Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultants in the peace talks with the Government of the Philippines (GRP), visited the campout of 200 agrarian reform beneficiaries from Tagum City and their supporters in Mendiola in May 9. They arrived past 8pm, after the visit of President Rodrigo Duterte.
They left the campout around 11pm, only to return after a few minutes because they were being followed by two men riding a motorcycle.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Secretary General Renato Reyes decried the incident as “a blatant violation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).”
“The move appears instigated by the AFP in another attempt to undermine the ongoing peace talks. We condemn such harassment and surveillance. The GRP Peace Panel and the Third Party facilitator, the Royal Norwegian Government, should look into this latest incident,” Reyes said in his status post on Facebook.
The Tiamzons were also tailed and subjected to surveillance after they landed at the airport in Manila, arriving from the March back channel talks in The Netherlands. The NDFP reported the incident to the Royal Norwegian Government and the GRP in the April 4th round of peace talks also in The Netherlands.
NDFP consultants participating in the peace talks are granted safety and immunity guarantees by JASIG, an agreement signed by the GRP and NDFP in 1995 to facilitate the peace talks.
JASIG states on immunity, “guaranteed immunity from surveillance, harassment, search, arrest, detention, prosecution and interrogation or any other similar punitive actions due to any involvement or participation in the peace negotiations” and on safety, “free and unhindered passage in all areas in the Philippines, and in travelling to and from the Philippines in connection with the performance of their duties in the negotiations.”
Salute to the protesters
The couple, whom the military tagged as top officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines during their 2014 arrest, congratulated the protesters for achieving the objective of their campout in Manila: a dialogue with the president.
“Kahanga-hanga ang inyong katapangan, katatagan, mga sakripisyo at inisyatiba. Ang magandang halimbawa ng inyong matatag na pagtindig sa inyong mga karapatan ay may malaking maitutulong hindi lang para makamit ninyo ang para sa inyo, kundi magsisilbi rin itong magandang halimbawa na magbibigay-sigla sa pakikibaka ng iba pang pinagsasamantahalan at inaaping magsasaka, manggagawa, mga Lumad at iba pang masang Pilipino (Your courage, vigor, sacrifices and initiative are admirable. The positive example of your steadfast resolve for your rights not only has a big impact for you to gain what is yours, but shall also serve as a positive example to invigorate the struggles of all exploited farmers, workers, Lumad and Filipino masses),” said Benito Tiamzon.
“Ang inyong pakikibaka ay magiging isang panandang-bato para sa pagsusulong ng tunay na reporma sa lupa, hindi lamang sa inyong lugar kundi sa buong Pilipinas. Kaya kayo ay magiging isang makasaysayang pananda ng pakikibaka ng pambansa demokratikong pagbabago sa ating lipunan (Your struggle will become a cornerstone for the promotion of genuine land reform, not only in your region, but also in the whole Philippines. You will become a historic cornerstone for the struggle for national democratic change in our society),” said Wilma Tiamzon.
Duterte, in the dialogue, said he would help the agrarian reform beneficiaries be reinstalled in their land.
