The Communist Party of the Philippines and the revolutionary movement paid tribute to the Red fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA) who were killed in Eastern Samar and Negros Occidental in August while performing their revolutionary duties.

The Party declared the 19 individuals who perished in Barangay Osmeña, Dolores, Eastern Samar last August 16 during the brutal bombing operation of the military as “best sons and daughters of the people. The Dolores Martyrs were part of a 50-strong NPA unit conducting political, economic and education work for the peasant masses in the said area. The unit included a team of medics who were scheduled to provide medical training, and perform a minor operation in the area.

“The deaths of the Dolores martyrs is a big loss,” said the Party. “It is, however, a temporary setback and does not negate the overall forward direction of the people’s war.”

The Party also paid tribute to Kerima Lorena Tariman (Ka Ella) who was captured and killed by the military on August 20 in Barangay Kapitan Ramos, Silay City, Negros Occidental. She was killed along with another Red fighter Joery Dato-on Cocuba (Ka Pabling). Based on the investigation of NPA-Negros, Ka Ella was only slightly wounded when she was captured during an encounter, and was later summarily executed by the soldiers.

Many paid tribute to Ka Ella, a Red fighter and Party cadre who was known for her poems and literary pieces which reflect the plight, aspirations and struggle of the toiling masses. The NPA-Negros gave a heartfelt recognition of Ka Ella’s contributions to the armed revolution in the island. She was also given tribute by Makibaka, Kabataang Makabayan, and various NPA units, as well as the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) in Kurdistan.

She was also remembered by the organizations she once was part of. Before joining the NPA, she was known for being a poet, writer and activist for peasants. She became a part of the Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura for a decade. She was first organized when she was still a student at the University of the Philippines.