"Hindi ako pwede basta hablutin" Joma Sison confident he won’t be arrested despite 'red notice' from the Interpol,

Jose Maria Sison photo from GMA Network (ctto)

Utrecht, Netherlands - Chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front Jose Maria “Joma” Sison is confident that there is no possibility of arrest even after the Philippine National Police (PNP) asks for a “red notice” from the Interpol against him.

A warrant of arrest has been issued against Sison and 37 other rebel leaders for the killing of New People’s Army rebels suspected as government spies in the 1980s, whose remains were discovered in a mass grave in Inopacan, Leyte, in 2006.

The warrant was issued last August 28 by Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32.

“This false charge is laughable. It is impossible to arrest me on the basis of ‘red notice’ because I am a recognized political refugee. Hindi ako pwede basta hablutin,” Sison said in an interview with GMA News.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has said that Sison would be a wanted man across the globe once the Interpol published a “red notice” against him.

The exiled Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder  said, as a recognized [political refugee] he is well protected by the Geneva Refugee Convention and by the European Convention on Human Rights whose Article 3 gave him absolute protection from being put at any risk of being subjected to torture and other inhumane and cruel treatment.

Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde has said that the PNP was coordinating with the Interpol to help the arrest of Mr. Sison in connection with a murder in Inopacan, Leyte in 2006.

Sison said it would only fail the test of due process and the charge was invalid because there is no extradition treaty between the Philippines and the Netherlands.

“I have my rights to be informed of the charge, to have counsel and to ask for judicial review," Joma said.

"My lawyers can easily debunk the charge which refers to a fabricated incident in 1985.  I was then under maximum security detention and had no authority in the CPP and NPA,” he added.

Source: GMA News online