NDFP condemns ‘illegal’ arrest of consultant

NDF consultant Rafael Baylosis with his counsel Atty. Rachel Pastores and some members of Kilusang Mayo Uno. FILE PHOTO FROM EDRE OLALIA

The National Democratic Front (NDF) strongly condemned on Thursday the “illegal” arrest and detention of one of its consultants and demanded for his “immediate and unconditional” release.

NDF National Executive Committee member Luis Jalandoni said the arrest and detention of consultant Rafael Baylosis is a “flagrant violation” of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).

Jalandoni said President Rodrigo 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.”

Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said that Rafael Baylosis and his companion, Jun, were arrested by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region (CIDG-NCR) along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.

Jalandoni asserted that while in detention, Baylosis and his companion “have the right to consult with their lawyers, be visited by their families, doctors, and friends.”

READ: NDF consultant arrested – Karapatan

Jalandoni also said that Baylosis is a member of the Reciprocal Working Group on Political and Constitutional Reforms. The committee is in-charge of drafting the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-economic Reforms (Caser), the subject of the peace talks between the government and the NDF until it collapsed late last year.

Jalandoni urged the public to demand Duterte to “respect and implement” the JASIG, 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,” he added.

The arrest of Baylosis came days after President Rodrigo Duterte said that he would crush the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army’s “apparatus.”

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/kga