Guerrilla Intel Report on Jap Activities in Lipa and Nearby Towns, Feb 1945

3^rd Bn. Headquarters
February 24, 11:00 A.M.

1. The enemy’s defense lines are still in the Malarayat Range extending from the barrios of Sabang, Marauoy, and Inosloban on the provincial road between Lipa and Malvar to the base of Malarayat Mountains.

2. We have no reports on the enemy’s disposition and strength in the Malarayat military area because the people outside the town are not permitted to get into the town and the people in the town are not permitted to leave the town. Much less are they permitted to approach Japanese military areas. Our last reports from our agents this week say that the Japanese in Lipa are located in these barrios: Sabang, Marauoy, Inosloban, Dagatan, Balagbag, Guinting, Lumbang, Talisay; and in the town of Santo Tomas, the enemy has his concentration in the barrios of Suloc, Butho, Santa Clara, San Joaquin, San Fernando, and San Luis. These places have been completely evacuated by Filipino civilians.

a. The Japanese are quartered in Filipino houses in the barrios of Inosluban, Suloc, Butho, and Santa Clara. In the town of Lipa, there are approximately less than 100 Japanese soldiers armed with rifles and machine guns. In Anilao and Antipolo, there are approximately 100 soldiers. They are of the infantry unit armed with rifles and machine guns. In Sabang, there are approximately 200 soldiers of the infantry unit armed with rifles and machine guns. In Sapac and Bubuyan, there are approximately 400 soldiers of the infantry and artillery units armed with rifles, machine guns, and artillery guns. In Talisay, there are approximately 350 soldiers of the infantry and artillery units armed with rifles, machine guns, and artillery guns. In Lumbang, there are approximately 250 soldiers of the infantry unit armed with rifles and machine guns. In Dagatan, there are less than 50 men of the infantry unit armed with rifles and machine guns. In Pusil, Bulacnin, and Balintiouak (Balintawak), there are only skeleton forces armed with rifles and machine guns. The 20,000 enemy troops reported sometime this week as having passed the town of Santo Tomas and gone to the barrios of Santa Clara, San Joaquin, Suloc, and San Luis have not been confirmed or contradicted. The commanding officer of this troops is reported to be Gen. Kikiyama. As these artillery areas are forbidden grounds to all Filipinos, it cannot be ascertained to what exact area these 20,000 troops were deployed in the Malarayat area. Most possibly, there are concentrated in the area included within the 4-mile radius with the barrio of Santa Clara as center. In Suloc, there are approximately 3,000 soldiers of the infantry and artillery unit armed with rifles, machine guns, anti-aircraft guns, and artillery guns. In San Joaquin, the medical corps of approximately 100 men is stationed. In Mataasnacahoy, there is none in the town but in the landing field, there are a few left to guard the field and the untransported supplies still there. There are no Japanese in the barrio of San Juan, but there are some in the town, approximately 10 to look after the communication lines. There are no Japanese in Malvar. There are approximately 150 Japanese soldiers in the vicinity of the town of Talisay, Batangas.

b. A Japanese colonel is residing in Sabang in the house 522 meters from the Catholic church 52 degrees northeast. Reports on this point are incomplete. There are no Japanese elements. They are members of

the Makapili. They are Filipinos. They help in counterespionage. No new types of units are observed.

c. The Japanese Army uses only land routes in this area. Its supplies and troops pass along the national highway and the roads the army has built towards its defensive installations. There is a bridge between Calamba and Santo Tomas; between Santo Tomas and Tanauan; between the barrio of Sabang and Lipa; between Lipa and Cuenca; between Lipa and San Jose. The bridge between Rosario and San Juan and the bridge between San Juan and the Province of Tayabas have been blown up by the enemy. Northeast of Santo Tomas is Mount Maquiling. East of Tanauan is Mount Olila. East of Lipa are the Malarayat Mountains. Southeast of Lipa is the Lipa Hill standing on the Lipa-Rosario road. Northeast of Rosario is Tombol Hill. And dominating the road between the barrios of Laiya and the town of San Juan are the mountains of Sampiro. National roads are in parts asphalt and in parts of gravel and sand. They are in poor state but available in all seasons. The roads built by the Japs will not be available during the rainy season because they are surfaced with ordinary soil. Their motor vehicles are all in dilapidated states. They number is inadequate to meet the army’s need so they are forced to commandeer any kind of vehicle in the community where they happen to be.

d. The major defensive works of the enemy in Lipa are those gathered at the base of the Malarayat range with its center in the barrio of Suloc. The next is the airfield between Lipa and Mataasnacahoy and the dispersal areas in Santo Toribio and Malvar. The defenses in Anilao Hill have been weakened during the past weeks. The Malarayat defenses are fully-manned. The airfield has been abandoned.

e. Most of the enemy’s bodegas in the town have been emptied. The rest are only partially filled. It is the present practice of the enemy to loot houses in the towns and barrios for food and personal supplies.

f. There is none.

g. I notice no new equipment nor new adaptation of old equipment.

h. The morale of the Japanese Army is very low. To the Japanese soldiers, the most demoralizing weapon of the enemy is the airplane.

i. I have none.

3. We have no reports from coastal areas.

4. a. The airfield in Lipa is situated between Mataasnacahoy and Lipa lying on an area of more than 500 hectares. The dumps within the airfield are empty. The airplane hideouts are located near the airfield under tall coconut trees. The secondary landing fields in Santo Toribio and Malvar are in reality dispersal areas. The runways in the Lipa airfield are each 800 meters long. One is concrete and the other is not. They cross each other at a point 200 meters from their west ends.

b. There are no enemy airfield activities now.

c. There are no enemy air activities.

d. The airfield has not been raided for quite a time.

e. The air force has evacuated the landing field. All targets in the airfield have been removed.

f. In this season of the year, the weather is generally dry. The winds are mostly fair. The mornings are frequently misty.

5. a. The PQOG has definitely disintegrated. Luansing’s faction has separated from PQOG and weakened the original group.

b. Their supplies are insufficient.

c. All guerrilla units are friendly to the Hunters.

d. This unit requires no definite qualification for admission.

6. None.

7. None.

8. Groups of Japanese soldiers continue to raid and harass the civilians living in the barrios.

9. None.

10. None.

[Sgd.] Alex Isagani