LUCENA CITY, Philippines—The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on Wednesday confirmed the death of the wife of communist leader Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal in a clash about three months ago with government soldiers.
In a statement dated Feb. 15 but posted on the rebel website only on May 4, the CPP regional party committee confirmed the military report that Rosemarie Dumanais, alias “Ka Soly” and “Ka Ensa,” was killed in a clash with government forces in Mauban, Quezon, last Feb. 7.
The CPP described Dumanais as a “dedicated woman revolutionary and a mother worthy of emulation,” who started her involvement with the New People’s Army in 1979.
A Camarines Sur native, Dumanais, 52, was first assigned as a student organizer in Camarines Sur before she became a guerrilla leader in Central Quezon and rose to become a member of the party’s regional central committee until her death, said the CPP.
Dumanais met and married Rosal inside the revolutionary movement where they raised an unspecified number of children, added the CPP.
A military report, however, said the union bore two daughters, Andrea and Mafe, both of whom also joined the communist movement.
Marco Valbuena, CPP media liaison officer, said Rosal does not have any other wife except Dumanais.
The rebel movement said Dumanais’ death “is as heavy as the mountains of Sierra Madre and Banahaw,” both known lairs of the communist guerrillas.
“Members of the revolutionary movement, the Party (CPP) and the People’s Army mourn her death but remember her life full of heroism—as an exemplary comrade, revolutionary, woman and mother,” the CPP said.
In a text message, Col. Eduardo Año, commander of the Army’s 201st Infantry Brigade operating in Quezon, expressed his condolences to the family of Dumanais.
He conveyed to the woman guerrilla’s family his offer of a decent burial ground for her.
Año alleged that Dumanais’ death became a major setback for the rebel movement in Southern Tagalog.
Early last month, quoting sources allegedly from inside the rebel movement, Año reported that a female guerrilla who was slain in Mauban turned out to be Dumanais.
The military had sent a team to locate Dumanais’ burial ground to give her a “decent resting place” but failed to locate it.
The military said “Dumanais was buried by her comrades after dragging her body away from the encounter site.”
This report, however, had never been confirmed by several sources from inside the guerrilla movement at that time.
Rosal had long been avoiding media interviews, fueling speculations about his health.