What about Joma’s crimes against humanity?

By ANAD Partylist
March 4, 2012

QUEZON CITY  –  “What does President Aquino III mean when he said that Joma Sison may join the 2013 polls only after a formal and comprehensive peace agreement is signed by the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF)? (PNoy: Joma may run in 2013 polls, 03/03/12, www.tribuneonline.org). Does this mean that once an agreement is signed by both parties, a presidential clemency is to be handed down for Joma despite the many criminal cases against him that are pending with the courts?” asked ANAD Rep. Jun Alcover in reaction to several stories coming out of the national dailies last Saturday (March 3).

“Surrender of their firearms is not enough so that Joma and his cabal of demagogues could be able to join the country’s political fray. They must be made to answer for the grizzly crimes they has committed against the Filipino people,” the former NPA political and commanding officer turned pro-democracy advocate stressed. (Yield and join polls, Aquino tells rebels, 03/03/12, www.inquirer.net)

Rep. Alcover said that it is unconscionable for anyone to think that Joma, primus enter pares of Maoist communist terrorism in the country, by just a stroke of Presidential fiat could easily get away from the many criminal cases; while government law enforcement units are ordered to hunt down retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan for the alleged trumped-up case of kidnapping that many believe is politically motivated. “It is grossly unfair for government to openly display double standard in the implementation of our laws,” he said.

“We should not forget that sometime in l987 Joma discreetly went to the Netherlands. With the assistance of his communist friends there, he was able to acquire refugee status and thus evade the long arm of our laws,” Rep. Alcover pointed out as he strongly urged the government to uphold the rule of law and the country’s established judicial processes.

On the other hand, Rep. Alcover hit Presidential Political Adviser Ronald Llamas who reportedly went twice to Utrecht, Netherlands to convince Joma to come home (Noy open to Joma’s return, 03/03/2012, www.philstar.com). “What is Sec. Llamas trying to show and prove to us? Will Sec. Llamas explain what does he mean by political settlement? Doing these under wraps yet using public funds connotes serious devious intentions! Has President Aquino III given the go signal for back-channel efforts instead of the formal peace negotiations which is now indefinitely suspended?” he asked.

“If not for some media personalities ‘with a nose for factual and relevant informations’, we are always left in the dark. Despite ANAD’s several calls for transparency in the conduct of the peace talks, the Aquino III administration made no response,” Rep. Alcover said even as he expressed willingness to help government achieve what it believes is best for its people and country.

“We have sworn to serve the Filipinos people in all honesty and candor but never to be lapdogs and mouthpieces of anyone especially those with viral and selfish political interests,” he said.