THE Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) yesterday confirmed the demise of its colorful spokesman, Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal, after suffering another heart attack last June 22. He was 64.

“The Communist Party of the Philippines wishes to inform its entire membership, all revolutionary forces and the public in general that CPP spokesperson Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal passed away in a guerrilla zone on June 22 after suffering a heart attack.

“The public announcement was delayed to allow the concerned organs of the CPP to inform Ka Roger’s daughters of their father’s demise. Intense military operations prevented information from reaching his daughters with dispatch.

“Ka Roger’s siblings have also been informed of his passing,” the statement said.

The CPP, however, did not disclose where they buried his remains.

Rosal, a native of Ibaan, Batangas, has been the target of incessant military operations since he first rose to prominence as CPP spokesman in the early ’90s. He became an active member of the underground movement after he and several inmates escaped from detention inside Camp Vicente Lim in Laguna in the early ’70s when martial law was declared.

His wife, Rosemarie “Ka Insa” Domanais, party secretary for Laguna province, was killed by the military in an encounter last February 7 in Mauban, Quezon.

Rosal’s last face-to-face interview to the media was granted to this paper in January 2006, when he allowed this reporter to visit him at his hideout near the boundary of Bicol and Quezon province. After that, he disappeared from public view altogether.

Rosal first suffered a major heart attack in 1999 while on his way to a press conference in Kalayaan, Laguna. Since then, he has been on constant medication.

“The entire membership of the CPP, Red fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA), revolutionary forces and the Filipino masses mourn Ka Roger’s death.   

With a report from Efren Montano