NDFP condemns arrest of consultant

The National Democratic Front of the Philippines condemned Thursday the arrest and detention of its consultant Rafael Baylosis.

Luis Jalandoni, senior adviser of the NDFP negotiating panel and member of the NDFP National Executive Committee, said the arrest was a flagrant violation of the GRP-NDFP Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG, 1995).

“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,” he said in a statement.

Baylosis is a member of the NDFP reciprocal working group on political and constitutional reforms.

Jalandoni said the NDFP demands the immediate and unconditional release of Baylosis and his companion, Guillermo Roque.

He said while in detention, Baylosis and his companion have the right to consult with their lawyers, be visited by their families, doctors, and friends.

Lawyer Edre Olalia, National Union of People’s Lawyer president, said the paralegals who went on Wednesday night to Camp Crame, where Baylosis was taken, were not allowed to see him.

“We have not spoken to him yet to get details and information as the paralegals who rushed to Crame last night were not allowed to see him,” Olalia said in a text message to GMA News Online.

Jalandoni said the NDFP called on all peace-loving people and organizations to mount a strong campaign demanding the immediate release of Baylosis and his companion.

“They should also demand that President Duterte respect and implement the JASIG, the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL, 1998) and other binding peace agreements. President Duterte must not be allowed to kill and destroy the peace negotiations,” said Jalandoni.

In a Balitanghali report on Thursday, Rachel Pastores, legal consultant of the NDF peace negotiating panel, also condemned Baylosis' arrest.

She said Baylosis cannot be arrested yet because the government's motion seeking to cancel his bail has yet to be resolved by the court.

"Dahil wala pang resolution, wala pang in-issue na warrant, kaya walang basis ang pag-aresto sa kanya kahapon dahil walang warrant na pinakita sa kanya," she said.

Baylosis and Roque were arrested on Wednesday afternoon during a surveillance operation at the corner of Aurora Boulevard and Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.

Recovered from them were two cal. 45 pistols, 14 ammunition, and two magazines. —KG/MDM, GMA News