PNP: Aside from murder case, NDFP consultant, 2 others to face firearms rapsMANILA, Philippines — Authorities on Monday confirmed the arrest of National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultant Francisco Fernandez and two others in Laguna on Sunday. He said the three will also face complaints for violating the Commission on Elections’ gun ban and illegal possession of firearms and explosives. Parayno said that Fernandez is the sixth peace consultant authorities have arrested. Peace consultants are supposedly covered by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees, which protects them from arrest, but the government suspended JASIG when President Rodrigo Duterte terminated peace talks in November 2017. Duterte announced a “permanent” termination of peace talks with communist rebels last week, days after he terminated the appointments of members of the government peace panel.

Source: Philippine Star March 25, 2019 03:39 UTC