NDFP denounces illegal arrest of consultant

MANILA, Philippines — The National Democratic Front of the Philippines on Thursday strongly condemned the illegal arrest and detention of its consultant Rafael Baylosis.

Baylosis, a member of the NDFP Reciprocal Working Group on Political and Constitutional Reforms and acting secretary of the New People's Army, was arrested Wednesday by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Katipunan Road, Quezon City.

Baylosis was the first consultant to be rearrested since President Rodrigo Duterte cancelled peace talks with communist rebels and declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing NPA as terrorist groups last year.

He was released in 2016 to join the peace talks

NDFP National Executive Committee member Luis Jalandoni called the illegal arrest and detention of Baylosis a “flagrant violation” of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees signed by the Philippine government and the NDFP.

“President Duterte must be held accountable for this trampling upon a valid peace agreement that assures all consultants and those participating in peace negotiations immunity from surveillance, harassment, search, arrest, detention, prosecution and interrogation or any other similar punitive action,” Jalandoni said.

He called on Duterte, a self-styled socialist, to respect and implement the JASIC, the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and other binding peace agreements.

“President Duterte must not be allowed to kill and destroy the peace negotiations,” Jalandoni said.

NDFP, moreover, demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Baylosis and his companion, Jun, who are currently detained at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Kabataan Party-list likewise condemned the “scheme of the state to rearrest all other NDFP consultants” and called on the public to join “mobilizations against tyranny and dictatorship.”

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