Dutch gov't to carefully examine evidence vs Sison, says envoy

The Dutch ambassador said yesterday his government would carefully examine the evidence submitted on Monday by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) against the exiled head of the communist insurgent movement, Jose Maria Sison.

Ambassador Theodore Eugene Richard Arnold gave the assurance even as the Armed Forces said yesterday it is ready to submit more proof to persuade the Netherlands to extradite Sison.

"He should be held responsible for the blood on his hands," military spokesman Col. Rafael Romero said. "We are confident that with the additional information, those in exile would be brought here in the Philippines to face charges for the mass killings."

Earlier, the DFA sent a note verbale to the Netherlands on Sison's offenses against the Philippine government.

However, the Hague replied it could only take steps when there was a clear indication of a breach of Dutch law, and asked for further material to substantiate the allegations.

Arnold said his government would study whether legal action or political pressure could be applied on Sison and fellow National Democratic Front (NDF) leader Luis Jalandoni, in accordance with Dutch laws.

The evidence submitted by the DFA included video tapes as well as captured communist documents allegedly showing that Sison and his chief aides were orchestrating the armed insurgency while living in self-exile in Utrecht.

The additional evidence the Armed Forces would submit would include the confessions of former rebel leaders who were captured or surrendered to the government and the documentation of a series of mass graves of alleged victims of a communist purge in Mindanao.

The DFA said Arnold and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Lauro Baja Jr., who turned over the evidence, agreed that the issue should be viewed in the overall context of Philippine-Dutch economic and cultural ties.

Baja said, "A friendly government should not be used as launching pad for activities against the national interest of another friendly government."

Sison is awaiting the action of the Dutch high court on his appeal to be allowed to stay in the Netherlands. A Dutch lower court earlier had rejected his petition.

President Estrada ordered the other day an investigation into the discovery of at least 30 sets of remains of people believed killed by communist guerrillas during a purge dubbed "Operation Zombie" in the late 1980s.

The communist rebels, believed to number about 8,000, have been waging a guerrilla war for three decades. - With AFP