MANILA, Philippines - Rights group Karapatan on Monday insisted that the arrest of Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria, alleged consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, is illegal.
At the same time, Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said that Tiamzon and Austria's arrest is a big blow to the peace negotiations with the government.
"The GPH (government of the Philippines) completely ignored previously signed agreements with the NDFP, especially the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees or JASIG. This is not the first time. In fact, there are 12 NDF peace consultants who are in jail because of trumped up criminal charges. Also, there are 10 NDF consultants who are victims of enforced disappearance," Palabay said.
"The GPH resorts to criminalization of political acts to cover up arrests conducted illegally, especially of those people who have clear ideological and political beliefs," she added.
The JASIG provides peace consultants safe conduct and free passage for the duration of the peace negotiations.
For her part, Karapatan chairperson Marie Hilao-Enriquez said the illegal arrest of Tiamzon and Austria "would not solve the root causes of rebellion in the country."
"Brandishing the illegal arrest of Tiamson and Austria like a trophy is insubstantial. Pursuing the peace negotiations would be more acceptable to the people who are clamring for genuine reforms, especially on social-economic spheres. That would be justice," she said.
Hilao-Enriquez is an independent observer in the peace negotiation between the GPH and the NDFP.
In a press statement, the NDFP said Wilma Austria is a holder of NDFP Document of Identification ND978226 under her real name; while Benito Tiamzon is the holder of NDFP Document of Idenfication ND978227 under the assumed name "Crising Banaag."
Tiamzon is the head of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People's Army, while Austria heads the CPP’s national finance committee.
The couple was arrested by police and military forces on Saturday in Aloguinsan, Cebu.