ON THE DECISION OF THE DUTCH PROSECUTION TO DISMISS CASE AGAINST ME

By Prof. Jose Maria Sison
Chairperson
International League of Peoples’ Struggle
31 March 2009

I am very happy that, because of insufficient legal and convincing evidence, the Public Prosecution Service of the Dutch government has decided to dismiss the case against me concerning the deaths of two security consultants and military assets of the Philippine reactionary government.

I have always been confident that the case would eventually be dismissed because in the first place I am innocent of the allegation. Moreover, the Dutch courts have previously made a series of decisions to release me from detention because of insufficient evidence and the political context of the case against me. The decision of the Dutch Public Prosecution Service to drop the case is long overdue and much delayed.

I am glad that the false charge against me has not prospered in the Dutch judicial system despite the pressure of the Philippine and US political authorities and the accommodation of these by the Dutch political authorities. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service is absurd for insinuating in its press release that a “wall of fear” has deterred witnesses from testifying against me.

On the contrary, the Philippine political and military authorities fabricated the false charge and provided a whole bunch of false witnesses against me. The Dutch Court of Appeals no less said that it is doubtful if I can avail of my right to get my own witnesses and cross-examine the witnesses of the other side because of the political context of the case.

I take this opportunity to thank once more all the people and organized forces worldwide who have supported me in my time of need against the false charge. For my successful legal defense, I congratulate and thank all my Dutch and Filipino lawyers, including Michiel Pestman as lead, Victor Koppe and Suus Hopman of the Bohler, Franken, Koppe & Wijngaarden law firm, Prof. Ties Prakken as consultant, Dundar Gurses of Schoolplein Advocaten and former UN Judge Romeo T. Capulong, Rachel F. Pastores and Amylyn Sato of the Public Interest Law Center.

We are now considering what further legal action to take in order to seek full justice and demand compensation for the legal costs and the moral and material damages inflicted on me. I presume that together with their lawyers, the chairperson and members of the Negotiating Panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), their consultants and staffers, are considering similar legal action in relation to the simultaneous raids and seizure of properties carried out against them by the Dutch police at the time of my arrest on 27 August 2007.

Consequent to the dismissal of the case I hope for the following to develop:

1. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service should prosecute those involved in the assassination attempts against me in the years 1991-2001. In this regard, I have filed a court case against the prosecution for failing to prosecute those who tried to assassinate me in The Netherlands.
2. The Dutch government should respect my rights and should have my name removed from the “terrorist list” of the Council of the European Union in order to make amends for the injustices it has done to me in my asylum case, in the “terrorist” listing and in the false charge of murder by repeatedly using false charges supplied by the Philippine reactionary government.
3. The dismissal of the case against me enables me to have more time to work for the peace negotiations between the GRP and the NDFP in my capacity as NDFP chief political consultant. I am determined to work for a just and lasting peace in the Philippines on the basis of agreements on social, economic and political reforms that address the roots of the armed conflict.###

For reference and interviews please contact:

Prof. Jose Maria Sison
Telephone Nos.: 00-31-30-2805781

Atty. Michiel Pestman
Telephone Nos.: 00-31-6-21584900