CHR Chair Leila de Lima, in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel’s Top Story, said Filipino American Melissa Roxas would be asked to explain a video shown by two partylist representatives in a press conference Saturday.

De Lima said she saw the video of the press conference of Bantay Rep. Jovito Palparan and ANAD Rep. Jun Alcover on Saturday where they showed the video as well as photographs. The video and photographs of Roxas purportedly in a training camp somewhere in Sierra Madre mountains in Aurora province.

"We are going to ask Melissa about it so we again summoned her to appear tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 p.m.,” said the CHR chair

She said that CHR has also summoned Palparan and Alcover to produce the video and phographs.

“We will ask Melissa to comment and give her side on that,” said de Lima.

De Lima said that CHR was not supposed to hold hearings this week on the allegations that Roxas was abducted and tortured allegedly by the military.

She said, however, that the Filipino American activist is set to return to the US on July 31.

The local human rights body chair admitted that they were surprised at the “exposé” of the two partylist representatives.

“We are quite intrigued by this development and we want to hear Melissa's side,” said De Lima.

De Lima said that she saw video, but said the CHR would need the testimony of Roxas as well probe the authenticity of the video which was shown by the two partylist representatives.

“We will ask her, of course, if that's her, whether there was such an incident or event showing some young men and women undergoing such a training. So at this point, the CHR would not have any basis in saying whether that particular video or photo is authentic,” said the CHR chair.

De Lima admitted that “there was some resemblance to Melissa.” She added, however, that “at this point, we cannot say that categorically and even the authenticity, the supposed authenticity of that video, we do not know that yet.”

The video showed purported NPA rebels having meals on plastic dishes and banana leaves, resting with automatic rifles, and a segment even showed supposed rebels practicing what seemed to be military drills.

She said they would ask the two lawmakers, who are both known for their anti-communist stance, about the source of the video.
During the lawmaker’s press conference, they said that “a lady rebel” provided the copy of the video in early July.

Addendum:

According to Melissa Roxas’ affidavit she applied for exposure program in the Philippines with BAYAN – USA (New Patriotic Alliance – U.S.A.). Bayan-USA endorsed her to Bayan-National which in turn endorsed her to Bayan-Central Luzon which toured her around towns and provinces of Central Luzon. Later she was endorsed by Bayan-Central Luzon to Bayan-Tarlac. The video showed that she ended up in an NPA training camp in Aurora Province.

See video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLjpwgaV5NY

The CPP and the NPA have been declared by the USA government and by the European Union as terrorist organizations.