Yesterday, the Communist Party of the Philippines reported the torture and murder of Benito Tiamzon, Chairperson of the CPP Executive Committee, and Wilma Austria-Tiamzon, Secretary General of the CPP. As Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle we give our highest possible tribute to these extraordinary heroes of the Philippine revolution.
Both of these comrades’ contributions can not be overstated. Through three decades, Benito and Wilma outstandingly led the revolutionary movement, playing key roles in carrying out the Second Great Rectification Movement (SGRM) of the CPP in 1992-1998. During the Party’s Second Congress in 2016, both were reelected to the Central Committee and to the central organs of the Party. They continued to serve the Filipino people as beacons of the people’s democratic revolution in the Philippines and leading its steadfast advance.
The CPP Political Bureau’s investigation into the murders established that the Tiamzons were abducted while traveling in two separate vans on the highway. They were severely tortured and subsequently murdered by their captors of the AFP, who afterwards attempted to cover up their atrocities. The murders and consequent cover-up were led amongst others by the Joint Special Operations Task Force Trident, which is a unit that is directly commanded, trained and armed by the US.
We join the struggling Filipino people in demanding justice in all relevant courts for these crimes against humanity committed by the US-Marcos regime and his cohorts. Even if the high-ranking Philippine fascist officials and US military advisers may not find persecution in the courts controlled by the ruling classes, the Filipino people and the people’s courts will judge them and not hesitate to let revolutionary justice persist.
We give our highest salute to these leaders and martyrs of the Filipino revolution. We vow to study their lessons and to continue our work engulfed with the immortal revolutionary spirit of Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria-Tiamzon! We call upon all progressive and revolutionary organizations to join Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle, as we continue to support and join the Filipino struggle for liberation!
Long live the memories of Ka Benito Tiamzon and Ka Wilma Austria!
Long live the People’s Democratic Revolution in the Philippines!
Long live the Communist Party of the Philippines!
Victory to the Filipino people’s struggle for national and social liberation!