The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) strongly condemns the Marcos regime and its military and police forces for the unlawful arrest of National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant for Cordillera Gabriel Kennedy Bangibang and nine others last March 11. They were forcibly taken in simultaneous raids in Tarlac City and Quezon City, and maliciously tagged as members of the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee.

Joint military and police elements raided the place where Bangibang was staying in Barangay Baras-Baras, Tarlac City. Six others were also arrested. During the operation, the victims were physically and verbally assaulted—struck on the head, beaten on the face and stomach, and slammed to the ground. They now face fabricated charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, in addition to trumped-up cases of murder, attempted murder, and qualified trafficking.

Bangibang served as an NDFP peace consultant during the 2016 negotiations with the Philippine government. He provided the NDFP Negotiating Panel with crucial insights into the situation of the Cordilleran and other national minority communities, helping ensure that their voices and interests were genuinely represented in the peace process.

Bangibang’s arrest is a blatant violation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), which protects peace negotiators and personnel from reprisal. This brazen disregard for existing peace accords further aggravates efforts to revive talks that have remained stalled since the signing of the Oslo Joint Statement in November 2023.

A proud son of the Taluktok tribe of Tanudan, Kalinga, Bangibang also served as an official of the Cordillera People’s Democratic Front (CPDF). Having joined the CPDF in 1987, he has long dedicated himself to addressing the deeply rooted social and economic injustices faced by national minorities—issues central to the proposed Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms (CASER).

The arrest and continued detention of Bangibang and his companions are clear acts of political persecution meant to punish him for his role in the peace process.

The CPP also joins human rights and democratic organizations in demanding the immediate surfacing of Jess Gamay and another companion who remain missing following their arrest in a separate raid in Fairview, Quezon City. Quezon City police officers claim the two were “released” after no charges were filed. They must be surfaced and safely reunited with their families without delay.

Bangibang and his companions now join the ranks of nearly 800 political prisoners unjustly jailed across the country. Their arrest once again exposes the duplicity of the Marcos regime, which peddles amnesty for “surrenderees” even as it continues to persecute individuals for their political beliefs and social commitments. The arrest came two days before the March 13 deadline for the “amnesty applications.”

The CPP calls on all local and international human rights and humanitarian organizations, as well as peace advocates, to extend solidarity and assistance to Bangibang and his companions. We urge all democratic forces to unite in demanding their immediate and unconditional release.

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