Sison's death 'decrepit' communist insurgents' influence - Tolentino

MANILA - The death of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chair Jose Maria Sison is perhaps the hardest blow in the group's more than half a century of political struggle against the Philippine government, Senator Francis 'Tol' N. Tolentino said.

According to Tolentino, Sison's death would surely weaken the CPP to the point that they will not be too significant. What used to be a more active adversary of the government may now become less clamorous with the silencing of its strongest voice.

Amid the death of Sison, Tolentino stressed that justice should still be served especially to the family of those fallen soldiers and other uniformed personnel and civilians who died in the hands of CPP's primary armed component, the New People's Army (NPA).

"Before that, we really sympathize with the family of Joma but I think justice should also be served. Yung mga napatay na sundalo, yung mga napatay na sibilyan na nasa crossfire eh dapat magkaroon din ng katarungan. Dapat po mabigyan din ng hustisya yung mga naging collateral damage ng insurgency. Dapat po may managot don sa terrorism na ginawa nila and this should begin to close this chapter in our history," said Tolentino, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security.

Tolentino also advised personalities in the 'Left' who are planning to succeed Sison that they should really "heed the call of history," noting that what the Filipinos really need right now is peace and progress.

"Ang gusto ng kababayan natin kaunlaran at katahimikan pero kung iyon pa rin yung ipagpapatuloy nila, e nasa maling bahagi sila ng kasaysayan. So dapat kilalanin nila na ang ating bayan ay nangangailangan ng kapayapaan at kaunlaran," the senator stressed.