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National
Democratic Front -Philippines
National Council
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Press
Statement
10
December 1999
NDFP
CONDEMNS ESTRADA GANGSTER REGIME
FOR GROSS VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW
The
Estrada regime is a gross violator of human rights and
international humanitarian law despite its lip service to
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police
(PNP) are notorious for trampling upon basic principles and
norms of human rights and international humanitarian law.
Mr. Estrada shows total contempt for the GRP's obligations
under international humanitarian law, particularly the
Geneva Conventions and Protocol II.
Estrada's utter disregard for human rights and
international humanitarian law was confirmed by his formal
termination of peace talks with the NDFP on May 31, 1999
and his policy of intensified brutal military repression
against the people and the revolutionary forces. He refuses
to comply with the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for
Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).
His regime's brutal military repression is accompanied by
psywar tactics such as "localized peace talks"
under the regime's "national peace forum". These
are aimed at permanently scuttling the GRP-NDFP
negotiations at the appropriate national level and at
trying to conjure the illusion of fragmentation and
capitulation of the revolutionary forces.
Following are some of the recent and most flagrant
violations by the Estrada regime which the NDFP has been
denouncing:
1. The brutal torture and murder of NDFP regional
consultant and NPA commander Ka Paking (Godofredo
Guimbaolibot), Rolando (Ka JR) Jubahib, and two mining
employees on August 2, 1999 at Mawab, Compostela, Mindanao.
2.
The abduction, manhandling and incommunicado detention of
NDFP consultant Vicente Ladlad in June 1999.
3.
Abduction, torture and involuntary disappearance of Ruben
Saluta who was taken by armed agents of the Estrada regime
on November 22, 1999 at Mandurriao, Iloilo.
4.
The multiplication of charges of common crimes against Ka
Parago (Leoncio "Leonardo" Pitao) in violation of
the GRP's own judicial doctrine that he is chargeable only
for simple rebellion as decided by the GRP Supreme Court in
the cases of Hernandez and Geronimo.
5.
Likewise in violation of the above-stated doctrine, the
filing of charges of common crimes also on Irene M.
Valencia, NPA member, captured by the PNP-Regional Mobile
Group 7 of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental on November 18,
1999.
The regime's announcement of a unilateral suspension of
offensive military operations is an outright deception.
Past experience has proven that the AFP and PNP continue
with their offensive military operations during the
"ceasefire period" using the pretense of
"police patrols" or "going after
criminals" and the like under the deceptive slogan of
"peace and order".
The NDFP calls on the Filipino people to even more strongly
expose and oppose the gangster Estrada regime's gross
violations of human rights and international humanitarian
law and to vigorously advance the struggle for human rights
and national liberation.
Luis Jalandoni
Member, NDFP National Executive Committee