Makabayan only has good things to say about late Joma
A "patriot" and "revolutionary".
That's how the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives described the late Jose Maria "Joma" Sison, founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
"The Makabayan bloc in Congress extends its condolences to the family, friends and comrades of Prof. Jose Maria Sison," the militant solons said in statement Saturday afternoon, Dec. 17.
Reporter said Sison died Friday night in a hospital in the Netherlands where he been in exile for decades. He wasc 83.
"Prof. Sison was a patriot and revolutionary who stood with the Filipino people against oppression, exploitation, and fascism during the Marcos dictarorship, was jailed and tortured as a dissident, but continued to side with the poor and marginalized until his death," Makabayan said.
"It cannot be denied that his call for armed revolution to attain social justice and national liberation continues to resonate with the current generation of Filipinos, signifying that government has failed to address the social injustice that drives our people to take up arms," the militant group said.
"We take this opportunity to once again renew the call for the resumption of peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF (New Peoples Army-National Democratic Front) and the implementation of genuine socio-economic and political reforms so that the Philippines may attain a just and lasting peace," it added.
The Philippine government considers the CPP and its military wing, the NPA as terrorists.
Makabayan is represented in the House of Representatives by party-list representatives Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, France Castro of ACT Teachers, and Raoul Manuel of Kabataan.