By Rubi Del Mundo
Spokesperson, NDFP-Southern Mindanao
The National Democratic Front-Southern Mindanao commiserates with the family and colleagues of comrade Sr. Julieta A. David who passed away on August 26, 2009 due to a lingering breast cancer. She was 61 years old.
The revolutionary movement pays homage to Sr. Lita or Ka Malaya, a dedicated member of the Christians for National Liberation who served the people in the last four decades as human rights advocate and nationalist educator of the sisters of the Assumption.
As a novice in the early '70s, she was involved with the struggles of the Federation of Free Farmers, integrating with the poor peasants in Dalisay, Panabo, Davao del Norte, speaking against the atrocities of the military as hamletting and offensives affected these areas. The experience taught her to commit to a different and greater calling: to heed to the cries of the poor and to serve the revolution.
From the peasants, she integrated with the urban poor in Davao City in the late '70s. She was with other religious nuns at the forefront of the struggle to defend the hapless masses whose houses were deliberately burned by their landowner in Boulevard, Davao City.
Sr. Lita was a staunch defender of human rights. She was a member of the Citizens Council for Justice and Peace in the '80s. She continued with her pro-poor advocacies until she became active with the Missionaries of the Assumption in 1989.
Like other activists, she suffered from harassment and surveillance by military agents. Pro-military radio commentators attacked her; her names were among those written in malicious anti-communist slogans on the walls of the Assumption school.
But these did not deter Sr. Lita's commitment to serve the people. She continued her advocacy even in teaching. She saw to it that her lessons were always in context with the present economic and political situation. She did not want her students' knowledge to be limited in the four walls of the classroom.
She regularly joined people's rallies that call for peace based on justice, among others. Her commitment to the people, especially with the peasants, from the days of Martial Law until she battled the Big C was undoubtedly genuine.
Up to her last breath, her belief that only the masses and the revolution can liberate the nation from oppression and exploitation did not waver. Sr. Lita remained a true servant of the people. The revolutionary movement and the masses will surely miss her.
Red salute to our dear Ka Malaya.
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