NDFP condemns arrest and torture of NDFP consultant Emeterio Antalan and his staff Edgardo Friginal

Luis G. Jalandoni

Chairperson

Negotiating Panel

National Democratic Front of the Philippines

December 17, 2007



Utrecht-, THE netherlands ----The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) strongly condemns the illegal arrest, torture and detention of NDFP Consultant Emeterio Antalan and his staff Mr. Edgardo V. Friginal as another gross violation of the GRP-NDFP Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).

Mr. Antalan, 48 and Mr. Friginal, 41, were beaten up, kicked and hit with rifle butts, by ten soldiers of a joint force of the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) on 28 November 2007 at about 5 pm, in Barangay Dimasalang Norte, Talavera, Nueva Ecija.

This gross violation of the JASIG occurred on the same day that the Arroyo regime’s military and police forces abducted, tortured and illegally detained another NDFP Consultant, Ms. Elizabeth Principe. Only after three days of incommunicado detention did the military and police officials surface Ms. Principe and allow her family and human rights advocates to visit her. She is still detained in continued gross violation of the JASIG.

The NDFP demands the immediate and unconditional release of Ms. Elizabeth Principe and Messrs. Emeterio Antalan and Edgardo Friginal. Their continued illegal detention seriously prejudices any possibility for exploratory talks. ###



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REFERENCE:

Ruth de Leon

Executive Director

NDFP International Information Office

Tel.+31-30-2310431

Fax +31-84-7589930

Email: ndf@casema.nl