The Department of National Defense (DND) in the Philippines has said that the death of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison will weaken the leadership of the remaining insurgents and deprive the country of the opportunity to bring him to justice. Sison, who was based in the Netherlands, died on Friday at the age of 83 after two weeks in hospital. In a statement, the DND said that Sison was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Filipinos and called on the remaining believers in his ideology to reject the violent and false ideology of the CPP. The DND also said that Sison’s death is a symbol of the crumbling hierarchy of the CPP and the New People’s Army (NPA), which he founded to violently put himself in power.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also commented on Sison’s death, with spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar saying that it is an opportunity for his successor to chart a new direction in promoting reforms, hopefully away from armed struggle. Aguilar also said that there were only 2,112 insurgents as of the last validation and this figure has declined since then. He expressed optimism that Sison’s death will further weaken the underground movement and said that the organization needs to have a good “teacher” and “guiding light” who will lead its members away from violence and destruction.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) Public Information Office (PIO) Chief Col. Redrico Maranan said that Sison’s death is a huge blow to the CPP and the NPA, adding that it is a big loss as they have lost the person they were looking at as a leader. Maranan said that while deaths are not causes of joy for anyone, he is looking at this development in a positive light as a law enforcer.
Sison founded the CPP in 1968 and was arrested in 1976 during the presidency of Ferdinand E. Marcos. He and his wife were released from detention in 1986 under President Corazon Aquino, but Sison went into self-exile in the Netherlands in 1987 after peace talks with the government failed. Peace talks were on and off until President Rodrigo Duterte terminated negotiations in November 2017. The CPP is the political wing of the New People’s Army (NPA).
