European court removes Joma from EU's terror list

MANILA, Philippines - A European Court has removed Filipino communist rebel leader Jose Maria Sison from the European Union’s list of “terrorists,” the group International Committee DEFEND claimed yesterday.

In a statement, the group said the European Court of First Instance (ECFI) annulled on Wednesday all decisions and a regulation of the Council of the European Union that had Sison included in its list of terrorist leaders.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), however, was not able to confirm the statement, saying they would still await the report of the Philippine embassy in The Hague on the court ruling.

The group said the removal of Sison from the terror listing and lifting of the freeze order on his assets and bank account would now allow him to engage in financial dealings like any ordinary person.

“To annul the acts of the Council in blacklisting Sison and freezing his account, the ECFI ruled that the national decisions done in the Netherlands and relied upon by the Council did not relate to the instigation of investigations or prosecution or to a conviction for terrorist activity, contrary to the requirements of the European Community Law,” the group said.

The group added the delisting would now allow Sison to pursue peace negotiations with the Philippine government.

“He must be allowed and encouraged to act freely and fruitfully as the chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. In peace negotiations with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines,” the group said.

Sison, as founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), was included by the US and EU in its list of known terrorist leaders.  – With Jaime Laude, Jose Rodel Clapano