Dutch need more proof vs Sison

The initial evidence presented by the Philippine government to the Dutch government for the deportation of exiled communist leader Jose Ma. Sison was found to be insufficient, the military admitted yesterday.

Col. Jaime Canatoy, chief of the Armed Forces' Public Affairs Service, said this was the initial reaction of the Dutch embassy to the written testimonies of victims of atrocities of the New People's Army (NPA) submitted by the military last month.

He, however, immediately clarified the embassy's reaction was made before the Armed Forces presented last week the testimony of Corazon Balweg, the widow of former rebel priest Conrado Balweg, and other relatives of victims of the series of bloody purges conducted by the NPA within the ranks.

The purges, which happened in the '80s and '90s, claimed the lives of thousands of rebels suspected to be deep penetration agents of the government.

Balweg, whose husband was reportedly killed upon orders of Sison, asked the Dutch government to immediately deport the latter so he could face all charges against him in the Philippines.

In addition to their testimony, the military also forwarded to the embassy, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, a nine-page manifesto signed by several non-government organizations representing victims of the NPA purges and atrocities.

Lt. Col. Gregorio Fajardo, of the Armed Forces civil-military operations office, said "boxes of evidence" would soon be forwarded to the embassy.

The military dug up "killing fields" in the outskirts of Cagayan de Oro City and Southern Tagalog early this year. More are expected to be dug up as more witnesses surface, officials said.

He said the military would also present to the embassy Bohol Vice Mayor Jaime Decasa to strengthen the government's case against Sison. -