AFP doubts claim 'Ka Bart' is NDF consultant

MANILA, Philippines - The military doubted yesterday the claims of the National Democratic Front (NDF) that arrested rebel leader Tirso “Ka Bart” Alcantara is one of its consultants and covered by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).

Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. said Alcantara must prove that he is performing tasks related to the peace talks.

“He (Alcantara) needs to present two things,” he said.

“First is a document stating that he is member of the negotiating team and secondly, that he was actually in the performance (of a duty for) the negotiating panel. These two items were not present.

“We doubt really if he is (an NDF consultant). But OPAPP (Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process) will still have to decide on this very important issue.”

Under the JASIG signed in 1995, NDF staff, members, and consultants who are part of the negotiating panel enjoy immunity from arrest.

Over the weekend, the NDF confirmed that Alcantara, who was nabbed by security forces last Jan. 4 in Lucena City, is one of its consultants.

The NDF said its chairman Luis Jalandoni has written a letter to government negotiators demanding the release of Alcantara.

“The NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) negotiating panel urges you to pay special attention to the just demand... and urge your principal in the GRP to ensure the release of Mr. Tirso Alcantara as soon as possible,” read the letter.

Mabanta questioned how the NDF leaders were able to confirm that Alcantara is covered by the JASIG.

“How can they confirm when the vault has not yet been opened?” he asked.

“Only the list which is inside the vault will confirm if he (Alcantara) is in the list.”

Mabanta was referring to a vault in the Netherlands which contains a list of the names of 96 people covered by the JASIG.

He said communist rebels are working to free Alcantara since he is considered a key leader of their movement.

“He (Alcantara) is an experienced ideologue who has been in the movement since the ‘70s,” he said.

“He will be a big loss. He can be replaced but it will take time for his replacement.”

Informal talks between the NDF and the government have been scheduled on Jan. 14 to 18 in Oslo, Norway.

Formal talks are expected to resume on Feb. 19-25.

Meanwhile, Mabanta said Alcantara was visiting his lover, who happens to be the wife of one of the Morong 43, when he was captured last week.

Mabanta identified Alcantara’s supposed lover as Precy Hernando, reportedly the wife of Morong 43 member Eulogio Castillo.

He said Alcantara is legally married to a certain Leda Estanislao.

The Morong 43 is a group of suspected rebels who were nabbed by the military last year in Morong, Rizal.

The suspects, who claimed to be health workers, have been ordered released due to questions on the validity of their arrest warrant.

Castillo, however, is still detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig as he has pending criminal charges.

Mabanta said Hernando is the “party wife” of Alcantara, which means that the underground movement recognizes them as a couple.

“Just like any normal human being, they (rebels) have their own share of personal problems... Personal problems directly affect the performance of their own individual tasks,” Mabanta said.

Alcantara is facing 23 criminal charges and is tagged in the killing of former rebel leader Romulo Kintanar in 2003.

He is recovering at the Fort Bonifacio General Hospital in Taguig after sustaining a bullet wound.