MANILA, Philippines — On the 51st founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), several groups called for the arrest of its founder, Jose Maria “Joma” Sison.
Members of Hands off of our Children, League of the Parents of Philippines, Citizen Crime Watch, Manila NGO Alliance and other groups gathered at Liwasang Bonifacio in the city of Manila on Thursday and renewed their call for the arrest of Sison, who has been on self-exile in the Netherlands for around three decades.
Jose Maria Sison, Communist Party of the Philippines founder (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Remy Rosadio, chairman of the League of Parents of the Philippines, said that the Dutch Embassy met with leaders of the group following a series of rallies.
During the meeting, Rosadio said that their request for Sison’s arrest was discussed.
“Kaso lang parang nakakalungkot naman—masaya naman kami na dinugon ang aming mga katanungan—pero yung sa pagpauwi kay Joma Sison, ang sagot nila sa amin, our hands our tied,” Rosadio said.
(While we are happy that they entertained our questions, it is saddening, however, that when we discussed about sending Joma Sison home, their response was that their hands are tied.)
The embassy, Roasadio said, cited the lack of extradition treaty between the Netherlands and the Philippines.
Since there is no extradition treaty between the two countries, Sison cannot easily be repatriated back to the Philippines to face arrest.
In September, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the government asked the European Union to revoke Sison’s refugee status in the Netherlands.
“Sabi namin habang hindi matugunan na mapauwi si Joma Sison, hindi rin kami titigil kahit nakausap namin sila. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin kami hanggang sa makuha namin yang gusto namin,” Rosadio said.
(We said that until our requests to send Joma Sison home are granted, we will not stop even if we have already talked to them. We will continue until we get what we want.)
Rosadio said that they are already in the process of completing the necessary documents in an effort to meet with the Department of Foreign Affairs to discuss the possibility of having an extradition treaty between the two countries.
She added that the Dutch Embassy has also vowed to cooperate during the process.
Deceptive recruitment
The groups also slammed the “deceptive recruitment” of leftist organizations that serve as front of the CPP-NPA.
“Yung ginagawa nila, inhumane na yan e. Sinisira nila ang kinabukasan ng ating mga anak,” Rosadio said, adding that children as young as 12 are already being recruited.
(What they are doing is inhumane. They are ruining the future of our children.)
“Talagang lalaban kaming mga magulang para naman matigil na ito, matigil na ang kasamaan nila, panlilinlang nila sa ating mga kabataan,” she added.
(We will fight for this to stop. For their deception to our youth to end.)
INQUIRER.net has reached out to Sison but has yet to get a response as of posting time.
GSG
