Human rights groups and relatives of the martyrs gathered on April 12 at Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City to honor the heroism and sacrifice of the revolutionaries who died in the name of the national-democratic aspirations of the people. The activity, led by Hustisya! (Pagkakaisa ng mga Biktima para sa Hustisya, or Unity of Victims for Justice), carried the theme “Bravery and Resistance: Tribute to the slain hors de combat and revolutionary martyrs.”

The gathering honored the fallen Communist Party of the Philippines leaders, New People’s Army (NPA) Red commanders and fighters, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) officials, and courageous mass leaders who upheld the rights, welfare, and freedom of the people. The struggle they launched was primarily directed against US imperialist intervention in the Philippines.

The tribute also specifically recognized those NPA hors de combat fighters the Armed Forces of the Philippines killed. Fascist butchers deliberately killed them despite their incapacity to fight due to injury, illness, or captivity. This is contrary to and a grave crime under the laws of war and human rights, which state that they should be treated with respect and dignity, and should not be harmed or abused.

Relatives and family members of the martyrs, both veterans and young revolutionaries, delivered speeches during the gathering. Groups also performed songs, dances, and other cultural tributes.

According to Hustisya, the gathering also served to reaffirm the commitment to uphold the people’s right to self-determination and to emphasize that the people’s rebellion is a just cause.

Various international agreements and declarations recognize the people’s right to advance the movement for national liberation, including the use of arms. One of these is the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Peoples, also known as the Algiers Charter, which was adopted on July 4, 1976 in Algeria. This document was used as the fundamental basis of the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal, where state crimes and human rights violations are heard.

The Algiers Charter stipulates the right of peoples to freely assert their political status against foreign intervention. It also affirms that the people have the right to rise up against any colonial or foreign domination, whether direct or indirect.

Hustisya and the families of the martyrs expressed gratitude for the solidarity and attendance of the groups at the gathering. “To rebel is just!” they asserted.