Report on the Liberty Guerrillas, Batangas Unit, MFAT

The Liberty Guerrillas was one of many supposed units in Batangas that sought official recognition as an element of the Philippine Army in the service of the United States Armed Forces during the liberation of the Philippines. This unit was allegedly commanded by one Lt. Col. Sixto M. Malana and was supposed to have been affiliated with the larger Luzon-based guerrilla organization Marking’s Fil-American Troops of Marcos Agustin. Agustin, however, was supposed to have said that there were no units in Batangas worthy of recognition. In this document¹, one Lt. Wilmore K. Brown of the United States Army, who had been tasked with investigating the Liberty Guerrillas, filed his report.

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Report on the Liberty Guerrillas, Batangas Unit, Marking’s
Fil-American Troops (MFAT)

1. On 1 March 1947, Lt Wilmore K Brown investigated the unit file of the Liberty Guerrillas, Batangas Unit, Marking’s Fil-American Troops.

2. ALLEGED HISTORY: (See attached unit file)

3. FINDINGS:

a. The following persons were interviewed and their statements are reflected in the findings:

Col Marking Agustin
Maj Teofilo Salvador

CO, MFAT
CO, 1st AC, MFAT

b. Record of service was not substantiated by sufficient acceptable evidence. There is absolutely no supporting evidence to substantiate this unit’s claims to have actively engaged in intelligence and counter-propaganda work.

c. The unit was not maintained satisfactorily in the field in opposition to the enemy. This unit remained absolutely passive throughout the occupation. Members of the unit remained in their homes and at their civilian occupations and did not resist the enemy in any manner whatsoever.

d. A definite organization was not established by this unit.

e. Performance of this unit did not indicate adequate control by its commanding officer, because the unit members lived in their homes throughout the alleged operational area of the unit.

f. Unit did not show satisfactory continuity of activity and organization. During periods of Japanese pressure against the guerrillas, the unit in question ceased functioning altogether. Members of the subject unit cannot show any achievement accomplished during the occupation nor any supporting papers.

g. Col Marking Agustin, commanding officer of the MFAT, has stated, in effect, that as far as his command is concerned, there are no more deserving guerrillas in the province of Batangas. Marking classified those remaining units as “hangers on” that have never contributed materially to the cause.

Maj Teofilo Salvador, commanding officer of the 1^st Army Corps, Marking’s Fil-American Troops, stated that

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he had never heard of the subject unit.

4. POLITICAL ASPECTS: This unit does not appear to have any political affiliations or aspirations.

5. RECOMMENDATIONS: It is recommended that the Liberty Guerrillas, Batangas Unit, Marking’s Fil-American Troops, be not favorably considered for recognition.

[Sgd.] WILMORE K BROWN
2^nd Lt Inf

Notes and references:
¹ “Liberty Grlas Batangas Unit, MFAT,” File No. 109-7, online at the United States National Archives.