Dear comrades and friends,

Below is a statement by Mr. Luis Jalandoni chairperson of the Negotiating Panel for the National Democratic Front of the Philippines

in solidarity,

International Office
National Democratic Front of the Philippines
Amsterdamsestraatweg 50
3513 AG Utrecht
The Netherlands
tel.: +31 30 2310431
fax.: +31 30 2322989
website: http://home.wanadoo.nl/ndf

Press Statement
9 November 2002

MACAPAGAL-ARROYO REGIME MUST RENOUNCE STATE TERRORISM

GRP President Macapagal-Arroyo’s demand that the NDFP renounce terrorism as a precondition for resumption of peace talks is utterly hypocritical and preposterous. It is the regime and its military, police and paramilitary forces that are guilty of massive state terrorism.

In May this year, Amnesty International in London wrote a protest letter to the regime, asking for answers regarding the extrajudicial execution of Benjaline Hernandez and her three companions on April 5, 2002.

Benjaline “Beng” Hernandez, a young human rights worker, was found on 5 April 2002 with her face shattered. Her body was riddled with bullets in the neck, upper right chest and left palm. Her arms were raised when she was shot at close range.

No answer has been received by Amnesty International.

From 22 January 2001 to 15 July 2002, Karapatan, the Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights, has documented 148 activists killed (in assassinations, summary executions, indiscriminate firing and massacre) under the regime. In that period, 1,334 cases of human rights violations affecting 37,144 victims, including 1,265 families and 38 communities were documented. Furthermore, it is a well-known fact that 28 Bayan Muna officers and members have been murdered and 4 have been disappeared.

It is the Macapagal-Arroyo regime that must renounce state terrorism and indemnify the many thousands of its victims. It must also apologize for and set aright its violations of major agreements.

It has violated the Hague Joint Declaration, especially its noncapitulation provision, by demanding the surrender of the NDFP, CPP and NPA.

It has violated the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) by acting to put Prof. Jose Maria Sison, NDFP Chief Political Consultant in the peace negotiations, on the “terrorist” list.

It has violated the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) by the above-mentioned massive acts of state terrorism and its refusal to set up the Joint Monitoring Committee.

De facto the Macapagal-Arroyo regime has scuttled the peace negotiations and has embarked on an all-out war policy in complete subservience to the US.

The NDFP, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) have declared their adherence to the Geneva Conventions and Protocol I in July 1996 and have deposited this with the Swiss Federal Council and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The Rules of the NPA and the CPP’s Guide for Establishing the People’s Democratic Government provide for strict rules respecting the rights of civilians, captured prisoners and those duly charged in a people’s court. The humane treatment accorded by the NPA to prisoners of war released on humanitarian grounds through the ICRC is a well-known fact.

It should be noted that it is the GRP, the US government as well as the Israeli government that have refused to sign Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions.

Before the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations are resumed, the Macapagal-Arroyo regime must renounce state terrorism and indemnify its many victims. It must declare its compliance with The Hague Joint Declaration, the JASIG and the CARHRIHL. It must agree to the setting up of the Joint Monitoring Committee as provided for by the CARHRIHL

Luis Jalandoni
Chairperson, NDFP Negotiating Panel