Ranking NPA leader killed in Bukidnon clash – military

From MindaNews (Jan 25, 2021): Ranking NPA leader killed in Bukidnon clash – military (By FROILAN GALLARDO)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 25 Jan) – The military said a top rebel leader was killed in an encounter with Army soldiers in Bukidnon, less than a month after he reportedly assumed the leadership of the “Komisyon Mindanao” (KOMMID) of the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army.

A soldier wearing personal protective gear checks on the body of Pedro Codaste. Photo from the Facebook page of AFP Radio DWDD

Brig. Gen. Adonis Ariel Orio, commanding officer of the Army’s 402nd Infantry Brigade, said Pedro Codaste, 72, and a companion only known as “Ka Zandro” were found dead by soldiers after a 30-minute encounter in Sitio Guiling-Guiling, Barangay Kalabugao in Impasugong town, Bukidnon last January 21.

Orio said it took a while to establish the identity of the slain leader and check if he was not infected with COVID-19.

A photo released by the military showed a soldier wearing personnel protective equipment checking the remains of Codaste in a body bag.

Orio said villagers informed the military of the presence of Codaste and 15 other NPA rebels in the forests of Sitio Guiling-Guiling.

He said troops from the Army’s 16th Infantry Battalion went to the village and clashed with the rebels around 5:30 a.m. on January 21.

“We had to fire several rounds of 81mm mortars to get to the rebels,” Orio said, adding that the rest of rebel group have fled, leaving the bodies of Codaste and “Ka Zandro.”

Orio said the soldiers found an AK-47, a caliber .45 pistol, an anti-personnel mine and three backpacks with documents from the encounter site.

Brig. Gen. Oliver Veslino, acting commander of the 4th Infantry Division, said Codaste was newly appointed to lead the CPP-NPA Komisyon Mindanao after the death of its secretary, Menandro Villanueva alias “Bok” in Mabini, Davao de Oro last January 5.

“Codaste was considered as the acting KOMMID chairman after the death of Jorge Madlos alias Ka Oris and Villanueva,” he said.

Veslino said Codaste, who hails from Barangay Fili, Bayugan City in Agusan del Sur, was elected to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines during its second plenum in 2016.

Codaste also served as consultant of the National Democratic Front during the peace talks with the government in Oslo, Norway.

After breaking off with the peace talks, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the arrest of Codaste and other NDF consultants.

Major Francisco Garello Jr., 4ID spokesperson, said Codaste faced a string of murder and homicide cases in Bayugan and Malaybalay cities.

https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2022/01/ranking-npa-leader-killed-in-bukidnon-clash-military/