The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) asserted on Thursday that the arrests of National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultants Porferio Tuna, Simeon Naogsan, and Wigberto Villarico were both legally and morally justified, regardless of any past protections they may have claimed under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).
Justice Angelita V. Miranda, chair of the NTF-ELCAC Legal Cooperation Cluster (LCC), explained that JASIG was intended to promote peace dialogue, not to grant immunity from prosecution for serious crimes such as kidnapping and murder.
“The JASIG’s purpose was to foster dialogue, not to provide sanctuary for individuals committing heinous crimes,” she declared.
Originally established to protect negotiators during peace talks, JASIG was terminated in 2017 by then-President Rodrigo Duterte due to the ongoing violent actions of the New People’s Army (NPA).
The LCC contends that this termination was a necessary measure to prevent the agreement from being misused for “criminal impunity.”
Justice Miranda emphasized that even while JASIG was active, its provisions never extended to violent crimes that contradict the objectives of peace processes.
According to the task force, the arrests—supported by valid court warrants—demonstrate the government’s position that “no agreement” can shield individuals from accountability for severe criminal offenses.
