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NDF ADVISER. National Democratic Front senior adviser Luis Jalandoni condemns the arrest of NDF consultant Rafael Baylosis. File ohoto by LeAnne Jazul/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – The National Democratic Front and progressive lawmakers on Thursday, February 1, condemned the arrest of NDF consultant Rafael Baylosis.

“This illegal arrest and detention of NDFP Consultant Rafael Baylosis is a flagrant violation of the GRP-NDFP Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees,” NDF national executive committee member Luis Jalandoni said in a statement.

The JASIG, signed between the Philippine government and the NDF in 1995, guarantees “free and unhindered passage” inside and outside the Philippines for persons involved in the peace talks. It also means they are immune from “surveillance, harassment, search, arrest, detention, prosecution and interrogation or any other similar punitive actions.”

“The NDFP demands the immediate and unconditional release of NDFP Consultant Rafael Baylosis and his companion, Jun,” said Jalandoni.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque defended the move, saying it would be a “dereliction of duty” on the part of the government not to arrest a person “who has a case, who has a warrant of arrest, if there is basis for a warrantless arrest.”

“Kung tingin nila illegal, magfile sila ng habeas corpus. Wala namang martial law sa Luzon…Tungkulin ng Presidente na ipatupad ang batas (If they think that this is illegal, file a habeas corpus. There is no martial law in Luzon….The President has the duty to enforce the law),” Roque said in a news briefing in Baguio City, when asked about criticism over the arrest of Baylosis.

Roque also stressed that the JASIG, which shielded NDF consultants from arrest, was no longer in effect following the termination of the peace talks.

“Wala namang saysay ang JASIG na ‘yun kasi wala nang peace talks (That JASIG is useless since there are no peace talks),” Roque said.

‘Harassment’

Baylosis was arrested by personnel of the police’s Criminal investigation and Detection Group National Capital Region (NCR). He was detained at the CIDG in Camp Crame after his arrest at around 3:45 pm on January 31 in Quezon City.

According to Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa, Baylosis was arrested for alleged possession of illegal firearms.

Baylosis, believed to be a former leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), was the first NDF consultant to be rearrested after President Rodrigo Duterte ended the talks and declared members of the CPP-New Peoples’ Army as terrorists. The President had also called on the NDF consultants to “surrender.”

Progressive lawmakers also criticized Baylosis’ arrest. Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate pointed out that the Philippine government’s peace panel has yet to send a written and official termination of the peace talks.

“The arrest can be interpreted as harassment against the NDFP consultants and personnel to weaken their stance in the talks, particularly in the signing of the Comprehensive Agrrement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) now pending in the peace table,” he said.

Kabataan Representative Sarah Elago also condemned the arrest, saying it was the first of a “grand crackdown and all-out war against the Filipinos.”

“Duterte’s insincerity is manifest in his fickle-mindedness in pursuing the peace talks,” she added.

Progressive groups staged a protest in front of Camp Crame Thursday morning to call for the release of Baylosis.

ACT Teachers Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro both criticized the arrest, saying it was based on a warrant that “stemmed from false or trumped-up charges, and after the peace talks were terminated by Duterte.” – Rappler.com

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ANGELES CITY—Archbishop Socrates Villegas has called on parents and educators to help the youth develop critical thinking to distinguish the fake news from the legitimate ones on social media.

“You do not just allow others to make a judgment on your behalf because there is no substitute to a conscience that is enlightened and then a conscience that is making its own discernment,” he told a national conference of the Association of Catholic Universities of the Philippines (Acup) at the Holy Angel University here on Wednesday.

“They don’t even have to be Christians. If you see evil, you should not keep quiet. You should call evil, evil. You should call it wrong because it is wrong and offer an alternative which is right, which is what it is to be human, and what it is to be Christian,” he said.

Villegas, head of Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan and past president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, also said the Christian message is “essentially confrontational” as he encouraged youth leaders and educators to defy evil.

He gave the advice to conference delegates who gathered here to reflect on the “Amoris Laetitia” (The Joy of Life), the apostolic exhortation on the family.

“We are not afraid to shake up principles, beliefs, paradigms and viewpoints that are essentially and evidently contrary to the Gospel values,” Villegas said.

“Cowardly companions are not allowed. We are not war freaks. We are not troublemakers but we should not offer consolation without challenging and confronting evil.”

He reminded Acup members that Christ rebelled against the wrongs committed in his time.

Family life and education, he said, should be both an “encounter” and an “accompaniment” with Christ.

“The accompaniment that the Pope offers in Amoris is [one] that confronts evil, [while] at the same challenges you to be better. Accompaniment is not a see-no-evil, speak-no-evil thing. It is rather confronting evil,” he said.

In an interview, Villegas said young people are immersed in “so many values that are contrary to the Gospel and to authentic values.”

He said: “Amoris Laetitia is not about sex. It has been misunderstood. It has been misinterpreted and this is sad.” Amoris is “not a lighthouse but a torch that walks with the people,” he added. /jpv

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PDP-LABAN. Jonathan Malaya, head of the PDP-Laban Federalism Institute, assures the public there is no term extension allowed for President Rodrigo Duterte in its version of a new constitution. Rappler screenshot

MANILA, Philippines – The head of the PDP-Laban Federalism Institute hit critics and assured the public that its version of federalism does not allow a term extension for President Rodrigo Duterte.

Interior and Local Government Assistant Secretary and PDP-Laban executive director Jonathan Malaya told the Senate that “nothing” in the ruling party’s proposal allows an “unlimited” term of office for Duterte, contrary to what critics say. (READ: Pimentel says Duterte’s term may be extended ‘if necessary’)

He also said their version does not allow local officials to continue serving in regional government, not until they are elected.

“Nothing in the PDP-Laban model states that the incumbent president, President Duterte, will serve continuously until the 10-, 12-, 13-, 15-year transition period. There is nothing in this model – because we were the ones [who] prepared it – that will give the President unlimited time in office,” Malaya said on Thursday, February 1, during the 4th Senate hearing on Charter Change.

After all, Malaya said, Duterte himself has said he does not want to stay in power any longer than June 2022. (READ: Duterte to military, police: Shoot me if I extend my term)

“The President himself and his spokesman [have] continuously stated that the President will not serve a day beyond the term to which he was installed..and that an extension of his term is the greatest blunder he would commit,” Malaya said.

Duterte, however, is known for repeatedly changing his public statements. This, and the push for a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) – or Congress filled with Duterte allies amending the Constitution – led critics to vehemently oppose calls for Cha-Cha.

While Malaya defends the ruling party’s model, there is no assurance it would be the version that Congress would adopt. The Senate and the House of Representatives could propose their own. In fact, in the House, there are already several proposals, which significantly differ from the PDP-Laban version.

Critics sowing fear?

Malaya also hit critics for sowing fear among Filipinos and said there is nothing to worry about.

“I’m afraid critics of federalism are seeing monsters when there are none. They’re using problems or the specter of fear because since federalism is a totally new concept and a totally new concept is not easily understood, they are propagating a lot of fear among people, questioning even motives of those proposing [a] federal form of government,” he said.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, the secretary general of PDP-Laban, earlier opened the possibility of canceling the 2019 elections during the transition period of federalism – which minority senators vehemently opposed.

Alvarez also insists that the Senate is not needed for a Constituent Assembly, despite what the 1987 Constitution says. (READ: Cha-Cha without Senate ‘pathetic, ridiculous’ – senators) – Rappler.com

Expect anti-illegal drug operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to wear body cameras by the middle of the year when the acquisition of the devices is complete.

PNP chief Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa has ordered the allocation of P334-million for the purchase of body-worn cameras for local drug enforcement units by June.

Dela Rosa tasked PNP directorate for logistics Director Jose Victor Ramos to fast track the purchase of body cameras for anti-narcotics operatives and ensure transparency in their operations.

The body-worn cameras would ideally be connected to a system where there would be a live feed in the drug enforcement units’ respective operations centers so their commanders would be able to monitor their movements.

“We are really fast tracking the process. We are not dilly-dallying because the longer we do not have those (body-worn cameras), the more uneasy our critics. We want to let the critics feel they are being considered for everyone’s good,” the PNP chief said.

He clarified that the procurement of body cameras was not prioritized in the 2017 annual procurement plan in favor of the equipment needed for anti-crime and counter-terrorism operations.

Among last year’s procurement priorities were mission-essential equipment for mobility, fire power, communications and investigation to boost police operations against crime and terrorism.

The PNP chief said that the procurement last year of 48 K9 units, composed of Belgian Malinois and Labrador breeds that are currently undergoing training at the PNP kennel in Alfonso, Cavite, was prompted by “the need for enhanced target-hardening efforts amid threats posed by foreign-inspired local terrorist movements.”

Each K9 unit costs P545,000, including the training of both the dog and its handler and maintenance.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday’s blessing and presentation of newly procured equipment at the National Capital Region Police Office, Dela Rosa explained that body-worn cameras were not priority last year.

“Maybe to critics, body-worn cameras are priority. They are really looking for holes in our operations. Our priority was dogs because of the threat of ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), terrorism, many lives will be lost. Our airports will be in danger if our Avsegroup (Aviation Security Group) does not have bomb-sniffing dogs,” he remarked in mixed Filipino and English.

He added, “you cannot prevent a bomb from exploding with body-worn cameras but you can prevent it with bomb-sniffing dogs.” /jpv

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