Fil-Ams Welcome Release of Prof. Jose Maria Sison

News Release
September 13, 2007

Reference: Berna Ellorin, Secretary-General, BAYAN USA, email: secgen @ bayanusa.org

Fil-Ams Welcome Release of Prof. Jose Maria Sison
"Fight is Far From Over"-- BAYAN USA

The US Chapter of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, or BAYAN USA, an alliance of over 12 social justice Filipino-American organizations across the US, welcomed today's Dutch court decision to release Prof. Jose Maria Sison as "a victory of the Filipino people's movement and the world anti-imperialist movement."

"The Dutch found no sufficient evidence against Prof. Sison, linking him to the murders of Arturo Tabara and Romulo Kintanar," states BAYAN USA Chair Chito Quijano. "This is a big slap in Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's face. The counter-insurgency scheme of the Arroyo administration was behind the fabricated charges against Sison from the beginning."

The alliance also warned that the fight is far from over for Sison or for the Filipino people.

"Sison is still on the terrorist lists of the United States and the European Union, although he has never been convicted for any crime or terrorist actvity, other than fighting for freedom and upholding the national struggle of the Filipino people. The Filipino people are still under state terror under Arroyo's undeclared Martial Law, escalated now under the Human Securty Act," Quijano added.

"We must remain vigilant. The terror tactics of the US-Arroyo regime know no state boundaries. As governments act in collusion to stifle legitimate and just dissent anywhere, the Arroyo administration will go after Filipino progressives abroad. Our movement must not cease to take action in their defense," Quijano ended.

Over 20 mobiliations for Sison' release trailblazed across several continents when Sison was arrested last August 28, 2007. The homes of seven staff members of the National Democratic Front (NDF) peace negotiating panel were also raided and their computers confiscated. BAYAN USA launched mobilizations across the United States, as well as an online petition for his release at www.freejomapetition.org. Among Sison's US-based supporters was former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark.

Sison is the chairperson of the International League of People's Struggle, a global alliance of anti-interventionist groups in over 30 countries around the world. ###