The National Democratic Front of the Philippines in Laguna, along with all revolutionary forces in the province, give our highest salute to comrade Luis Jalandoni, internationalist and revolutionary. We grieve with all those saddened by the loss of a stalwart of the Philippine revolution and a true comrade to all proletarians worldwide.
In his life, Ka Louie was many things: a Catholic priest, a union organizer and activist, a political prisoner, a peace negotiator, and many others. But always, he was a revolutionary committed to seeing the Filipino people achieve genuine liberation.
Ka Louie’s contributions to advancing the people’s democratic revolution cannot be overstated. Despite being born from the landlord class, he transcended his class origins and chose to cast his lot with the toiling masses and the poor. He became involved with the daily struggles of sugar workers in Negros island, and was also instrumental in the formation of the Christians for National Liberation, one of the founding allied organizations of the NDFP.
He was soon detained by the Marcos Sr fascist dictatorship in 1973 and spent more than a year detained in inhumane conditions. However, damp cells could not dampen his spirit and he soon resumed revolutionary work once freed. He would soon take up the monumental task of bringing the Philippine revolution to the forefront of the international stage.
Ka Louie and his wife Ka Coni Ledesma strove to strengthen proletarian internationalism with the Philippine revolution. Forced to go into exile, they nonetheless managed to build global support for the Filipino people’s struggle against the US-Marcos Sr dictatorship. He also engaged in proto-diplomatic work with fraternal parties, revolutionary movements, international organizations and other governments as the international representative of the NDFP.
Ka Louie will always be remembered for his lasting contributions in the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the NDFP. His steadfast commitment to pursuing a just and lasting peace based on resolving the systemic inequalities of Philippine society resulted in monumental gains in achieving the Filipino people’s national and democratic rights. Ka Louie never wavered in his belief that the Philippine revolution will one day end in victory and genuine liberation for the people.
We honor Ka Louie’s life and work by continuing his struggle. We are committed to intensifying our revolutionary work all over the province. Just and lasting peace only can only come through advancing the people’s democratic revolution.
We must be resolute in expanding our revolutionary organizations, in spreading revolutionary propaganda, in leading mass struggles, and in advancing the people’s war in the countryside. We must continue to establish organs of political power and build up the people’s democratic government, in order to fully secure our rights and dismantle the semi-colonial and semi-feudal system that continues to strangle the Filipino people.
We likewise stress the importance of the resumption of genuine peace negotiations between the GRP and the NDFP. The Marcos Jr. regime’s bogus National Action Plan for Unity, Peace, and Development is only a cover to silence the Filipino people and their genuine demands for social equality, peace, and justice. We must expose the NAP-UPD for what it truly is: another scheme in the service of US imperialism and local reactionaries.
We call on all revolutionary forces in Laguna to uphold the spirit of Ka Louie and all revolutionary martyrs. Though they may be gone, their sacrifice weighs heavier than the mountains of the Sierra Madre. Their loss will always be felt, until our struggle is finally won.
Pinakamataas na pagpupugay kay Ka Luis Jalandoni, martir ng sambayanan at bayani ng rebolusyong Pilipino!
Isabuhay ang diwa ni Ka Louie! Makibaka para sa makatwiran at pangmatagalang kapayapaan!
Mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipinong nakikibaka!