We call on all democratic and peace-loving forces to join us in defending the rights of Luis Jalandoni and fight against his unjust designation as “terrorist”. For much of his life, Louie has dedicated his years in service of the Filipino people and in defense of their rights. It is now time for us to protect and defend Louie!
Last May 25th, the Philippine Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) designated as a “terrorist” former chairperson of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Peace Negotiating Panel Luis “Louie” Jalandoni. Five others were named in ATC Resolution No. 31 brandishing them as “terrorists” on the basis of so-called confidential “verified information” and the trumped-up charges of murder.
Louie Jalandoni, a former Catholic priest who later became a prominent figure of the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (or GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, has been one of the leading voices of the Philippine national democratic movement for many decades now. Though growing up in a wealthy family, his work as a priest in Negros exposed him to the daily struggle of peasants and workers, eventually leading him to join the revolutionary movement. He was one of the founders of the Christians for National Liberation (CNL) .
As chairperson of the NDFP Peace Negotiating Panel, he has tirelessly and consistently fought for the demands, complaints, protests and wishes of the Filipino people not only on the negotiating table but also outside of the formal talks between the two parties. Louie is a man of peace, and not a terrorist by any stretch of the imagination. He is imbued with the highest level of social conscience and cannot be designated and caricatured in the opposite way. At the age of 87, he continues to work for peace in the hopes of fulfilling the Filipino people’s aspirations for national liberation.
