|
|
PROF. SISON'S LEGAL VICTORY EXPOSES FAILURE OF ARROYO REGIME'S SCHEME
Luis G. Jalandoni
Chairperson, NDFP Negotiating Panel
Press Statement
3 April 2009
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel warmly
congratulates Prof. Jose Maria Sison, its Chief Political Consultant, and his Dutch and
Filipino lawyers led by Michiel Pestman, for their great legal victory with the dismissal
of the false charge against Prof. Sison. For more than nineteen months, from August
28, 2007 until March 31, 2009, the Dutch prosecutors with the collusion of the
Arroyo regime and the U.S. tried in vain to pin down Prof. Sison with the false
charge of involvement in the killing of two military assets of the regime.
Prior to the arrest of Prof. Sison in August 2007, the Dutch prosecutors with the
collaboration of the Arroyo regime, especially General Eduardo Ermita and National
Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, heard testimonies in the US embassy, the
Dutch embassy and former US air base in Clark Field, in the Philippines as well
as testimonies in The Netherlands, seeking to make the false charge against
Prof. Sison stick. But to no avail. Prof. Sison and his lead lawyer Michiel Pestman,
supported by Filipino lawyers led by Atty. Romeo T. Capulong, put up a strong
defense.
It is not surprising that Norberto Gonzales is upset by the failure of their scheme.
He after all was tasked by the fake president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to look
after this case against Prof. Sison.
As Head of the Inter-agency Legal Action Group (IALAG), the agency tasked
to trump up charges against the legal opposition and leaders and members of
progressive organizations, and to cover up the criminal acts of military and police
personnel responsible for extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances, his
efforts since January 2006, a period of three years and three months, have all
been in vain.
This notorious violator of human rights now talks nonsense about "going after"
Prof. Sison and asking the Dutch government to "expel" him. He is ignorant of
the decisions of the highest administrative court in The Netherlands, the Raad
van State, of 1992 and 1995, declaring that Prof Sison is a recognized political
refugee according to Article 1 A of the Refugee Convention and is covered by
the absolute protection of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. This Article forbids his being returned to
the Philippines, because this article stipulates that he may not be subjected to
torture or inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment. The Office of
the UN High Commissioner for Refugees testified in his favor before the Raad
van State. So did Amnesty International.
Prof. Sison and his lawyers, with the wide political support of so many
organizations and personages in the Philippines and abroad, have indeed
won a great legal victory. Those who fight for justice, democracy and peace
rejoice with them.
|
|