In 1988, he found himself having to apply for political asylum after the Aquino government cancelled his passport while he was in Europe on a speaking tour. He has since lived in the Netherlands as an asylum seeker.
In 2002, the CPP-NPA was included by the U.S. Department of State in its list of “foreign terrorist organizations.” Sison was likewise listed as a “foreign terrorist.” The Council of the European Union followed suit later that year.
On May 29, the Council of the European Union decided to retain Sison in its “terrorist” list. This decision was annulled by the July 11 verdict of the ECFI.
“Professor Sison has long been a victim of political persecution since the Philippine government started pushing for his inclusion in the European terrorist listing,” Anakbayan chairperson Eleanor de Guzman said during the rally. “This move is yet another attempt to pin him down with trumped up, recycled charges that they have time and again failed to legally or politically corroborate.”
The protesters intended to march to the Dutch Embassy and stage their rally there, but were stopped by police at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas Street. Rally organizers attempted to negotiate to be allowed to hold the program along the sidewalk of Paseo de Roxas, but a heated argument ensued between them and the police. The ralliers stood their ground amid threats of a violent dispersal, and peacefully dispersed after about an hour. (Bulatlat.com)
