Statement of the Revolutionary Peoples’ Army –National Operational Command on the murder of Comrade Tripon/Jojo.
The broad masses are in the middle of a difficult situation compounded by the impact of the pandemic and the recurring climate-related disasters that have deepened the present economic crisis. Despite these realities, the government has still failed to offer and put-up concrete solutions to these problems. Instead, it stirred the country towards a possible debt-trap in the name of the pandemic response.
Instead, massive corruption is prevalent in various government transactions and huge spending perpetrated by the administration’s stalwarts, including in its anti-insurgency campaign that is boasting of Ending the country’s insurgency problem before Duterte’s term ends. However, this is far from being achieved. Several regimes have tried but failed, as they refused to look beyond armed solutions to oppression, injustices and inequalities. The billion peso inspired NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict) put several activists under surveillance, arrested critics and murdered revolutionaries as they lumped them into one category: enemy of the state / communists / terrorists. One of the many good revolutionaries that fell victim to this treacherous act is Comrade Tripon/Jojo.
In that dark dawn of December 18, 2021 a large composite team from the PNP and AFP mobilizing its elite and specialized units, guided by traitors and Party policy violators, trooped Pulang Yuta, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte and positioned the in and out peripheries murdered the lone Comrade Tripon/Jojo. The murder happened in the boundary of Pulang Yuta, Kapatagan and Cabongbongan, Sultan Naga Dimporo, Lanao del Norte province while the lone Comrade was about to transfer to another area after quickly grazing his Carabao. The operation was led by CPIU LDNPPO PLTCOL Arnold T. Lao and CAPT Mark Anthony Rufino of the 52nd Mechanized Company’s 5TH Mechanized Battalion.
The composition and the huge logistical resources poured in that operation is clearly an over-kill against the lone Comrade. But anyhow, they also knew the capacity and capability of Comrade Tripon/Jojo in terms of military combat experience. It is crystal clear that the operation’s purpose was not to arrest, but to kill him, the same with what they have done against the cadres of other revolutionary blocs. That operation was intentionally for promotion and statistical accomplishment and a justification to NTF-ELCAC’s questionable and immoral fund and to have more funds by year 2022.
It is necessary to mention here that the murder and the whole act is a violation to the ceasefire agreement signed by the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa –Mindanao (RPM-M) and the Gloria Arroyo administration in 2005. RPA, the armed wing of the Party ,continued to observe the agreement as its commitment to the communities and in building peace in Mindanao and the country. But the government failed to observe and preferred to launch the said traitorous action. There were several instances that were favourable to launch offensives against the State forces but Comrades like Tripon/Jojo religiously observed the ceasefire agreement.
Comrade Tripon/Jojo, even before the ideological and political split from the old Party was already known to be a disciplined and calm Comrade. As a good revolutionary cadre he became a Political Officer, Vice Commanding Officer and Commanding Officer of a platoon formation of the revolutionary army. He became a respected member of the Front Committee in Lanao areas and in the Regional Committee of the Party. In the latest RPA Military Conference he was elected to the National Operational Command.
As a revolutionary cadre, Comrade Tripon/Jojo had spent more than half of his life in the movement. He served not only in the Christian population in Mindanao but also to Moro communities. In solidarity to the Struggle for Self-Defence and Governance Comrade Tripon/Jojo was the first to volunteer to accompany and train several Indigenous Peoples tribes in the military field.
Integral to the revolutionary task as member of the Party and of the RPA, Comrade Tripon/Jojo has been instrumental in maintaining peace and order and even in the farm works in the communities where he or they operate. This closeness of the comrades to the common people and the masses put the government forces into shame. It is an insult to them that local populations prefer to bring their concerns to the revolutionary forces like comrades in the RPA than to the government’s corrupt and bureaucratic processes. Comrade Tripon /Jojo’s death is tantamount to eliminating one of the respected leaders in the community that is capable of filling-in for the inutile government systems.
Comrade Tripon/Jojo has also been instrumental in settling family feuds (rido) among Moro population particularly in Lanao del Sur. Despite the organizational and personal political challenges, he remained committed to the cause and overcame the challenges.
Up to his last breath, Comrade Tripon/Jojo was a revolutionary. His martyrdom will remain in the revolutionary history. His life offered to the Tri-Peoples of Mindanao and the masses will not be in vain. His moral and political discipline and his life will be celebrated and be followed by many comrades.
We can expect allegations, intrigues and issues to malign the image of Comrade Tripon/Jojo and the movement. But for who and how he was known by the masses and his Comrades, as a true revolutionary and a Comrade, shall forever remain.
Comrade Tripon/Jojo’s murder is a strong basis that the reactionary government can never be trusted to fulfil its commitment either to the revolutionary groups or the masses and the working class.
We express our sincere condolences to the bereaved family and relatives. On the other hand we would like to express our gratitude for sharing Comrade Tripon/Jojo to the revolution to defend the poor and fight for the Socialist Revolution.
Highest Salute to a Revolutionary Martyr Comrade Tripon/Jojo!
Soldier of the Peoples, Defender of the Oppressed up to his last breath!
RAUL FAUSTINO
National Operational Command
Revolutionary Peoples’ Army
Camp Ariel, Mindanao
December 28 2021