Communist consultant arrested following Duterte’s order

From Update.Ph (Feb 6): Communist consultant arrested following Duterte’s order

Leftis Bayan Muna Party-list Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate confirmed today the arrest of Ariel Arbitrario, one of the consultants of Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDF), PTV reports.

The arrest was made in Davao City this morning.

 

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the arrest of all communist consultants who were released from prison to join the peace talks. However, the peace talks was cancelled by the President following series of attacks by armed communists killing soldiers.

He said that he has ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to arrest all consultants once they return home to the country from Oslo, Norway.

However, NDFP peace panel chair Fidel Agcaoili said communist consultants are protected by Joint Agreement on Ssfety and Immunity Guarantees. He added that their consultants have returned to Philippines following the third round of talks conducted in Rome.

“These consultants have been put under the effective jurisdiction of GRP courts because they were released only on bail and only for a six-month period. They have been required to secure court permission every time they went abroad to participate in the last three rounds of talks. Their bail renewal is due this month and, as reflected in the Rome Joint Statement of 25 January 2017, both their lawyers and the GRP have agreed to cooperate in this regard,” Agcaoili said.

http://www.update.ph/2017/02/communist-consultant-arrested-following-dutertes-order/14046