Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Monday urged the consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines to surrender to authorities as a sign of good faith.
Over the weekend, President Duterte threatened to have the NDF representatives who were temporarily released from detention to attend the peace talks arrested after suspending the peace talks with the rebel movement.
READ: Duterte orders arrest of NDF men, calls CPP-NPA a terrorist group
He said he was canceling the peace talks unless there was a compelling reason to proceed as he also urged government negotiators in Rome to come home. The President made the order following the deaths of several soldiers, including a junior Army officer in clashes with the NPA in Davao Oriental and three enlisted personnel in Bukidnon.
READ: Duterte: No more peace talks with Reds without ‘compelling reason’
“They [NDF consultants] should come back here and as a sign of good faith, should turn themselves to the courts,” Aguirre told reporters.
“Once they turn themselves in or arrested, they will be returned to their detention,” Aguirre said.
Aguirre said it is up to the NDF if they would file a motion asking the courts to extend their temporary liberty, though he insisted it would be better if they would report to the courts since the bail granted them is not indefinite.
There are 17 consultants temporarily released by various courts for the peace talks. Among the 17 are Benito and Wilma Tiamzon who were arrested by the military in Cebu last 2015.
Authorities said Benito was the chairman and Wilma the secretary general of the CPP at the time fo their arrest./rga
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