Philippine communists threaten to end peace talks
MANILA, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Left-wing rebels in the Philippines threatened on Wednesday to terminate peace talks with the government, saying it had conspired with Dutch authorities to arrest their self-exiled leader in Holland.
The communist National Democratic Front (NDF), the political arm of the Maoist rebels, said the arrest of Jose Maria Sison was a violation of his rights, and described murder charges against him as "mere fabrications".
"With the arrest of Professor Sison based on false charges, (President) Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has succeeded in extending her long fascist arms abroad, courtesy of the Dutch authorities," the NDF said in a statement.
"The arrest of Professor Sison and the raids conducted are bound to terminate the ongoing peace negotiations between the NDF and the Arroyo government."
It said, however, that it was awaiting final instructions from the negotiating panel before formally calling off the talks, which have been stalled since 2004.
The Philippines described Sison's arrest as "a triumph of justice".
"It's a giant step toward peace, a victory for justice and the rule of law," Arroyo said in a statement relayed by her spokesman, Ignacio Bunye, late on Tuesday.
Sison, 68, is the founder of the Philippine communist party, whose military wing is waging an armed rebellion across the archipelago that has cost more than 40,000 lives.
Arroyo's security adviser, Norberto Gonzales, said Manila was not behind the arrest of Sison, but admitted the local police helped Dutch authorities gather evidence against him.
"We only provided assistance, all the efforts were done by the Dutch authorities based on complaints against Sison," said Gonzales.
Sison has been living in the Netherlands since 1987 and prosecutors said he was suspected of issuing orders there for the murders in the Philippines of Romulo Kintanar and Arturo Tabara.
Kintanar was shot dead in a restaurant in 2003 and Tabara was killed with his son-in-law in a car park the following year. Both were former members of the communist party's military arm, New People's Army.
Kintanar's widow said she had filed a murder complaint against Sison before Dutch authorities, the basis for the arrest.
Since 1986, Manila has been holding on-and-off peace talks with the NDF.
The talks, brokered by Norway, stalled in August 2004.
The communist National Democratic Front (NDF), the political arm of the Maoist rebels, said the arrest of Jose Maria Sison was a violation of his rights, and described murder charges against him as "mere fabrications".
"With the arrest of Professor Sison based on false charges, (President) Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has succeeded in extending her long fascist arms abroad, courtesy of the Dutch authorities," the NDF said in a statement.
"The arrest of Professor Sison and the raids conducted are bound to terminate the ongoing peace negotiations between the NDF and the Arroyo government."
It said, however, that it was awaiting final instructions from the negotiating panel before formally calling off the talks, which have been stalled since 2004.
The Philippines described Sison's arrest as "a triumph of justice".
"It's a giant step toward peace, a victory for justice and the rule of law," Arroyo said in a statement relayed by her spokesman, Ignacio Bunye, late on Tuesday.
Sison, 68, is the founder of the Philippine communist party, whose military wing is waging an armed rebellion across the archipelago that has cost more than 40,000 lives.
Arroyo's security adviser, Norberto Gonzales, said Manila was not behind the arrest of Sison, but admitted the local police helped Dutch authorities gather evidence against him.
"We only provided assistance, all the efforts were done by the Dutch authorities based on complaints against Sison," said Gonzales.
Sison has been living in the Netherlands since 1987 and prosecutors said he was suspected of issuing orders there for the murders in the Philippines of Romulo Kintanar and Arturo Tabara.
Kintanar was shot dead in a restaurant in 2003 and Tabara was killed with his son-in-law in a car park the following year. Both were former members of the communist party's military arm, New People's Army.
Kintanar's widow said she had filed a murder complaint against Sison before Dutch authorities, the basis for the arrest.
Since 1986, Manila has been holding on-and-off peace talks with the NDF.
The talks, brokered by Norway, stalled in August 2004.
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