NDFP’s Jalandoni won’t be arrested during talks, Palace says

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday assured National Democratic Front of the Philippines senior adviser Luis Jalandoni that he would not be arrested once he returns to the country to attend informal peace talks with the government.

Jalandoni, NDFP peace panel chair Fidel Agcaoili and peace panel member Coni Ledesma canceled their trip to the Philippines over fear of being arrested. They sought a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte to work out the possible resumption of peace talks.

“They have been threatened with arrest by military and police authorities of the Duterte regime and Duterte himself has given no assurance of safety and has publicly expressed lack of interest in any effort to resume the peace negotiations [between the government of the Philippines and the NDFP],” Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria Sison said Monday.

But the Palace branded the concerns of Jalandoni as “misplaced.”

“Mr. Jalandoni cites the pronouncement of secretary of the Interior and Local Government Eduardo Año that he would be arrested. Such statement was made when the peace talks was canceled by the president due to the violations of the ceasefire agreement by the communist rebels,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

Año, however, said last Thursday that police will arrest top NDFP leaders when they arrive in the Philippines until Duterte orders otherwise.

“They have warrants of arrest. I will have them arrested, unless the president will order me not to effect the arrest. But for me, I will arrest them,” Año was quoted as saying in a Rappler report.

But Panelo maintained that no arrest will happen during the days of informal talks.

“Mr. Jalandoni’s intention in returning to the country is to promote the peace talks between their movement and the Philippine government, he is assured therefore that no arrest will be effected upon his person,” he said.

The president’s mouthpiece added: “To think otherwise is contrary to logic for certainly, a successful amicable discussion between the parties cannot be expected when one party’s liberty is—or threatened to be—compromised.”

Presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza said the chief executive has ordered him and Panelo to meet Agcaoili and Jalandoni should they return to the country for an informal chat.

Dureza added that Agcaoili and Jalandoni had no pending warrants of arrest, contrary to the claim of Año.