MANILA - The arrest of a consultant of the National Democratic Front in Davao City is illegal and violates his rights under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), a lawyer for the communist group said.

Ariel Arbitrario alias "Ka Marlon," and his companion Roderick Manuyac alias "Calot Una," were apprehended by Task Force Davao officers at a checkpoint in Barangay Sirawan in Toril, Davao City.

Speaking on ANC, Atty. Edre Olalia said they have been receiving mixed statements on why Arbitrario was arrested.

"Initially we got information that he was arrested by virtue of the pronouncement of the President, which is actually incorrect and not the proper way," he said.

"Later on, maybe after as an afterthought because they probably studied the fact that they could not arrest somebody who is out on bail without a court order, they changed their tune by saying that the person who was with him was the one subject of the warrant of arrest," Olalia added.

• READ: PH asks communist party consultants to return to detention

He said Manuyac, who was arrested with Arbitrario, is a Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) organizer in Davao City.

The warrant of arrest shown to Arbitrario and Manuyac was allegedly under an alias.

"My information is that the person who was with him was actually an organizer of a union, the KMU in Davao City and the warrant of arrest that was shown to them was under an alias," he said.

"These are really very dubious circumstances but the end results is that a legitimate consultant of the NDF was arrested in violation of his rights under the JASIG," Olalia said.

Olalia added that the 19 consultants of the National Democratic Front (NDF) who were temporarily freed by the courts and participated in the peace talks have returned to the country.

"All of the political consultants of the NDF have come home. The latest was in January 31. They are all here, they are not in hiding," he said.

According to Olalia, they will be willing to go to court to protect the rights of Arbitrario.

"Only the courts, not the PNP, not the AFP, and I know President Duterte, who subscribes to the democratic process, knows that only the courts can order the re-arrest of somebody who is out on bail," he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier scrapped peace talks with the communist rebels following the collapse of the unilateral ceasefire declarations by the two sides.

Duterte had also said he “will alert the international police to arrest them where they are because they are wanted here. I'll cancel their passports.”

• READ: Duterte suspends peace talks with Reds