Lumuha ka kung sa puso ay nagmaliw na ang layon,
kung ang araw sa langit mo ay lagi nang dapithapon,
kung ang alon sa dagat mo ay ayaw nang magdaluyong,
kung ang bulkan sa dibdib mo ay hindi man umuungol,
kung wala nang maglalamay sa gabi ng pagbabangon,
lumuha ka nang lumuha’t ang laya mo’y nakaburol.
- [...]

Seventy-five years of a life lived in the defense of peoples’ rights makes Ka Bel a most precious gem in Philippine history
We in the Philippine human rights alliance Karapatan join the family and the nation in mourning the untimely death of Crispin ‘Ka Bel’ Beltran.
Indeed, all of us are overwhelmed with grief in his passing [...]

In a night of songs and poems, activists and leaders of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) will be joined by mainstream artists and groups tonight, May 26, in paying tribute to labor leader and former Bayan chair Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran at the Philippine Independent Church in Manila.

By Nene Pimentel
As a young man growing up in Cagayan de Oro in the 50s and the 60s, I hardly knew Crispin Beltran. I did read of him now and then in a Manila daily that we got in Cagayan de Oro which at the time was at least three hours by propeller planes and [...]

KMU chairman Elmer Labog, in a statement, said the government of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was responsible for the deteriorating health of AnakPawis Rep. Crispin Beltran, which may have been a factor in the accident that led to his death. “It cannot be denied that the arrest and detention of Ka Bel at Camp Crame and Philippine Heart Center last 2006 due to fabricated cases of rebellion was a cause for his physical deterioration,” Labog said. (Click here to read the statements and tributes to Ka Bel.)

The League of Filipino Students (LFS) and its chapters nationwide pays
its highest tribute to Rep. Crispin Beltran, a great revolutionary
leader, a man who constantly and tirelessly devoted his life for the
interests of the working masses, especially the poor.
We salute Ka Bel for his lifelong dedication to upholding the national
democratic aspirations of the oppressed people. We [...]

“Nananawagan ako sa mamamayang Pilipino na labanan ang pahirap na diktadurya ni Gng. Arroyo. Ako ay nagsisikap na makalaya sa ilegal na pagkakakulong na ito, para makasama kayo sa mga laban sa loob at labas ng Kongreso.”
- Rep. Crispin Beltran,
bago siya ipasok sa Camp Crame
para sa inquest ng kasong rebelyon.
Si Ka Bel,
kilala ng marami - [...]

Ang lider ay isang sangkap lamang ng tagumpay,
Ang masa ang siyang tunay na mapagpasiya.
Maraming beses na nating sinabi sa kanila,
Subalit makunat talaga ang kanilang utak,
Ayaw nang talaban ng ating katotohanan.
Iligpit ang lider at tuluyang mawawasak
Ang rebolusyong binabalak, iyan lamang
Ang kaya nilang paniwalaan.
Ulianin ang katarungang atas ng Malakanyang,
Dinaklot ng batas na walang kinamuwangan
Ang lider ng Anakpawis, [...]

Alexander Martin Remollino
Sa alaala ni Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran,
lider-manggagawa, 1933-2008
Maramot sa liwanag ang araw
at siya’y nagtatago sa likod ng mga abuhing ulap
nang ikaw ay iwan ng huli mong hininga.
Hindi ka nasawi sa larangan,
di-gaya ng siya mong nais.
Ngunit huwag mo sanang isiping ang iyong pagyao
ay hindi paglisan ng isang bayani,
sapagkat hanggang sa huli mong hininga,
may ligtas [...]

Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracty (CONTEND) STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF KA BEL
MAY 22, 2008
REPRESENT!
The life of Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran is one of the last great exemplars of a generation who lived through the period of colonialism and neo-colonialism in Philippine society. His life story starkly sums up an historical moment of [...]

CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND ALL COMRADES
OF OUR BELOVED CRISPIN ‘KA BEL’ BELTRAN
By Prof. Jose Maria Sison
Chairperson, International Coordinating Committee
International League of Peoples’ Struggle
May 21, 2008
On behalf of the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) and all participating organizations of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS)), I wish to convey most heartfelt condolences to the family [...]

ON THE PASSING AWAY OF ANAKPAWIS REP. CRISPIN “KA BEL” BELTRAN
Gabriela Women’s Party mourns the passing away of veteran labor leader
and militant partylist Representative Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran.
In his death, we have lost a most formidable ally of workers, peasants
and the urban poor.
He has lived a worthy life in defense of the rights of workers [...]

NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS OF THE PHILIPPINES
Statement
May 20, 2008
Ka Bel: A fighter for the right to free expression
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) mourns the passage of trade union leader and legislator Mr. Crispin Beltran. We will miss him both as a subject of our stories and as a friend of Filipino [...]

May 21, 2008
Statement on Ka Bel’s Death
The
National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) joins the people
in mourning the passing away of Anak Pawis Party List Representative
Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran. Ka Bel was a man who lived a life utterly
dedicated to the struggle for justice. He was truly a man for others.
He
was misunderstood [...]

Dear Friends,
From May 21 (7pm) to May 27 (am), Ka Bel will lie in state at the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI)* - National Cathedral, Taft Avenue Manila.
Ka Bel: A Modern-Day Prophet against Modern-Day Slavery
A True Champion of Workers’ Rights
Like Jesus Christ and the Prophets who denounced injustice, oppression and slavery, Ka Bel is worthy [...]

Illegal arrest and detention for more than a year
Macapagal-Arroyo gov’t responsible for Ka Bel’s frail health resulting to his accident – KMU
Militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) blamed the Macapagal-Arroyo government for causing Crispin ‘Ka Bel’ Beltran’s rapid health decline that resulted to his accident yesterday morning. Arroyo illegally detained Ka Bel for more than a [...]

MIGRANTE INTERNATIONAL mourns the death of veteran
labor leader Anakpawis Rep. Crispin “Ka Bel”
Beltran, whom we fondly call “Captain Ka Bel.
Ka Bel Beltran is a true champion of migrant
Filipinos’ rights and welfare. In the sudden passing
away of Ka Bel, we have lost, not only an ally, a
fighter and a friend but a brave and kind comrade [...]

By Ina Alleco
My boss, favorite labor leader/mass leader, kaibigan and pinakamamahal na kasama Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran died earlier today, a little before noon after sustaining massive head injuries. No he wasn’t felled by bullets by assassins sent by the military or the government; he died because he hit his head on the pavement when [...]