Reds won’t talk

LUCENA CITY, Philippines—The chief negotiator of the National Democratic Front (NDFP) of the Philippines has proposed the postponement of the formal peace talks between the government and the communist rebels until their imprisoned comrades are released from jail.

Luis Jalandoni, NDFP chief negotiator, proposed to lawyer Alex Padilla, head of the government peace panel, in a letter dated June 2 that the talks scheduled to begin this month be postponed “until such time the releases of NDFP consultants and Jasig (Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantee)–protected (persons) are carried out.”

The Jasig, signed in 1995 by the government and communist peace panels, provides NDFP members who are part of the peace negotiating team immunity from arrest and other antagonistic military and legal actions.

Jalandoni particularly cited the cases of Allan Jazmines and Tirso Alcantara.

“There is no indication that our urgent call for his (Jazmines’) release so that he can fulfill his functions for the negotiation is to be heeded by the government,” Jalandoni said.

“Moreover, NDFP consultant Tirso Alcantara continues to be shackled to his bed, a very inhumane condition,” he added.

However, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos-Deles said Thursday the government was moving to release a number of imprisoned communist rebels.

“On the matter of the release of the prisoners, we are already working on that,” Deles said in a phone interview. Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon; DJ Yap