Dr. Francisco “Dodong” Nemenzo, 18th University of the Philippines (UP) president, was also a distinguished political scientist and Marxist scholar. He was also a political prisoner during the early years of martial law. Nemenzo died on December 19, 2024 at the Philippine General Hospital. He was 89 years old.
Below is the tribute written by political prisoner Vicente Ladlad for Dr.Francisco “Dodong” Nemenzo who also became a political prisoner during the early years of martial law. The tribute was read by Fides Lim, Ladlad’s wife and Kapatid spokesperson, on December 30, the last day of Nemenzo’s wake at the UP Asian Center in the UP Diliman campus.
The original Filipino statement, followed by the English version.
Pagpupugay kay Francisco “Dodong” Nemenzo
Ni Vicente P. Ladlad | 30 Disyembre 2024
“Nagtagpo ang mga bayani ngayong araw sa ika-128 anibersaryo ng pagkamartir ni Jose Rizal.
Kami ng asawa kong si Fides Lim at ng mga bilanggong pulitikal ay nagpapaabot ng taus-pusong pakikiramay kay Princess at kina Fidel, Leonid at Lian, at kay Gemma, at sa kanilang buong pamilya sa pagyao ni Francisco “Dodong” Nemenzo, na naging isang bilanggong pulitikal rin.
Nauna sa akin si Fides na makilala si Dodong dahil propesor niya ito sa political science sa University of the Philippines Diliman. Si Fides ang unang nakapagkuwento sa akin na mahusay na teacher si Dodong.
Sa panig ko, nakilala ko si Dodong noong huling bahagi ng 1986, mga ilang buwan pagkalipas ng EDSA uprising noong palayain kaming mga bilanggong pulitikal. Nakasama ko si Dodong sa board o konseho ng Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainee Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto o SELDA. Sa panahong ito inilunsad ang matagumpay na class action suit laban sa mga Marcos kaugnay ng mga paglabag nila sa mga karapatang pantao.
Kung nabubuhay pa si Jose Maria Sison, tiyak na mauuna siya sa pagpaparangal kay Dodong. Subalit naunang yumao si Joma. Sa kabila ng kanyang karamdaman, nagbigay si Dodong ng isang nakakaantig na parangal kay Joma.
Mahaba at malalim ang pinagsamahan nina Dodong at Joma, pati rin sina Princess at Julie. Si Joma ang nag-imbita kay Dodong na sumapi sa lumang PKP. Mahusay si Dodong na lecturer ng Kabataang Makabayan sa lecture series ng KM sa maraming unibersidad. Magkatulong sina Joma at Dodong sa pagtatag ng Movement for the Advancement of Nationalism.
Naunang umalis sa lumang PKP si Joma upang itayo ang bagong Communist Party of the Philippines. Hindi naglao’y pinutol na din ni Dodong ang kanyang kaugnayan sa lumang PKP dahil sa sabwatan nito kay Marcos at marahas na pagpaparusa sa mga kasamahan niyang tutol sa pagsuko ng pangkating Lava sa diktadurang Marcos.
Hindi man muling nagkasama sa iisang partido, nanatiling malapit sa isa’t isa sina Dodong at Joma, at sina Princess at Julie. Lumahok ang pwersa nina Dodong sa pagbubuo ng isang malapad na pambansang nagkakaisang prente laban sa diktadurang U.S.-Marcos. Nakipagtulungan si Dodong sa National Democratic Front.
Sinuportahan ni Joma ang pagtakbo ni Dodong bilang presidente ng UP system.
Ikinararangal kong nakilala at nakatrabaho sa ilang pagkakataon si Dodong. Sa aming mga pagkikita’y lagi siyang may matamis na ngiti, mahigpit na abraso at mainit na pagsalubong. Kahit mas nakatatanda at mas naunang maging aktibista, itinuturing niyang kapantay kaming mga nakababatang aktibista. Kahit mahusay na akademiko, si Dodong, kapag kausap mo o nasa pulong, simple subalit malinaw siyang magpapaliwanag tungkol sa mga isyu at usaping pinagtatalunan; hindi siya pompous o didactic.
Si Kasamang Dodong ay isang rebolusyonaryo. Matatag niyang pinanghawakan ang kanyang mga prinsipyo at puspusang kumilos para sa radikal na panlipunang pagbabago.
Para sa aming mga bilanggong pulitikal, mananatiling buhay sa aming alaala si Kasamang Dodong. Malagas man ang isang puno, may isa pang sisibol, ang kagubatan ay magpapatuloy nang walang hanggan.”
[English version]
Heroes converge today on the 128th anniversary of the martyrdom of José Rizal.
My wife Fides Lim together with the political prisoners extend our heartfelt condolences to Princess, and to Fidel, Leonid, Lian, and to Gemma, and their entire family on the passing of Francisco “Dodong” Nemenzo, who also became a political prisoner.
Fides met Dodong before I did because he was her political science professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Fides was the first to tell me that Dodong was a superb teacher.
On my part, I met Dodong in late 1986, months after the EDSA uprising when political prisoners like me were freed. I worked alongside Dodong on the board or council of the Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainee Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA). It was during this time that the successful class action lawsuit against the Marcoses was launched in relation to their human rights violations.
If José Maria Sison were still alive, he would have been the first to honor Dodong. However, Joma passed away first. Despite his illness, Dodong delivered a moving tribute to Joma.
The relationship between Dodong and Joma, as well as Princess and Julie, was long-standing and deep-rooted. It was Joma who invited Dodong to join the old PKP (Communist Party of the Philippines). Dodong was an excellent lecturer for the Kabataang Makabayan in their series of lectures in several universities. Joma and Dodong worked together in establishing the Movement for the Advancement of Nationalism.
Joma left the old PKP to establish the new Communist Party of the Philippines. Soon after, Dodong also cut ties with the old PKP due to its collaboration with Marcos and its violent punishment of those who opposed the Lava faction’s surrender to the Marcos dictatorship.
Although they were never again in the same party, Dodong and Joma remained close, as did Princess and Julie. Dodong’s organizations participated in the formation of a broad national united front against the U.S.-Marcos dictatorship. He worked closely with the National Democratic Front.
Joma supported Dodong’s run for president of the UP system.
It is an honor for me to have known and worked with Dodong on several occasions. Whenever we met, he always had an infectious smile, a firm embrace, and a warm greeting. Even though he was older and had been an activist longer, he treated us younger activists as equals. Despite being an accomplished academic, Dodong, when speaking with you or in a meeting, would explain the issues and topics being discussed in a simple yet clear way; he was never pompous or didactic.
Comrade Dodong was a revolutionary. He firmly held on to his principles and worked tirelessly for radical social change.
For us political prisoners, Comrade Dodong will live on in our memories. Even if one tree falls, another will grow, the forest will live forever.###