Convenor of the Exodus for Justice and Peace (EJP) and Aglipayan Bishop Delfin Callao said "While the military has made a show of providing medical care for Ka Jinggoy or Elizalde Canete, prisoners of war like him should also be accorded respect for his political beliefs where, in the pursuit of such, he should not be charged with criminal cases."

The EJP supports the call of the decriminalization of political prisoners. The IHL also known as the Law of Armed Conflict stipulates the protection of human rights including those combatants who are wounded in armed conflicts.

“However, the IHL also means the recognition of the rights of other party in pursuing political beliefs.  NPA leaders like Ka Jinggoy should be accorded with their rights as a political prisoner,” Bp. Callao said.

The group reacted to the statements of the military accusing Canete of a number of criminal cases like kidnapping and arson saying that "he is not a mere bandit; his actions are part of the revolutionary cause which he believes in."

“We fear that with the mercenary tradition of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Ka Jinggoy will be subjected to inhumane and cruel treatment given that he was a known NPA leader who led to the capture of AFP Corporal Dominador Alegre last year and Special Forces 1Lt Vicente Cammayo on 2008,” he added.The EJP facilitated for the speedy release of the two captives.

The Aglipayan bishop also said that “as signatory of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and the International Humanitarian Law the Government of the Republic of the Philippines should fully observe the respect for human rights of its prisoner of war.”