Revolutionary poet Kerima Tariman's legacy examined amid Philippine political transition

On August 20, 2021, Kerima Lorena Tariman, a revolutionary poet from the Philippines and a member of the New People's Army, lost her life during a confrontation with the 79th Infantry Battalion in Silay City, Negros. Her book, 'Pag-aaral sa Oras,' was highlighted by CNN Philippines as one of the best books of 2017. Tariman's writings, composed in Tagalog, Ilocano, and Visayan, challenged colonial influences. During Rodrigo Duterte's administration, which saw nearly 30,000 extrajudicial killings, the International Criminal Court is probing over 8,000 deaths linked to the drug war. The election on May 9, 2022, features Ferdinand 'Bongbong' R. Marcos Jr. and Sara Z. Duterte. While the Philippine government brands her a 'notorious terrorist,' her supporters on the left celebrate her legacy.