Surface and release NDFP peace consultant Edwin Alcid and Northern Samar farmers

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We reiterate our demand for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), specifically the 803rd Infantry Brigade under the 8th Infantry Division, to surface and release peace consultant Edwin Alcid (Ka Veejo or Ka Terry) who was accosted with two others last March 8 in Barangay San Jose (Hibubuylao), Catubig, Northern Samar.

According to local reports, Ka Veejo was taken together with residents Siloy Mendez and Antonio Ero. They were last seen being made to board two military helicopters which landed on the village at around 12:40 p.m.

We denounce the arrest of Alcid as an outright violation of his rights under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP).

We also condemn the AFP for failing to release information about the status of Ka Veejo and his companions in violation of their democratic rights and legal processes even under laws of the reactionary government.

We demand the AFP to immediately surface Ka Veejo et al. and and allow them to avail of medical and legal services in line with their democratic rights.

We urge human rights groups and peace advocates to press the AFP to surface and release Ka Veejo.

Families and friends of Alcid, Mendez and Ero are gravely worried about their conditions.

Ka Veejo is 74 years old and suffers from acute diabetes. He has been retired from active service in the Party.

He graduated engineering from the University of the Philippines and was among those who designed and built the Cloverleaf interchange in Balintawak, Quezon City. His children reside in the United States.

Surface and release NDFP peace consultant Edwin Alcid and Northern Samar farmers