LUIS “Ka Louie” Jalandoni, former chair of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and longtime revolutionary leader, passed away peacefully on June 7 in Utrecht, The Netherlands. He was 90.
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) confirmed his death on Saturday, calling him “a true internationalist, revolutionary leader, and stalwart of peace.”
Jalandoni died at 9:05 a.m. (3:05 p.m. in Manila), surrounded by his wife, Ka Coni Ledesma, comrades, and family.
Born in Silay, Negros Occidental, on Feb. 16, 1935, Jalandoni was raised in a landed family but chose a different path.
He became a Roman Catholic priest and co-founded the Christians for National Liberation in 1972.
In 1974, he left the priesthood and married Ledesma, a former nun. He later donated inherited farmland to landless workers.
Jalandoni chaired the NDFP from 1989 to 2016 and played a key role in peace talks with the Philippine government.
Despite living in exile in the Netherlands, he remained deeply connected to the struggle in the Philippines.
He is survived by his wife, son Jose Edmundo, and two grandchildren. His death follows that of fellow revolutionary Jose Ma. Sison, who died in 2022.
