The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel strongly condemned the recent arrests of three of its consultants by authorities on Monday.
According to NDFP Negotiating Panel chair Julie De Lima, the recent “illegal arrests of NDFP consultants Simeon Naogsan, Porferio Tuna, and Wigberto Villarico are a deliberate act by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) to undermine peace talks.”
“The NDFP Negotiating Panel firmly rejects NSC Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya’s insinuations that JASIG is no longer in effect,” De Lima emphasized.
The panel argues that these arrests violate the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), which is designed to protect both parties from harassment during negotiations.
The NDFP also rejects claims made by GRP officials that JASIG is no longer effective and affirms the legitimacy of their consultants, particularly Villarico, who plays a vital role in representing regional concerns in the negotiations. They assert that the GRP’s actions—arrests, torture, and killings—reflect bad faith and threaten the peace process by fostering distrust and hostility.
The National Security Council has already explained that JASIG was terminated seven years ago.
“JASIG was terminated by the government in 2017. So what immunity under JASIG are they talking about? The Joint Oslo Communique of 2023, signed under the Marcos Jr. administration with the NDF, did not resurrect JASIG. The JASIG is as good as dead,” NSC Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya explained.
