PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines

CPP welcomes release of political prisoners, congratulates NDF negotiators
April 3, 2004

The Communist Party of the Philippines today welcomed the Philippine government's initial compliance to demands by National Democratic Front for the release of political prisoners. Starting April 5 up to May 10, thirty two (32) political prisoners will be released by the government.

Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal, CPP spokesman, said that it has taken the government more than three years to partly rectify the long-standing injustice of keeping the political prisoners. Rosal said that this was initially promised by the government way back during the 2001 peace talks between the government and the NDF. He said further that "despite the long delay, the forthcoming release of 32 political prisoners is at least a good start for the building of confidence in the present peace negotiations."

Rosal said, however, that the 32 political prisoners are only part of the more than 300 political prisoners whose human rights continue to be violated and who should likewise be immediately released.

Rosal said that most of these 310 victims of political repression have long been kept in government prisons under trumped up charges of murder and illegal possession of firearms to intentionally classify them as criminals and not as political prisoners.

The CPP spokesperson congratulated the NDF peace panel for successfully negotiating the release of political prisoners and helping push forward the peace talks.

Rosal noted that among those to be released is Zenaida Llesis, a nursing mother who has been inhumanely incarcerated for more than a year now. "We are relieved that the government finally heeded urgent demands for the release of Llesis and her child who is suffering from congenital heart defects."

Rosal specifically reiterated the demand for the freedom of Donato Continente, whose release has been adamantly and repeatedly opposed by the US government. Continente, together with Juanito Itaas, have been serving prison terms for close to a quarter of a century now for the 1987 killing of US Col. James Rowe in Manila.

Rowe, an active US military officer with Vietnam Special Counter-insurgency Operations credentials, was stationed at the Joint US Military Advisory Group (JUSMAG) in Quezon City.

Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553



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