Summary of Guerrilla Activities Submitted by Tambauan - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore Summary of Guerrilla Activities Submitted by Tambauan - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore

Summary of Guerrilla Activities Submitted by Tambauan

Batangas History
30 Dec, 2017

The Suicide Battalion was purportedly a guerrilla outfit organized in the barrio of Santor in Tanauan by one Crispulo Tambauan, who would himself become its commander, and later set up its headquarters in Wawa, same municipality. This guerrilla outfit failed to obtain official recognition as an element of the Philippine Army in the service of the United States Armed Forces, with some notable guerrilla figures stating that they had never heard of either Tambauan or his alleged guerrilla outfit. The documents about this unit are nonetheless included for posterity and for the benefit of researchers about World War II in Batangas. In this particular document1, Tambauan wrote an expansion to an earlier essay entitled “My Personal Activities,” submitted to the US Army as part of the Suicide Battalion’s application for official recognition.

Guerrilla Files

[p. 1]

SUMMARY OF GUERRILLA ACTIVITIES
(Submitted by Capt. C. Tambauan)

At the outbreak of the war, I was a furniture maker, residing at 1036 San Andres, Malate, Manila, up to the time when Manila was occupied by the Japanese Imperial Forces. When the Japanese soldiers compelled the male inhabitants to work in hard labor, employing maltreatment and severe punishment for minor offenses committed, the underground movement began to operate. It was September, 1942, when I began my underground activities by destroying military installations. This was my first objective. It was in the early part of my preparations when I killed two Japanese soldiers in the dark alley of Remedios Street, corner of Pennsylvania, Manila, with my 45 caliber pistol. Immediately after this incident, I personally reported the matter to the headquarters of the Fil-American Unit in Pagsanjan, Laguna, under the command of Col. Rider. In my return to Manila, I destroyed the Japanese installations in the former Oriental Club on Remedios Street. The killing of the two Japanese soldiers and followed by the destruction of the radio installations, made the Japanese soldiers so suspicious and resulted [in] the separation from the service of Filipino employees in the said club. I was one among the suspected persons living around the place and vicinity. To evade being apprehended, on June 12, 1943, I went from house to house in Manila, especially in Intramuros where I was inducted as major in the Bato-Balani Unit of the USAFFE guerrilla organization, by Actg. Commander Benjamin Zapanta. As the situation became critical, I found it convenient to go to the province. On July 12, 1943, in Santor, Tanauan, Batangas, after continuous persuasion and encouragement, combined with propaganda, I was able to organize a resistance movement headed by myself, and inducted members to the said organization. Well-planned instructions were given

[p. 2]

them of all activities that should be followed and to be reported to me. I was then busy on espionage activities in the province of Laguna, Batangas, and Manila.

I appointed Mr. Francisco Tomada who had with him some stranded students from [the] province. The intelligence work in Manila helped much in supplying us valuable Japanese military information.

On September 20, 1943, on order of Commander Pedro Galza of the 3rd Sector, BBU, I studied the condition of the Japanese defenses in Balagbag, a place about 2 kilometers from Nichols Field. Lt. Tomada, who was under my command, being then a draftsman, executed the order with Lt. Alejandria as his assistant.

It was on December 1, 1943 when Lt. Tomada, with his squad, applied as sub-contractor for construction of the ten embankments in Balagbag. The secret then was reported to the C.O. of Sector No. 3. It was in the night of December 27, 1943 when we were ordered to do some sabotage work under my command. Lt. Tomada, his men and myself, with some Folsom Guerrillas under Capt. Leonor, joined our forces and entered the Balagbag thru a secret trail directed by Lt. Tomada in the southern part of this place. We were able to destroy the engineering tools, the transit, war equipment, gasoline deposit, and killed the Japanese guards. Communication lines were also disrupted, especially that which connected the search light and headquarters at Nichols Field. There was no casualty on our side in this mission. Later events followed, when in the month of July 1944, Lt. Tomada and Lt. Alejandria were connected with the construction of the Nelson Airfield. As there were no Japanese guards, they were able to destroy Japanese planes with the aid of their hand tools. Sabotage works were extensive, Japanese bodegas of supplies and equipment were burned. On February 10, 1945,

[p. 3]

before te arrival of the Liberation troops in Paco, the Intelligence and Rifle Squads fought the Japanese Marines resulting to the death of my three comrades. Their names were Atty. Gregorio Fero [not sure, illegible], Gregorio Lopez and Sofronio Petate.

When the American troops arrived in Paco, we joined them and pointed to them the hiding places of the Japanese soldiers and fought side by side with the American troops. We showed the American troops the places of the land mines planted by the retreating Japanese.

I HEREBY CERTIFY that the above report of the activities under my command are true and correct.

[Sgd.] CRISPULO TAMBAUAN
Capt., Infantry
3rd Sector (3rd Regt. Maring)
ULC BBU MMD (ECLGA)
Notes and references:
1 “Suicide Bn., 3rd Inf Regt, FAG,” File No. 134, online at the United States National Archives.
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