We were deeply saddened to learn that Louie Jalandoni, an important leader of the Philippine revolution, a great internationalist and close friend of the MLPD, passed away on June 7, 2025 at the age of 90. Please accept our heartfelt greetings of sympathy, especially from our party chairwoman Gabi Fechtner, from Stefan Engel, the longtime chairman of the MLPD and head of its theoretical organ and Monika Gärtner-Engel, the MLPD’s internationalism officer, as well as all comrades of the MLPD and its youth organization Rebell.
Louie had organized himself in the national-democratic movement and the Communist Party of the Philippines in 1972 and since then had fought continuously for over 50 years for the national-democratic revolution in the Philippines and for socialism. He was a close comrade-in-arms of Joma Sison, the founding chairman of the CPP.
He came from a family of landowners, but selflessly joined the workers’ and peasants’ struggle against exploitation and oppression and remained true to this path throughout his life. From a Catholic priest, he became a leading Marxist-Leninist in the Philippines. He was a politician beloved by the masses, a labor leader, the main international representative of the NDFP and the head of the NDFP’s negotiating delegation in the peace talks with the government. He had been living in political asylum in the Netherlands since 1976, where he had to flee because his life was endangered by state terror in the Philippines.
We knew Louie from countless encounters and held him in high esteem. He was humorous, educated, intelligent, warm-hearted and modest.
Our special condolences go to his wife Coni Ledesma.
We will miss Louie, he will be missed by the Philippine revolution as well as the international revolution. His death is an incentive for us to continue the anti-imperialist united front as well as the cooperation and coordination of the revolutionary parties and organizations with all our strength on the path of preparation and implementation of the international socialist revolution.
Louie’s death is an obligation for us to continue his life’s work.
For the Central Committee of the MLPD, Peter Weispfenning
June 9, 2025
