Court orders release of Philippine Communist ldr held on murder charges

Описание: (13 Sep 2007) SHOTLIST
1. Exterior of Scheveningen prison where Philippine communist leader Jose Maria Sison was detained, with his wife, Julia De Lima (wearing white), waiting outside
2. Pan left from walking cameramen to De Lima walking down street
3. Sison carrying a plastic bag with his belongings after being released from prison, pan to media
4. Relatives putting Sison's belongings in car
5. SOUNDBITE (English): Jose Maria Sison, Philippine communist leader:
(Question: How do you feel?)
"Well, I am relieved. I was in solitary confinement for more than two weeks."
(Question: Because of what?)
"Because of the silly, false and politically motivated charge that started in Manila and which the Dutch police picked up. But that is no basis."
(Question: What do you think about the accusations?)
"The accusation is false, as I told the examining judges, the charges is entirely out of my character it is against my moral and political principles to have anything to do with any kind of murder. And besides, it is silly because in the Philippines the killing of the two persons in (inaudible) and Tabara, they were specifications, the incidents concerning them were specifications, in this foolish charge of rebellion against myself and fifty other people including progressive members of Congress, anti-Arroyo (Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) military officers..."
(Question: What are you going to do now?)
"I would like to sit down somewhere I have a prepared statement."
6. Sison hugs his wife
7. Various of Sison speaking to media
8. SOUNDBITE (English): Jose Maria Sison, Philippine communist leader:
"I am deeply pleased and thankful the (inaudible) has decided to release me from detention, you cannot imagine how happy I am. It is extremely painful and humiliating to be subjected to solitary confinement and tough interrogations under over-heated lamps. The ordeal is acute because I am innocent of the false and politically motivated charge levelled against me. I have nothing to do with any murder, especially if it something concocted by the Arroyo regime, this is against my moral and political principles. I am a teacher by profession who loves the exchange of ideas towards common understanding and practical cooperation."
9. Close-up Sison's hand written statement
STORYLINE:
Philippine communist leader Jose Maria Sison was freed from jail on Thursday after a Dutch court found insufficient evidence to hold him on murder charges.
Sison had been arrested on 28 August in Utrecht, where he has lived in self-imposed exile for two decades, for allegedly ordering two rivals killed in Manila.
He was met by his wife and a small group of supporters after his release from Scheveningen prison outside The Hague, where he had been held much of the time in isolation.
"You cannot imagine how happy I am," he said of his release at the start of a prepared statement.
"I am innocent of the false and politically motivated charge levelled against me," he said. "I have nothing to do with any murder."
Judges said it was clear the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) was responsible for the slayings, and that the decision to kill the two men was taken "within the party structure."
But there was too little evidence to link Sison directly, the ruling said.
In a summary of their ruling, judges at the Hague District Court said there were many indications in the files which supported claims that Sison is still playing a "leading role" in the Central Committee of the CPP as well as in the military branch of the CPP.
But no extradition treaty exists between the Philippines and the Netherlands.

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