The entire leadership and membership of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is deeply saddened by the passing away of Comrade Emmanuel Fernandez (Ka Ampog, Ka Akuy, Ka Brad), one of the leading cadres of the Party and commanders of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Far South Mindanao. We pay our highest tribute to Ka Ampog and raise our clenched fist in honor of his lifelong dedication, contributions and sacrifice for the cause of the oppressed and exploited classes.

Ka Ampog, a member of the Party’s Central Committee, died last October 30 in Barangay Buenaflures, Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat, after years of suffering from hypertension and other ailments. He was 63 years old. He was among the peasant masses and under the care of NPA medics when he breathed his last. With great care, Red fighters cleaned and brought Ka Ampog’s remains to a peasant hut in order to make arrangements for its retrieval and burial by his family.

The local police got wind of the information, visited the hut and made reports. When the reports reached the officers of the 603rd Brigade, it dispatched its armed soldiers to the said hut. On October 30, upon ascertaining the identity of Ka Ampog, the soldiers proceeded to fire bullets into Ka Ampog’s corpse. Officers of the 603rd IBde then proceeded to claim publicly that the NPA commander was killed in an armed encounter, in a false claim of victory in order to pocket the reward money.

The Party strongly condemns the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), specifically the 603rd Infantry Brigade, for desecrating the remains of Ka Ampog, in brazen violation of the standards of international humanitarian law. The perpetrators of this transgression must be roundly exposed and condemned as fascist-terrorists who have complete disregard of international statutes on the lawful and the civilized conduct of war or armed conflict. They are like beasts who know no bounds in their brutality. They must pay for their crimes.

The AFP’s desecration of Ka Ampog’s remains reflects the continuing rampant abuses of human rights by the fascist-terrorist troops of the AFP in its nationwide campaign of suppression against the broad masses of peasants and Lumad people, especially in Mindanao and its countryside.

The death of Ka Ampog is a profound loss to the revolutionary movement. The Party’s cadres, NPA commanders and fighters in Far South Mindanao, however, are determined to fill his shoes and lead the people’s revolutionary struggles. The memory of Ka Ampog will forever inspire them to persevere in the difficult path of resistance against imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism.

Ka Ampong hailed from a small landlord family in Tampakan, South Cotabato, but dedicated most of his life to the struggle of workers and peasants, farm-workers, plantation workers, Lumad people and other toiling people. He earnestly studied and practiced Marxism-Leninism-Maoism and fully recognized how the masses shape history.

As a communist leader, Ka Ampog was always humble. He is self-critical, does not hesitate to acknowledge his mistakes and weaknesses, even as he was patient in explaining principles and helping others understand. He was also an excellent guerrilla commander and led many big and important tactical offensives. At the same time, he built strong relations with friends and allies.

In Far South Mindanao, the broad masses are currently suffering from even worse forms of oppression and exploitation by the big bourgeois compradors and big landlords who are conniving with foreign big capitalist plantation owners and big mining companies. Thousands are being driven away from their land. Those who resist are being brutally suppressed by the fascist terrorist state.

The Party calls on all revolutionary forces in Far South Mindanao to consolidate and strengthen themselves, firmly unite with the masses of workers, peasants and minority peoples, lead the people in their resistance and defense of their rights and welfare, punish the fascists, oppressors and plunderers, and advance the people’s aspiration for national freedom and democracy.

Let Ka Ampog’s revolutionary spirit live on!

Long live the New People’s Army!

Long live the Communist Party of the Philippines!

Long live the National Democratic Front of the Philippines!

Long live the Filipino proletariat and people!