In the wake of the brutal “Toboso 19” massacre, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), in collusion with the local reactionary government of Toboso, has staged a transparent theatrical display by declaring the CPP-NPA-NDF persona non grata. Cecil Estrella, spokesperson for the Roselyn Jean Pelle Command (RJPC-NPA), dismisses this declaration as a hollow victory for the reactionary state and its mercenary apparatus. This choreographed piece of propaganda is a desperate attempt to mask the stench of state-sponsored terrorism perpetrated by the 79th Infantry Battalion (IB).

Undeniably, the slaughter of nineteen individuals under the guise of “encounters” has cast a long, dark shadow over the municipality. In the aftermath of such a horrific event, it is naive, if not utterly malicious, for the AFP to claim that the residents of Toboso made this declaration willingly. These communities are reeling from trauma and buckling under immense pressure. Due to the climate of fear and impunity sown by the 79th IB, the masses are coerced into signing documents, attending anti-revolutionary rallies, and chanting state-mandated slogans merely to ensure their survival. It is plain as day that the persona non grata status imposed on the revolutionary organization does not reflect the people’s democratic will.

The reactionary state can force a signature on a piece of paper, but it cannot erase the loyalty etched into the hearts of the Negrosanon masses. If the NPA were truly “unwelcome,” we would see a populace that shuns the memory of the fallen. Instead, the reality on the ground tells a vastly different story.

Despite the suffocating presence of the 79th IB and the threat of being “red-tagged” or murdered, thousands of peasants and workers courageously flocked to the burials of our martyred Red fighters. There was no rejection, only a massive outpouring of grief, love, and revolutionary defiance. The masses wept for their sons and daughters, the true soldiers of the people, who offered their lives for national liberation. This overwhelming attendance is the people’s real plebiscite, and it screams far louder than any military-scripted declaration.

Furthermore, the Negrosanon masses will never turn their backs on the revolution, for they bear the scars of decades of feudal oppression under the iron heel of the hacienderos. They recognize that the sole purpose of the AFP is to protect the interests of landlords and bureaucrat capitalists. Most importantly, they remember the victories of the New People’s Army (NPA), which has fought alongside the masses for decades to bring tangible change to their lives.

The NPA remains the only force capable of challenging the elite’s land monopoly. Through armed struggle, vast tracts of land were snatched from the hands of despotic landlords and returned to the tillers. The program of the agrarian revolution continues to address the basic demands of the peasantry as the political power of the People’s Democratic Government expands.

The 79th IB and their masters in the reactionary government are delusional if they believe a piece of paper can sever the bond between the people and their Red fighters. As long as the fundamental problems of landlessness, exploitation, and imperialist dictates persist, the NPA will remain a welcome guest in every bamboo hut and mountain village. The revolution continues because the people demand it.

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