Former National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel chairperson Luis Gamboa Jalandoni died on Saturday in Utrecht, The Netherlands, the Communist Party of the Philippines and the NDFP jointly announced. He was 90.
“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Ka Louie Jalandoni, beloved by the masses, a true internationalist, revolutionary leader and stalwart of peace,” The CPP Central Committee and the NDFP National Council said.
Jalandoni passed away at around 9:05 in the morning in Utrecht (03:05pm Philippine time). Kodao sources said he died of illness in an undisclosed hospital.
Jalandoni served as chief negotiator of the underground revolutionary forces in the peace process with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) from 1995 to 2016.
He served in the Left’s negotiating team since 1989.
He was also previously identified as NDFP vice chairperson for international affairs and head of its delegations.
Beloved, intelligent
Born of a wealthy landowning family in Silay, Negros Occidental, Jalandoni was class valedictorian of his De La Salle University High School class. He studied for the priesthood and again graduated at the top of his class.
He was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Church and was appointed head of the Social Action Center (SAC) of the Diocese of Bacolod by Bishop Antonio Fortich.
Father Louie’s frequent visits to communities terrorized by government soldiers enabled him to build strong relations with peasants and farm workers in his home province.
He eventually joined the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) upon witnessing the oppression of landless peasants.
He donated land he inherited from his family to the landless workers in the 1960s.
Already working in the revolutionary underground, he was arrested in 1973 with Coni Ledesma, a nun, SAC co-worker and herself a member of another wealthy and powerful landowning family.
Upon their release in 1974, Jalandoni and Ledesma sought dispensation from Vatican City to be released from their religious vows and to marry. Their marriage was solemnized by then Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin at Casa San Miguel in Mandaluyong City.
In the 1970s, Jalandoni worked for the establishment of Christians for National Liberation and the NDFP.
Jalandoni and co-NDFP founder Edgar Jopson helped in the La Tondena workers strike in 1975, the first protest action that defied the dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s martial law.
Jalandoni and Ledesma were later deployed to Europe to establish NDFP’s international headquarters that eventually settled in Utrecht.
NDFP’s chief diplomat, negotiator
After the failure of NDFP’s in-country peace talks with the Corazon Aquino GRP, Jalandoni was appointed by the NDFP National Council to its peace panel in 1989.
He served as the Left’s chief negotiator with the Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Arroyo, Benigno Aquino and Rodrigo Duterte GRPs.
It was under Jalandoni’s leadership that the still existing framework of the formal peace negotiations was signed: The Hague Joint Declaration of 1992.
Praised internationally as a landmark framework for peace talks between co-belligerents in the 56-year old civil war in the Philippines, the Declaration is said to have prevented the 36-year on-off negotiations from becoming mere discussions for surrender.
Jalandoni also led the revolutionary Left’s negotiations for landmark agreements such as the Joint Agreement for Safety and Immunity Guarantees, the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, and other important agreements.
The NDFP accepted Jalandoni long-standing request to step down as chief negotiator during the second round of formal negotiations with the Duterte GRP in October 2016. He was then designated a senior adviser to the panel.
His last public appearance was during the simultaneous announcement of ongoing dialogues between the NDFP, GRP and the Royal Norwegian Government in November 2023 to try to start formal negotiations with the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. GRP.
Very firm on principles
Soft-spoken, Jalandoni was described by his NDFP comrades as very firm on the negotiating table.
“On matters of principle, he was unbending and unwilling to compromise,” his successor Fidel Agcaoili has described Jalandoni.
READ: Jalandoni resigns, Agcaoili takes over as NDFP panel chair
“We credit Comrade Jalandoni for leading the NDFP peace panel in forging many important agreements with the GRP including The Hague Joint Declaration, the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees, and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law,” martyred NDFP peace consultant Felix Randy Malayao said in 2016.
“His firm and principled stand always put the Filipino people’s interests first and that is why he is a very successful negotiator,” Malayao added.
WATCH: Youngest NDFP consultant talks about Luis Jalandoni’s contributions to the peace process
Royal Norwegian Special Envoy Elizabeth Slattum also praised Jalandoni for “(bringing) a large amount of grace to these peace negotiations.”
“While being firm and a good negotiator, your aura has always been appeasing and pleasant, and your generosity and kind heart very present,” Slattum, then facilitating the peace process, wrote to Jalandoni upon his resignation. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
