Fidel Agcaoili, the chairman of the negotiating panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), died Thursday in Utrecht, The Netherlands. He was 75.
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria "Joma" Sison announced the passing of Agcaoili, who would have turned 76 on Aug. 8, in a social media post.
Agcaoili, a CPP co-founder, perished at 12:45 p.m. (6:45 p.m. Philippine time) due to pulmonary arterial rupture "which caused a massive internal bleeding," Sison said, citing medical findings. He said that Agcaoili did not die due to COVID-19.
Acgaoili was in self-exile with Sison and other Red leaders in The Netherlands.
His remains will be flown back to the Philippines in accordance with the wishes of his family, Sison said.
The CPP extended deep sympathies to the family of Agcaoili in behalf of the entire Philippine revolutionary movement.
"Filipino communists and revolutionaries feel a deep sense of sorrow and loss with Ka Fidel's passing. He was one of the most beloved and respected leaders of the Party, the NDFP, and the Filipino people," it said.
The CPP said Agcaoili "untiringly struggled" with the Filipino people and "served the revolutionary movement and all the oppressed and exploited classes" over the past decades "to achieve national and social liberation."
"At all times, Ka Fidel firmly upheld the principles of the Party. He was imbued with the communist spirit to his last breath," the Party said.
Agcaoili, as top NDFP negotiating officer, led the communist rebels in numerous peace talks with the Philippine government, which had a promising start during the early years of President Duterte's administration.
However, things went awry when both parties accused each other of being "insincere." It led to the collapse of the peace talks and prompted Duterte to declare communist rebels as "terrorists" in December 2017.
The CPP was accused of killing soldiers and policemen during ceasefire while government policies have been criticized by the rebel leaders, most recently was its COVID-19 response efforts.