Joma’s death dishonorable, ex-cadres say
His death is dishonorable and should not be used by the communist terrorist group to advance their ill intention of gathering sympathy from the Filipinos against the government
Daily TribuneHis death is dishonorable and should not be used by the communist terrorist group to advance their ill intention of gathering sympathy from the Filipinos against the government
Photo courtesy of Ang Bayan
TACLOBAN CITY — Former cadres and guerillas of the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People's Army called the death of exiled CPP founder Jose Maria "Joma" Sison as "dishonorable" and should not be used by the left to gather sympathy from the Filipinos against the government.
Eastern Visayas Peace Builders' and Development Federation, a group of former leaders and members of the CPP-NPA-NDF in Eastern Visayas, in a statement released on Monday, said it felt pleased but unsatisfied with Sison's death.
"(We are) Pleased because he can no longer advise whenever the communist terrorist group needs crucial guidance on its ideological, political, and organizational disputes," the group stated.
The statement was signed by EVPBDF president Alma Gabin, former education secretary of NPA's Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee and an erstwhile fifth nominee of Kabataan Partylist.
"With the king of deception to lure patriotic Filipinos to take up violent armed struggle gone, the CPP-NPA-NDF now is left with two options — first, the remaining leaders to advance the ultra-left tendency and second, to return to the fold of the law. Ultra-left tendency means more violent means to force the support of the Filipino masses," it added.
Sison died on Friday after two weeks of confinement in a hospital in Utrecht, the Netherlands, the party's spokesperson, Marco Valbuena, said in a statement on Saturday. The cause of death was not disclosed. He was 83.
He is the founder of the CPP, NPA and the umbrella organization of the underground left National Democratic Front. CPP will have its 54th anniversary on 26 December.
"As former leaders and members of the CPP-NPA-NDF, our lives were destroyed by the havoc brought by armed struggle," the group stated.
"We are extremely unsatisfied with his peaceful death because it is not enough for the lives lost and ruined due to the senseless violence instilled in the minds of Filipinos. Joma should have rotted in jail and felt the agony of losing liberty," it added.
"His death is dishonorable and should not be used by the communist terrorist group to advance their ill intention of gathering sympathy from the Filipinos against the government," it said.
The former communist cadres said that if the CPP leadership wants to bring Sison's body to the country, the members of the CPP international department should surrender first to the government.
"Upon surrender, they should call on their remnants here in the country to lay their arms down. Only then unity toward just and lasting peace will be achieved," the group added.