Philippines communist leader Jose Maria Sison dies at 83 in Netherlands

The Communist Party of the Philippines on Saturday announced that Jose Maria Sison, one of its top leaders, passed away at 83.

The party in a statement without confirming the reason behind the demise of the leader said,"Sison... passed away at around 8:40 p.m. (Philippine time) after two weeks' confinement in a hospital in Utrecht."

The man who launched one of the world's longest-running insurgencies died in the Netherlands.

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Philippine's defence ministry called Sison the "greatest stumbling block" to peace, adding that his death will end violence.

Sison had been living in the Netherlands after a self-imposed exile following the collapse of peace talks in 1987 when the rebellion claimed lives of thousands.

The Communist party called for rebels to surrender. It said, "The death of Sison is but a symbol of the crumbling hierarchy."

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"A new era without Sison dawns for the Philippines... Let us now give peace a chance."

It was believed that Sison wanted to overthrow USimperialism in the country and establish a Maoist regime.

In 2002, the communist party was designated as a terrorist organisation by the US state department.

(with inputs from agencies)

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