Negrense Luis Gamboa Jalandoni , former National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) chairman and chief peace negotiator, passed away in Utrecht, The Netherlands, Saturday morning.
Jalandoni, who was from Silay City, was 90.
“Ka Louie passed away peacefully at around 9:05 in the morning in Utrecht, the Netherlands (03:05pm Philippine time) on June 7,” the Communist Party of the Philippines announced.
“In his final moments, Ka Louie was surrounded by comrades, his wife Ka Coni, and his family”, it said.
His wife Maria Consuelo “Coni” Ledesma, is a former nun and school principal from Silay City.
Jalandoni was a Negros priest and head of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Bacolod before he joined the revolutionary movement during the administration of then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Bayan Muna, in a statement on Sunday, said Jalandoni is “a big loss to the quest for a just and lasting peace in our country”.
“Bayan Muna pays tribute to Ka Louie’s decades-long dedication to the pursuit of just and lasting peace,” said Bayan Muna Executive Vice President and former Congressman Carlos Isagani Zarate said.
“From a wealthy landowning family in Negros Occidental to a Catholic priest, and eventually becoming a revolutionary – Ka Louie’s journey reflects his genuine conversion to the cause of the poor and marginalized. He literally gave up his inheritance to landless workers and dedicated his life to their liberation”, Zarate said.
The former congressman also emphasized Jalandoni’s crucial role in peace negotiations spanning multiple administrations.*