About 2,000 relatives, comrades, friends, and guests gathered at the University of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman Theater in Quezon City on May 11 to honor the martyrs of Toboso, known as the Negros 19. The martyrs consist of nine unarmed individuals and 10 New People’s Army (NPA) Red fighters whom the 79th IB massacred on April 19 in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental.

The tribute was led by the UP Diliman University Student Council, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), and Karapatan. Organizers reportedly launched the event to collectively recognize the courage, intelligence, and love for the people shown by all of the Negros 19.

The tribute filled more than two hours of speeches, testimonies, videos, and performances of revolutionary songs, poems, and dances. These highlighted the Negros 19’s life of service to the masses and the Negrosanon poor communities’ enduring struggle amid ongoing poverty, exploitation, and militarization on the island of Negros.

Relatives and friends of Alano, Ledesma, Santuyo, Errol Wendel, Prijoles, and Sorem attended and delivered messages at the tribute. Their remarks brimmed with life stories, jokes and warmth, militancy, and the blazing fire of struggle.

The message of Alano’s mother Shiela expressed hope that her surviving comrades would carry on Alano’s dream for the nation. “Let us not allow her to be forgotten… I call on everyone to continue the struggle they began. Because we all know, that is what they wanted: to change the system, to help the poor of Negros,” she said.

Communist Party of the Philippines chief information officer Marco Valbuena sent a tribute message. “The Party and the New People’s Army take pride that, for a long or short time, we got to know the martyrs and heroes of Toboso as they walked the path of the national-democratic revolution. We vow to give justice to their deaths,” he said.

“From the land nurtured by their blood, thousands more sons and daughters of the people will rise, stand up, revolt and traverse the long and winding road of the people’s war towards the Red day of victory,” Valbuena added. The gathering ended with the singing of the Internationale.