A similar
warrant was issued for the arrest of Jose Maria Sison and Luis Jalandoni,
political consultant and chair of the National Democratic Front of the
Philippines (NDFP) negotiating panel, respectively. Both are in exile in
Hague, The Netherlands.
The three
were ordered arrested for multiple murder in connection with an alleged
mass grave discovered in Inopacan, Leyte in August 2006.
Incredible
charge
Ocampo
said the charges against him were “incredibly false” and “impossible.”
The charge
sheet states that in 1984, Ocampo was anointed by the Central Committee
of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to order the mass murder
of certain members of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the
CPP, for being government spies.
Ocampo
said this could never have happened because he was under military
custody at that time. He said he was arrested Jan. 14, 1976 and was only
able to escape his captors on May 5, 1985.
Ploy to
derail campaign
Ocampo said the order for his arrest was clearly a ploy by the
government’s national security agents to derail his party’s campaign for
party-list representation in the May 14 mid-term elections.
Bayan Muna
was the number one party-list group elected into office in the 2001 and
2004 elections. In a recent SWS survey, Bayan Muna again topped the list
of party-list groups.
Ocampo
said the order for his arrest two months before the elections is only
deemed at “paralyzing their campaign.”
“Natatakot
silang manalo ulit kami,”
(They are afraid we would win again.) Ocampo told the media.
The
party-list solon said the warrant for his arrest, the recent
disqualification case against Bayan Muna and the continuous summary
executions and enforced disappearances of their members nationwide is
part of the government’s campaign to “neutralize” their party.
He charged
that these moves against him and his party are part of a concerted
campaign by the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG) composed of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP),
the departments of Justice, National Defense, Foreign Affairs and
Interior and Local Government, and the National Intelligence
Coordinating Agency. It is supervised by the National Intelligence Board
headed by Norberto Gonzalez.
The IALAG
was formed through Executive Order 4938 on Jan. 17, 2006 and is tasked
to file legal cases in relation to national security.
The AFP,
Raul Gonzales and Norberto Gonzalez have accused Bayan Muna as a front
organization of the CPP that has siphoned its funds to the NPA. Ocampo,
however, said no evidence on this matter has been put forward by any of
their accusers.
Not in
hiding
Ocampo
clarified however that he is not in hiding despite the manhunt against
him. “Sanay na ako sa ganitong labanan,” (I am used to this kind
of fight.) said the two-time political detainee.
“I am
ready to face these cases politically and legally,” he said. In three to
four days, Ocampo’s lawyer Judge ad litem Romeo Capulong said
they will be filing a petition for certiorari and mandamus
at the Supreme Court against Raul Gonzales and Abando.
“Huwag
nang magpagod ang mga awtoridad sa paghahanap sa akin,”
(The authorities need not exert too much effort in looking for me.)
Ocampo told reporters. “Lalabas din naman ako.” (I will
surface eventually.) Bulatlat
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