Philippines army believes death of veteran rebel leader, Jorge Madlos, a big blow for New People’s Army guerrilla group

Communist rebel Jorge Madlos delivers a speech during the celebration of the 42nd anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010, at Mount Diwata in the southern Philippines. Philippines Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced that military forces have killed the rebel commander Madlos in a Saturday clash in the mountainous hinterlands of Bukidnon province. - AP

MANILA,Nov 3 (AP): Philippine forces have killed a key communist rebel commander in one of Asia's longest-running insurgencies, in what the military described as a daring raid in the country's remote southern region, but what guerrilla leaders said was an ambush.

Jorge Madlos, who used the nom de guerre Ka Oris, was for many decades a leading figure and spokesman for the communist fighters in the southern Philippines' mountainous hinterlands.