added.
Arevalo said the old man who is enjoying life in the Netherlands on an infirm invocation of the principle of non-refoulment is now probably thinking of waiting for the future administrations to favor him. (Francis Wakefield)