Charge Reds' leaders so 'Joma' can be brought home: AFP official
By Priam Nepomuceno / Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Bring Communist Party of the Philippines - New People's Army (CPP-NPA) founding chair Jose Maria "Joma" Sison home and face charges for the scores of atrocities and violent acts committed by the communist terrorist group, and file cases against other leaders.
This, according to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Deputy Chief-of-Staff for Operations, Major Gen. Edgardo de Leon, during the June 28 episode of "Tagged: Debunking Lies by Telling the Truth", when asked how Sison, who was given asylum by The Netherlands government, can be brought home to face trial for the atrocities committed by the CPP-NPA.
"I-file up natin ang case laban sa pamunuan ng CPP-NPA (We must file cases against the leadership of the CPP-NPA), he said.
De Leon said the Republic Act 9851 also known as "An Act Defining and penalizing Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, Organizing Jurisdiction, Designating Special Courts and for Related Purposes" states that it has jurisdiction over all Filipino citizens.
"Alam po ninyo maiksi na dokumento lang itong Republic Act 9851, kung iintindihin po natin ito, madali pong intindihin. Nakalagay po dito ang jurisdiction at ang nakalagay sa jurisdiction, Filipino citizen. Kung sasabihin ni Joma Sison na hindi na siya Filipino citizen, maaaring walang jurisdiction, di ba? Kung Filipino citizen siya mayroong jurisdiction ang Republic Act 9851 at dapat siya ay litisin sa korte na designated to try violations of International Humanitarian Law. So lahat po ng NPA, NDF (National Democratic Front), CPP na Filipino citizen, sakop po kayo ng Republic Act 9851. Unless sasabihin ninyong hindi na kayo Filipino citizen. (Republic Act 9851 is just a short document and very easy to understand, if you want to understand it. And under its jurisdiction are Filipino citizens. If Joma Sison will say that he is not a Filipino citizen, then the law has no jurisdiction over him, right? If he is a Filipino citizen, courts that are designated to try violations of the International Humanitarian Law. So all members of the NPA, National Democratic Front (NDF) who are Filipino citizens are under the jurisdiction of Republic Act 9851)," he added.
However, if Sison denied being a Filipino citizen to escape the jurisdiction of Republic Act 9851, then the nation where he will assume nationality is obliged to charge him for pushing for the overthrow of the Philippine government, De Leon said.
"Kung ikaw (si) Joma Sison, sasabihin mong hindi ka Filipino citizen, kung ano ang nasyon mo, ikaw ay lalong mananagot sa batas, pati ang bansa na ikaw ay naging citizen, magkakakaso. Dahil nagsusulong kayo ng isang movement para ibagsak ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas (If you are Joma Sison and would state that you are not a Filipino citizen, whatever nationality you will assume, you will still have to face the law of the country that citizenship you have assumed as you are pushing for the movement dedicated to the overthrow of the Philippine government)," he added.
De Leon added that sustained filling of cases is needed against the CPP-NPA leadership, every day if needed, not only the case of football player Kieth Absalon and his family who were subjected by the communist terrorists in an unprovoked anti-personnel mine attack last June 6.
Filling of cases is needed as the CPP-NPA terrorists are conducting attacks against communities in Mindanao on an always daily basis.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
"I am calling on all civilians (affected by NPA atrocities), please come out in public, don't be afraid as under Republic Act 9851, you are protected as witnesses. We have a Witness Protection Program and I believe that the Commission on Human Rights will stand up to protect you)," de Leon said. (PNA)