Affidavits Submitted to the US Army in Support of the Pagamutan ng Maralita's Recognition - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore Affidavits Submitted to the US Army in Support of the Pagamutan ng Maralita's Recognition - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore

Affidavits Submitted to the US Army in Support of the Pagamutan ng Maralita's Recognition

[TRANSCRIPTIONS]

The Pagamutan ng Maralita or the Poor Man’s Hospital was a hospital set up in Batangas Town (presently the City of Batangas) and served clandestinely as a hospital for various guerrilla organizations operating in the province of Batangas. In this page are transcriptions1 of several affidavits submitted by the Pagamutan ng Maralita’s commander to the United States Army in support of the organization’s application for official recognition.

Guerrilla Files

[p. 1]

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES
PHILIPPINE ARMY

A F F I D A V I T

I, JOSE P. CAEDO, ASN 0-1100, of legal age, Filipino, married, Lieutenant-Colonel in the Medical Corps, Philippine Army, after having been sworn according to law, depose and say:

That I was the Division Surgeon for the 61st Division, Visayas-Mindanao Force, USAFFE, until the time of surrender to the Imperial Japanese Forces on 25 May 1942;

That I requested then Capt. Domingo T. Tolentino, DC, Division Dental Surgeon for the 102nd Division, Visayas-Mindanao Force, USAFFE, in case he would be released from concentration as prisoner of war, to organize a First Aid Clinic and Infirmary for the Batangas Guerrilla Forces;

That he was the Commanding Officer with the rank of Major for the abovementioned guerrilla medical installation organized on 23 January 1943, which medical unit bore the camouflaged name “PAGAMUTAN NG MARALITA, BATANGAS;”

That the said medical installation was able to cope efficiently with the demands of all the guerrilla units in Batangas, Batangas for medical support in the form of first aid, nursing and short time hospitalization services, until the clinic and infirmary were burned by the Japanese incendiary squads of Capt. Oda on 7 March 1945;

That the Commanding Officer (Major Domingo T. Tolentino), with skeletonized personnel, continued active participation in the field when the 2nd Battalion (under Maj. Day, USA) of the 158th Regimental Combat Team under Brig.-Gen. McNider, USA, accomplished the mopping up operation or battle for Batangas, Batangas.

FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NONE.

[Sgd.] JOSE P. CAEDO
Lieutenant-Colonel, MC
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me this 13th day of Dec 1945 at HOH [or HQH], Manila.
[Unreadable signature]
(Administering Officer)
[Unreadable signature]
(Rank and Branch of Service)

[p. 2]

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES
PHILIPPINE ARMY

A F F I D A V I T

I, GALICANO M. LUANSING JR., ASN-0-46316, of legal age, Filipino, Captain, Infantry, Philippine Army, Chief, Team No. 3, Adjudication Section RPD, PAS, AFWESPAC, APO 707, after having been duly sworn to according to law, depose and say:

That I was and still am the Commanding Officer of the FIL-AMERICAN BATANGAS GUERRILLAS (LUANSING’S UNIT);

That the “BATANGAS PAGAMUTAN NG MARALITA” supported my guerrilla unit with efficient medical service, particularly first aid, home nursing and short-time hospitalization services up to the time said guerrilla clinic and infirmary were burned by the Japanese incendiary squads under Capt. Oda of the Japanese Forces in Batangas on 7 March 1945.

FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NONE.

[Sgd.] GALICANO M LUANSING JR.
Captain, Inf., PA
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me this 19th DAY OF December, 1945 at Manila.
[Sgd.] Gregorio P. Reyes
(ADMINISTERING OFFICER)
Capt. MC
Summary Court Officer
1st Med Depot Co (PA)
(RANK AND BRANCH OF SERVICE)

[p. 3]

AFFIDAVIT

I, JACOBO ZOBEL, of legal age, Filipino, married, Major, Infantry, Philippine Army, presently at the Inspector General Service Headquarters, Philippine Army, after having been duly sworn according to law, depose and say:

That I was with Brigadier General McNider of the 158th RCT, USA-PAC, in the morning of 12 March 1945, when we were looking for the Japanese appointed Municipal Mayor of Batangas, Batangas.

That we met DR DOMINGO T TOLENTINO (later known to us as Guerrilla Major, Commanding Officer of the First Aid and Infirmary, with the camouflaged name of “PAGAMUTAN NG MARALITA,” or “POOR MAN’S HOSPITAL” for Batangas.

That Major Domingo T Tolentino was our escort with us in the jeep driven by Brigadier General McNider until we found the Japanese appointed Municipal Mayor Roman Perez of Batangas, Batangas.

That Major Domingo T Tolentino was introduced to the Battalion Commander, 2nd Battalion, 158th RCT and his medical installation’s services were attached to the medical unit of the said battalion, on verbal instructions made by Brig-Gen. McNider to the Battalion Commander at the Battalion Command Post then at the base of the Batangas Cemetery Hill.

FURTHER SAYETH NOT.

[SGD] JACOBO ZOBEL
Major, Infantry

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 8th day of October 1945, at Manila, P.I.

(SGD) RAF A MONSERRAT
Administering Officer
Lt. Col. J. A., GH. S.
Rank and Branch of Serv.

CERTIFIED TRUE COPY:

[Sgd.] DOMINGO T TOLENTINO
“Major” Commanding
“Pagamutan ng Maralita”
Batangas
Notes and references:
1 “Pagamutan ng Maralita,” online at the United States National Archives.
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