No medicine, media for Joma; NDF chair scores Dutch gov't

Luis Jalandoni, National Democratic Front peace panel chair, said the Dutch government was "maltreating" Jose Maria Sison despite flimsy evidence, and allowing itself to be used by the Arroyo administration “like a horse pulling a cart." A Dutch court put Sison in solitary confinement for two more weeks without access to media, and denied him right to bring prescription medicines to his cell, Jalandoni said. Still, Jalandoni said Sison, founding chair of the Communist Party of the Philippines, remains "in high spirits." “Joma is coping well, he’s in good spirits pero ikinukundena pa rin natin ang kondisyon niya (Sison is coping well. He’s in good spirits but we still condemn the conditions he is subjected to)," Jalandoni said in an interview on dzRH radio. Jalandoni said the court also ordered another hearing on September 7 to decide if Sison would be released after 14 days or if his detention would be extended by another 90 days. "Pag masama ang decision p'wedeng dalhin sa court of appeals (If the decision is unfavorable, he can bring it to the Dutch court of appeals)," he said. He said Sison, who was arrested on double-murder charges last Tuesday, was ordered detained in solitary confinement, without access to newspapers, television, radio or visitors. Jalandoni said Sison was even denied the right to bring with him his prescription medicines. Worse, he said the facility where Sison is to be detained is the same one where the late former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic was held for war crimes and corruption. “This kind of solitary confinement is tantamount to torture," he said. Jalandoni said Sison’s lawyer Michiel Pestman described the court’s decision as “scandalous" because the so-called evidence presented by the prosecution “amounted to nothing." He said that with the court proceedings, the Dutch government showed it allowed itself to be used by the Arroyo government. “Nagpapagamit lang ang Dutch government at ang public prosecutor’s office ng Holland sa Arroyo regime ... Ang Dutch court nagpapagamit parang kabayo sa kalesa ng Arroyo regime (The Dutch government and its public prosecutor’s office is allowing itself to be used by the Arroyo regime like a horse pulling a cart)," he said. Jalandoni also said protests were held outside the courthouse with Filipino, Dutch and US nationals joining the activity. He said similar protests were held in other countries and territories including Indonesia, Hong Kong, Australia, the United States and Canada. Last Friday, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) voiced fears Sison may be “extra-judicially" transferred to the United States. In a statement on its website www.philippinerevolution.net, CPP spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger" Rosal said Friday the US may want to detain Sison in Guantanamo Bay or some secret facility. "The US has had standing plans to subject Sison to extraordinary rendition and imprisoned either in Guantanamo Bay or some other secret US facility," he said. He scored in particular US ambassador Kristie Ann Kenney, who said her government will extend support to the Dutch government to prosecute Sison. Rosal urged Sison’s supporters in the country and across the world to be vigilant against the possibility of having Sison extra-judicially transferred to US authority. On the other hand, he also warned against intentions of the Arroyo regime to have Sison repatriated and thus set him up for the kill by its death squads. “Ka Joma’s arrest by Dutch police gratifies the US imperialists vexed at his sharp critical tirades against their oppression and exploitation of the world’s people. He has been tireless and vigorous in promoting the anti-imperialist and people’s struggles across the globe," said Rosal. “The US government as well as its reactionary puppet regime in the Philippines have long wanted the Dutch government to clamp down on the NDFP’s international solidarity work based in The Netherlands and put a stop to Sison’s leading role in the reinvigoration of the international communist movement and the growing anti-imperialist and people’s struggles across the world," he added. “US imperialism and its Dutch and local allies are thus terrified of Sison and is only to glad to help do him away," he said. Rosal also refuted claims by Malacañang officials that Sison’s arrest “boosts peace talks." “Ka Joma’s has been one of the prime movers of the peace process. His arrest is a hostile assault on the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations," he said. - GMANews.Tv