Ex-cadres: No to bringing home Joma’s ashes to PHL for burial
AGROUP of former cadres of the Communist Party of the Philippinesnew People’s Army-national Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) has opposed the alleged “wish” of Jose Ma. Sison’s supporters to bury the top rebel leader in the country.
“We categorically declare our strongest opposition to the attempts and schemes of cohorts and minions of Joma Sison and the CPP-NPA-NDF to bring his ashes and/remains back to our country,” Sentrong Alyansa Ng Mga Mamamayan Para Sa Bayan (Sambayanan) headed by its Secretary General Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz said in a news statement issued on Wednesday.
He said the people collectively celebrated justice on the passing of Sison, whom he described as an “unrepentant and unremorseful destroyer of our country” and used violence that include armed terrorism.
He added that Sison, who died on Dec. 16 in Utrecht, The Netherlands, presided over the destruction of the Filipino people and of the country for over 50 years through the CPP-NPA-NDF.
Legal Cooperation Cluster Regional Task Force 6-End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF6-ELCAC) spokesperson Prosecutor Flosemer Chris Gonzales, echoed Celiz’ sentiments in a separate statement.
“Joma Sison is a fugitive hiding in a foreign land. He died as a wanted criminal,” Gonzales said.
“Joma Sison is not a hero. Joma Sison is a notorious designated terrorist leader. Do we allow the remains of a terrorist leader to be returned to our country? The answer is ‘No.’ Let the fugitive Joma Sison be buried elsewhere,” he added.
Celiz said former CPP-NPANDF cadres, rebels and organizers who have returned to the fold of the law and are now embracing the life of peace as advocates of security and development and have become partners of the government.
As of this posting, the national government has yet to issue any statement on the matter.
Sison and his wife were arrested in 1976 during the time of President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. and were released from detention in 1986 after President Corazon Aquino came to power.
In 1987, Sison went on selfexile in The Netherlands after peace talks with the government stalled. Peace talks were on and off until then President Rodrigo Duterte terminated the negotiations in November 2017.
The CPP is the political wing of the NPA.