The Armed Forces of the Philippines has chided anew the claims of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines that Ericson Acosta — who was killed in a clash — was only up for "consultation works" for the communist's political wing.

AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar on Monday said calling Acosta as the NDF consultant is an understatement, stressing that Acosta has been part of the operations perpetrated by the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing New People's Army.

"To say that he is just NDF Consultant is an understatement. Acosta is a ranking CPP leader exercising absolute control over the NPA units in Negros Island," Aguilar said. "This makes him more accountable to the murders and other crimes committed by the NPA in that island."

Aguilar maintained the Reds' political wing was just trying to discredit the military.