Anticommunist spy Boogie Mendoza, 64

The Philippine National Police  (PNP) lost its most famous spy, retired Gen. Rodolfo “Boogie” Mendoza Jr., on Holy Wednesday.

Mendoza died of a heart attack. He was 64.

He was a member of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1978 and carved a name for himself in intelligence.

Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, PNP spokesperson, said Mendoza “helped in keeping our nation secure from threats of terrorism, insurgency and other criminal groups.”

“His legacy in the intelligence community will live on,” said Bulalacao in a statement.

Among the successful intelligence work being credited to Mendoza was the interrogation of terror suspect Abdul Karim Murad, which led to the arrest of another suspect, Ramzi Yousef, in Pakistan in February 1995.

Yousef was part of a group of terrorists behind the Feb. 26, 1993, World Trade Center bombing in New York City.

Yousef was also involved in the 1995 Bojinka terror plot, which included a plan to assassinate Pope John Paul II during his visit to Manila.

Part of the Bojinka plot was to blow up 11 commercial jets worldwide and crash an aircraft into the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Virginia.

Mendoza started his career in intelligence in the latter part of 1978 in Davao focusing on the insurgency.