JOMA Sison, the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), who had been living in exile in The Netherlands has died at the age of 83, the group said Saturday.
Sison, a University of the Philippines professor, passed away at 8:40 p.m. on Friday after 2 weeks of confinement in a Utrecht hospital , CPP Chief Information Officer Marco Valbuena said in a statement.
“The greatest Filipino of the past century bereaved us peacefully last night,” Valbuena said.
“The entire Communist Party of the Philippines gives the highest possible tribute to its founding chairman, great Marxist-Leninist-Maoist thinker, patriot, internationalist, and revolutionary leader.”
Following the death of Sison, Valbuena said the group will continue to give all its “strength and determination to carry the revolution forward.”
The conflict between the communist rebels, through its armed wing New People’s Army (NPA), and the Philippine government has been ongoing for over 5 decades now.
It is considered one of the longest armed insurgencies in the world.
