"On Thursday, Luis Jalandoni, chief negotiator of the National Democratic Front (NDF), the political front of the communist rebels, called for the postponement of the scheduled resumption this month of formal peace talks until his jailed comrades are freed.
In a letter dated June 2 to Health Undersecretary Alex Padilla, head of the government panel negotiating with the NDF, Jalandoni said that the talks should be suspended until such time that the Aquino government would release 17 of their jailed NDF consultants in compliance with the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantee (JASIG).
The JASIG, signed in 1995 by the government and communist peace panels, guarantees immunity from arrest to NDF members, consultants and staff who are part of the negotiating team.
Jalandoni warned that the continuing failure of the Aquino government to stand by its commitment for the immediate release of jailed rebel consultants in compliance with the JASIG 'seriously prejudices' the outcome of the peace talks.
Among the jailed communist leaders are Allan Jazmines and Tirso 'Ka Bart' Alcantara who, according to the military, are both members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)." click site for more info:
