Casto Alejandrino

Casto Jurado Alejandrino (November 18, 1911 – July 12, 2005) was a Filipino peasant leader and commander of the Hukbalahap. He was the Hukbalahap's vice-commander, second only to its Supremo, Luis Taruc. Alejandrino was one of the few supporters of the Hukbalahap that were also landlords, coming from the Alejandrino family which included former revolutionary general Jose Alejandrino.

Biography Alejandrino was born on November 18, 1911, in Arayat, Pampanga. His family included Jose Alejandrino, the former revolutionary general and Senator. In the 1930s, Alejandrino managed to inherit 68 hectares of land in Arayat with fourteen tenants. He also became an active spokesperson for the peasant group Aguman ding Maldang Talapagobra (AMT, translated as League of Poor Laborers) and the Partido Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (PSP, translated as Socialist Party of the Philippines). In 1938, when the PSP merged with the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas, Alejandrino held a position in the party's central committee. During the 1940 elections, Alejandrino ran under the AMT-endorsed Popular Front ticket and won a seat as mayor of Arayat.

During World War II, members of the PKP along with peasant groups such as the AMT and the Kalipunang Pambansa ng Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (KPMP) convened in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, to discuss organization, strategy, and tactics. A Central Luzon Bureau was formed and Alejandrino was elected as second-in-command of its military committee, under Luis Taruc. A month later, on March 29, 1942, peasant guerrillas and members of the AMT and the KPMP met again in Cabiao to form the Hukbalahap. It was headed by Taruc, Alejandrino, who also served as its vice-commander, Felipa Culala, and Bernardo Poblete.

During this time, Alejandrino adopted multiple aliases, such as Guan Yek (GY), Torres, GI, and Tatang. Alejandrino participated in guerrilla activity at this time, commanding Reco 3 in addition to his duties as General HQ vice-commander. The Huks also set up "provisional governments" in its liberated areas, and Alejandrino was appointed the governor of Pampanga.

During his time in the guerrilla movement, Alejandrino had a wife and children living in the barrio. He also had two "forest wives" while in the field, Teofista Valerio and Belen Bagul-Bagul. Valerio (alias "Estrella") was the head of Huk communications in Manila. After Valerio's arrest and their separation, Alejandrino met Belen Bagul-Bagul. They were never married, although they had five children.