On behalf of the entire Communist Party of the Philippines and all its cadres and members, and on behalf of all Red commanders and Red fighters of the New People’s Army, we give recognition to the heroism of Comrade Dionisio Micabalo, better known by the masses and comrades as Ka Toto, Ka Jeff or Ka Delong.

The Central Committee of the Party rises to give a Red salute and pay its highest tribute to Ka Toto, for his selfless service to the Filipino people and dedicating his entire life to advancing the national-democratic revolution.

Ka Toto died on July 26, 2023 during a battle between the New People’s Army and the 58th IB of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at the border of Barangay Litit and Barangay Libertad, in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental.

From the bottom of our hearts, we express deepest sympathies to Ka Toto’s wife, children, grandchildren, as well as to comrades, and the peasant masses and Lumad peoples with whom he was during his life dedicated to serving the people and the revolutionary movement.

Ka Toto was born on December 26, 1962, from a small landlord family. He attended college at Liceo de Cagayan in Cagayan de Oro City where he took a course on BS Accounting.

At the age of 18, Ka Toto became aware of the oppression and suffering on the Filipino people caused by imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism which are the root causes of the their problems, and their suffering under the US-Marcos dictatorship. He linked-up with revolutionary forces in 1981 at his college. Even under martial law, he took part in anti-fascist, anti-imperialist and antifeudal mass struggles.

In 1982, Ka Toto joined the New People’s Army and helped in building new guerrilla fronts and units. In 1985, he was known as Ka Yani when he was deployed to Front 6 in Bukidnon. That same year, he was transferred to Front 4-A in Misamis Oriental where he was known as Ka Abbu and Ka Cardo.

Ka Toto was assigned to the Lumad areas in 1988. Filled with revolutionary spirit, he quickly adapted to the lives of the indigenous masses. He showed respect to their traditional customs, structures and practices, even as he also gradually raised their political consciousness and democratic strength. Ka Toto made great contributions to advancing their revolutionary movement.

Having fully dedicated their lives to advancing the people’s war, Ka Toto and his fellow revolutionary wife built a strong revolutionary family. They raised their children fully aware of the aspirations of the Filipino people for genuine national freedom and democracy.

In the following years, Ka Toto helped built Party organizations from section level committees, to district committees and fronts.

Ka Toto was among the revolutionary forces who upheld the Second Great Rectification Movement which the Party initiated in 1992 to rectify errors and deviations from the basic principles. He also had a role in those weaknesses, but in time upheld the national-democratic line by repudiating the revisionists who betrayed the Party, the revolutionary movement and the people.

In 2003, Ka Toto was arrested with his wife and imprisoned for six months. He was released by posting bail.

In 2009, Ka Toto assumed the role of secretary of the North Central Mindanao Region Party Committee. He strengthened the Party’s collective leadership in the region. With a firm grasp of the basic principles of protracted people’s war, they spearheaded the rapid spread of guerrilla warfare throughout the region, especially in 2012-2017 during which they reached peak revolutionary strength the region. Without hesitation, Ka Toto and other leading cadres extended support to other regions needing help in terms of personnel and resources.

Ka Toto was among the delegates to the 2nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Philippines in 2016. There he was elected a member of the Party Central Committee. He was also appointed as a leading member of the Mindanao Commission in 2017. In 2023, the Central Committee appointed Ka Toto as a member of the Political Bureau.

Prior to his death, Ka Toto actively led efforts of the revolutionary movement in NCMR to regain strength, after having suffered setbacks due to internal weaknesses and shortcomings. In the region’s summing up, Ka Toto did not hesitate to self-criticize for weaknesses and demonstrated his determination to correct them. Together with all revolutionary forces in the NCMR, Ka Toto was marching along the path of reinvigoration towards achieving new heights in revolutionary struggles.

At the age of 61, Ka Toto marched alongside the youth or younger Red fighters in crossing mountains and rivers, towards hills and plains, to reach the vast masses and continue to stoke their revolutionary spirit and strengthen their organized ranks. Ka Toto was tireless because no matter where they go, the masses met them with hot coffee and warm camaraderie, and with a fiery determination to fight with their people’s army under the guidance of the Party.

Ka Toto left a legacy of determination, collective leadership, and assiduous study and application of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism to concrete conditions and practice, criticism and self-criticism, and firm march along the path of protracted people’s war.

Despite his achievements and victories, Ka Toto remained humble and selfless. He was among the great pillars of the revolutionary movement in the NCMR, in Mindanao and the whole country, but was never arrogant, always gentle and smiling, ever approachable, ready to listen to advice, and give his own advice.

The Filipino people, especially the peasant masses and indigenous people in Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Lanao del Norte to Maguindanao, will never forget Dionisio Micabalo, communist cadre and Red commander, and his contributions to advancing the people’s democratic revolution in the Philippines.