An Open Letter

Frank Fernandez
Spokesperson
NDF - Negros
July 04, 2003

Bishop Vicente Navarra
Diocese of Bacolod

Greetings!

I and my comrades in the revolutionary movement are one with you and the priests, nuns, seminarians, layleaders and faithful of the Bacolod diocese in this moment of bereavement upon the death of our dear Bishop Antonio Fortich. We render him our revolutionary salute as our tribute to the greatness of the "poor Bishop" as he often called himself.

The greatness of Bishop Fortich will always be remembered by the poor people of Negros and recognized even by the exploiting reactionaries. It was during his leadership as a bishop that he courageously incarnated the evangelical mission of the church in the context of social reality of inequality between exploiting elites and the exploited masses. Throughout his active ministry and even at retirement age, his commitment to support the struggle for justice had made him ever close to the toiling masses and friend to the revolutionary forces.

During the sugar boom of 1960's, the poor bishop was confronted with the widespread and grave injustice perpetrated by the profligate rich hacienderos at the expense of the suffering sugar workers and tenant peasants. Amidst the simmering social volcano in Negros, he mobilized the church of Negros including its resources to fight and defend the cause of justice. Heeding to his call, priests, nuns, seminarians and lay leaders were all found and immersed in the communities of sugar workers, tenant peasants and hinterland settlers, urban squatters, fisherfolks and in the process made them one with the people's issues and struggles. By being daily identified with the people, many church people, foremost of whom are Comrade Luis Jalandoni and Connie Ledesma, easily made the leap towards a commitment in the armed revolutionary movement. I was personally influenced also by the Bishop's steadfastness and courage to take up the cause of the poor until I became a revolutionary fighter.

During the dark period of martial law, the great Bishop was ever fighting for the cause of justice. He never gave up his principles despite pressures from Marcos and local henchman Roberto Benedicto in the form of favors and threats. The church people continued to link arms with the revolutionary and progressive forces in the anti-dictatorship struggle until the downfall of the fascist regime. Fighting side by side with the people, the ruling reactionaries branded him as "Kumander" Tony.

Before I went underground in 1979, I went to the Bishop to inform him of my decision to join the New People's Army and to ask his "blessings". The Bishop looked at my eyes and said: "Can you make it. It's difficult out there." Because I was determined, he just gave his parting statement: "I respect your decision. Always love the people and God."

During the Aquino regime, the situation of the people never changed and nor did the people's struggle for genuine justice and lasting peace. Aquino's so-called democratic regime unsheathed the "sword of ar" against the people. Negros became a laboratory for the regime's brutal and unjust war against the people and the revolutionary forces. The poor Bishop did not close his eyes in the face of worsening human rights violations and fascist violence. At the height of the fascist fury of the reactionary enemy, the regime made attempts to physically eliminate the good Bishop by burning the Bishop's House and lobbing a handgrenade into his office at Domus Dei. Reactionary diehards in the Opus Dei lobbied strongly at the Vatican to redivide the diocese of the province into three dioceses in order to lessen Fortich sphere of influence. When the ruthless "Oplan Thunderbolt" was launched, causing several thousands peasant evacuees, Fortich allowed the church's door opened to to extend her helping hands.

From Ramos, to the Estrada and Macapagal-Arroyo regimes, the poor bishop, even in his waning days, continued to bear witness to the cause of the poor people. He lived and died a great man.

Mabuhay si Obispo Fortich!

Sincerely,

Frank Fernandez

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