Highest salute to Revolutionary Martyr Ka Joker
The New People’s Army – North Central Mindanao Region (NPA-NCMR) gives its highest salute to Ricardo ‘Ka Joker’ Manili, political prisoner, who died under Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal regime last January 22, 2019 due to a cardiac arrest. Ka Joker served as one of the region’s revolutionary cadres who helped strengthen its foundations, aided in rectifying its errors, and even until today, his invaluable contributions continue to ignite and inspire the revolutionary spirit of the people. Until his very last breath within the confines of the enemy’s prison cell, he embraced the genuine spirit of a Communist revolutionary.
Ka Joker offered the best and most fruitful years of his life to serving the masses. The people inspired Ka Joker and their democratic interests became his own and because of his selflessness and firm grasp of his Communist ideals. It would be almost impossible for the people to forget the peasant leader because he stood firm and never wavered even after his capture last May 2, 2016.
Even during Ka Joker’s incarceration, he continued to keep the interests of the people at heart. His captors would even accuse him of being part of revolutionary mass actions even in jail because of his spirit and indignation for what is right and revolutionary. Even in his last moments, he was able to write and self-criticize, grasping firmly the theory of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.
Ka Joker’s life is an example that revolutionaries should emulate. He offered his life to serving the masses and ultimately, the armed revolution. Spending his final breaths in the hands of the enemy showed his valiance in serving the people wholeheartedly.
The NPA-NCMR pays its utmost salute to Ka Joker especially now that our region is facing great challenges; military operations in the city and the countryside, forced surrender of NPA and legal activists, grave devastation of the movement’s mass bases, and the brutal blanket of Martial Law which legalizes the violent attacks on the people. Now more than ever do we need the militant and fighting spirit that Ka Joker carried with him until his final heartbeat to further bring our struggle to greater heights and ultimate victory.