The demise of Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria Sison could be the "hardest blow" in the group's more than half a century of political struggle against the Philippine government, Senator Francis Tolentino said Tuesday.

In a television interview, Tolentino, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, said the communist group will have a "paltry image" following the death of its founder.

"I think it would now have a paltry image. I'm not saying that they're more insignificant. It would really make them decrepit in terms of what they have been advocating. Worn out," he said.

Tolentino expressed his beliefs that Sison's death would surely weaken the CPP to the point that they will not be too significant.

Amid the death of Sison, the senator stressed that justice should still be served especially to the family of those fallen soldiers and other uniformed personnel and civilians who died in the hands of CPP's primary armed component, the New People's Army.

"Before that, we really sympathize with the family of Joma but I think justice should also be served," Tolentino said.

"The soldiers and civilians who died should also be given justice. Those who become collateral damage to the insurgency should be given justice," he added.

The senator noted that somebody should answer for the terrorism they caused to "close this chapter" in history.

Likewise, Tolentino also advised personalities who belong to the "leftist group" that are planning to succeed Sison to "heed the call of history," stressing that what the Filipinos really need right now is peace and progress.

"What the public wants is progress and peace but if they are planning to continue it, they are on the wrong side of history," he said.

"They should acknowledge that the country needs peace and progress," he added.

He issued the remarks after the CPP announced that it will not have a holiday truce following the death of its founder, Sison, who died at 83 in The Netherlands last 16 December.