MANILA, Philippines - A top leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front-New People's Army (CPP-NPA-NDF) said his recent arrest by military forces on the eve of the peace talks “is an outright and arrogant mockery and sabotage of the peace process.”
In a statement, Allan Jazmines said the government and its armed forces have been “intentionally violating” the Joint Agreement on Security and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).
Signed in 1995, the JASIG provides leaders and members of the NDF immunity from arrest, detention and other military actions.
“At the time I was being arrested, I insisted that the arrest is a violation of the JASIG because I am a certified JASIG-holder. I have in fact turned over to my lawyer the details of my JASIG authorities and we can even have those details disclosed to the public in order to prove it,” he said.
The arresting officers, however, supposedly said “to hell with the JASIG.”
Along with Jazmines, 14 are also currently detained.
“In adding another arrest of a JASIG-holder on the very eve of the resumption of the peace talks, the leadership of the fascist AFP and PNP want to show how easily they can violate all peace agreements and make it appear that the NDFP and the revolutionary forces are weak and have really nothing to leverage on and gain in the peace process,” Jazmines said.
He said the issue of JASIG violations should be resolved first before the panel could proceed to another agenda.
“Otherwise, any further agreements supposed reached in the peace talks and in fact, the whole peace process becomes only a laughing stock for these fascists,” he stressed.