By CPP Information Bureau
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today demanded the immediate release of NDFP peace consultant for the Visayas Roy Erecre who was arrested last 7 May 2014 in Barangay (village) Bajada, Davao City, by joint military and police forces. Mr. Erecre is currently detained at the Bohol district jail in Tagbilaran City.
“The arrest of Mr. Erecre is another act of gross violation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) which provides safety and immunity guarantees to either party’s peace talks personnel. The JASIG prohibits either party to surveil, arrest, detain and prosecute the other party’s negotiators, consultants and staff members,” said the CPP.
The NDFP negotiating panel has revealed that Mr. Erecre had been issued NDFP Document of Identification #ND978243 under the assumed name Vide Alguna. His personality as an NDFP consultant has been acknowledged by the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) in a letter by its then Negotiating Panel head Silvestre Bello III.
At the time of his arrest, Mr. Erecre was undergoing medication under the supervision of their family physician in his hometown. He is suffering from diabetes. During the early phase of his detention, he was manhandled and subjected to interrogation without counsel. He is facing trumped up murder charges.
“In arresting NDFP consultant Erecre, the Aquino regime has dealt another blow to the peace negotiations,” said the CPP. “It adamantly refuses to heed the growing clamor of various sectors for the resumption of the NDFP-GPH peace negotiations.”
“There are more than a dozen NDFP consultants being detained by the Aquino regime, including Benito Tiamzon, Wilma Austria, Alan Jazmines and several others who all were arrested under the Aquino regime,” added the CPP. “Aquino has also refused to release Eduardo Serrano who has been incarcerated since 2004.”
