DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Luis Jalandoni, former chair of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace panel, died on May 7 in Utrecht, The Netherlands, according to a joint announcement from the NDFP and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Ka Louie Jalandoni, beloved by the masses, a true internationalist, revolutionary leader and stalwart of peace,” The CPP Central Committee and the NDFP National Council said.
“In his final moments, Ka Louie was surrounded by comrades, his wife Ka Coni (Ledesma), and his family. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines expresses its condolences to Ka Louie’s family, whose love, strength, and support accompanied him through decades of service to the Filipino people’s revolutionary cause,” the statement added.
According to alternative news media Kodao, Jalandoni died of an illness in an undisclosed hospital. The long-time peace negotiator was 90.
Jalandoni served as chief negotiator of the NDF in its peace process with the Philippine government from 1995 to 2016. He stayed on with the peace panel in 2016 as senior adviser, and was often called “Ka Louie” by comrades and government negotiators.
As member of the peace panel, Jalandoni has frequently visited the country, including Davao and parts of Mindanao, to attend peace forums where he engaged with sectors from the religious to the marginalized on forwarding the peace agenda.
From priest to revolutionary
Jalandoni was born on February 26, 1935 to a wealthy family of sugar barons in Silay, Negros Occidental. He was class valedictorian in De La Salle University High School and also topped his class in the seminary.
He was ordained a priest and was appointed head of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Bacolod by Bishop Antonio Fortich. His political consciousness rose as he took part in the Church to the Barrios program in his engagement with farmers. He donated his inherited land for the farmers.
The CPP said Ka Louie played an important role in the founding of the Christians for National Liberation (CNL), an organization of religious people fighting the Marcos dictatorship.
Ka Louie joined the CPP in 1972, the year Martial Law was declared and the CNL became part in the formation of the NDFP in 1973. Jalandoni was arrested in 1973 with his wife Coni Ledesma, a nun who joined the CNL, and also coming from a wealthy family in Negros.
Ka Louie was kept for almost a year in a dark, windowless cell with six or seven others. A wave of protests and campaign efforts by religious and international human rights groups forced the Marcos regime to release them in July 1974,” the CPP said.
After their release, Jalandoni and Ledesma sought the Vatican City to be released from their religious vows where they got married by Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin in Mandaluyong City.
The CPP said Jalandoni and co-NDFP founder Edgar Jopson helped in the La Tondeña workers strike in 1975, the first protest action held during Martial Law. Jopson later was killed in a police operation in Skyline, Catalunan Grande in 1982.
Peace negotiator
In 1976, Jalandoni and Ledesma were the first Filipinos to be granted political asylum in the Netherlands due to threats against them. In 1977, Jalandoni became the head of the NDFP International established in Utrecht as he and Ledesma led the campaign against the Marcos dictatorship.
Ka Louie was appointed by the NDFP to its peace panel in 1989, and has been the chief negotiator that signed the framework of the peace negotiations known as the Hague Joint Declaration of 1992. He also led the negotiations that led to agreements such as the Joint Agreement for Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), and other important agreements.
Davao visitor
Jalandoni visited Davao and Cagayan de Oro through the decades and engaged with the media and various sectors discussing updates on the peace process and related issues. In 2016, he was a constant visitor to Davao City.
He attended the book launch of his illustrated biography “Louie Jalandoni: Revolutionary” held at the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP Mindanao) Department of Social Sciences on February 24, 2016.
He was guest speaker of the Ecumenical Church Leaders Summit on Peace organized by the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform held at the Homitori Inn here on Wednesday, September 21, 2016.
He later met then President Rodrigo Duterte in a dinner meeting.
During the 48th CPP anniversary on December 26, 2016, Ka Louie attended a gathering of guerrilla fighters in Barangay Lumiad, Paquibato which was also attended by government officials.
The peace negotiations broke down in 2017 as Duterte resumed hostilities with the CPP and New People’s Army and declared them and their leaders as “terrorists”.
Jalandoni’s last public appearance was in late 2023 during the announcement of ongoing dialogues for resumption of peace talks with the Marcos Jr. administration. The Philippine government has not followed up on this process since then.
Principled, generous
Jalandoni’s presence in the peace negotiations was recognized by those who participated in the process, Kodao reports.
“His firm and principled stand always put the Filipino people’s interests first and that is why he is a very successful negotiator,” said martyred negotiator Randy Malayao in 2017.
The Norwegian special envoy for the negotiations, Elizabeth Slattum, also praised Jalandoni when he formally stepped down as chief negotiator for the NDFP.
“While being firm and a good negotiator, your aura has always been appeasing and pleasant, and your generosity and kind heart very present,” Slattum wrote.
The CPP in its statement vowed “to carry forward his legacy of selfless service, boundless humility, revolutionary integrity, and commitment to waging the people’s democratic revolution until final victory is won.” (davaotoday.com)
Luis Jalandoni, ndfp
