Several groups call on Dutch gov’t to give up Joma Sison

Several groups on Tuesday, Sept. 17, called on the Dutch government to give up Joma Sison, who is in exile in the European country. Sison is facing multiple murder charges in a Manila court./Moira Encina/Eagle News/

(Eagle News)–Groups seeking for the arrest of Jose Maria Sison called on the Dutch government on Tuesday, Sept. 17, to give up the Communist Party of the Philippines founder who is in exile there.

Members of the Arrest Joma Sison Coalition, together with the League of Parents of the Philippines, Liga Maralita and Liga Independencia, made the call as they held a rally in front of the embassy of The Netherlands in Makati,  and carried placards calling Sison a “mass murderer.”

Sison and several others are  facing multiple murder charges in a Manila court, which has already issued a warrant of arrest against them

The charges stem from the discovery of a mass grave in Inopacan, Leyte in 2006.

The grave reportedly contained the remains of victims of a Communist purge in the 1980s.

In a statement, the groups noted that The Netherlands had become a “safe heaven (sic)” for leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front, including Sison, who they said continues to direct NPA members to wage a war against the Philippine government from there.

The groups also added because of his location, Sison could not be held accountable for the Digos massacre, other mass graves brought about by extrajudicial killings, and  terrorist acts, extortion and the “brainwashing” of children.

“Dahil dito, nananawagan kami sa Dutch government na alisan na si Prof. Sison at kanyang mga sindikatong alipores ng ‘political asylum’ dahil ang kanilang gawain ay hindi na gawain ng isang prinsipyadong ‘political activist.’ Ito ay gawain na ng isang terorista,” the groups said.

The groups also challenged Sison to come back to the Philippines.

“Hinahamon namin si  Joma Sison, kung kung totoong inosente ka, bumalik ka ng Pilipinas at harapin ang ligal na proseso at ang taong bayan,” the groups added.

The government has said it would seek a “special arrangement” with The Netherlands for the extradition of Sison.

There is no existing extradition treaty between the Philippines and The Netherlands.

According to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, the grounds would be that Sison’s  “‘refugee status’ is no longer tenable because he participated in the commission of crimes and other criminal acts as determined by the Regional Trial Court, which renders him effectively ineligible.”