Sison Arrested by Dutch police for Kintanar, Tabara Slays

Sison arrested by Dutch police for Kintanar, Tabara slays

The Dutch Public Prosecutor's Office in Rotterdam, Netherlands confirmed the arrest of Jose Maria Sison on Tuesday morning in Utrecht where Sison is based, reported ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.

Sison was arrested by the International Crime Investigation Team of the Dutch National Criminal Investigation Department to face the criminal charges for his alleged involvement in assassinations of Romulo Kintanar and Arturo Tabara that took place in Philippines.

A statement on the Web site of the Dutch Public Prosecutor's Office said: "The Communist leader was suspected of giving orders, from the Netherlands, to murder his former political associates in Philippines, Romulo Kintanar and Arturo Tabara."

Wim de Bruin, the spokesman from the Dutch Public Prosecutor's Office said in a telephone interview that the arrest was done by the local police and the Interpol was not involved because Sison was suspected to have ordered the murders from the Netherlands, which is a criminal act under the Dutch law.

"We started this investigation, a year ago, in 2006 and the police have concluded so far at the moment to make the arrest," de Bruin explained.

According to the Public Prosecutor's office, except for Sison's apartment, the police also combed the apartments of Sison's co-workers, seven in Utrecht and one in Abcoude.

A source said the house of National Democratic Front (NDF) official Luis Jalandoni was raided by Dutch authorities although this has yet to be confirmed.

De Bruin confirmed that it included the NDF Panel office in Utrecht.

The Dutch spokesman also said that it was only Sison who was arrested and that no other persons were arrested in connection with the charges.

De Bruin said that Sison who is the founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) will be detained in the Netherlands and will be tried by a Dutch court and will not be expelled or deported to the Philippines.

The statement said that Sison will be indicted by the Examining Judge at Court in The Hague on Friday.

Romulo Kintanar was gunned down while having lunch in a Japanese restaurant in Quezon City on January 23, 2003.

Kintanar was a former member of the Politburo, the CPP’s leading body. He was also the former chief of staff of the New People’s Army until his arrest in 1988.

Tabara was shot dead at the parking lot of SM Fairview in Quezon City in September 26, 2004. Tabara was the former head of the Visayas Commission of the CPP and also a former member of the Politburo.

Both assassinations were admitted to by the CPP and the New People’s Army.

Kintanar and Tabara were expelled from the CPP in the early ‘90s. The two were instrumental in the formation of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army – Alex Boncayao Brigade which frequently had armed encounters with the NPA.

With a report from Loui Galicia, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/topofthehour.aspx?StoryId=90229