[TRANSCRIPTION]
The Fil-American Irregular Troops or FAIT was a large guerrilla organization founded by the retired United States Army Colonel Hugh Straughn and had many affiliate units in Southern Luzon, including Batangas. The 6th Infantry Regiment, McKinley Division, which operated in the town of Lemery, was one of these. In this page is a transcription1 of a written communication sent to the Guerrilla Affairs Section of the United States Armed Forces in the Western Pacific with allegations against the McKinley Division operating in Batangas. This communication was signed “Same” so it is not clear from whom it came. This document is nonetheless included for historical purposes, but it is left to the reader or researcher to form a conclusion on the validity or non-validity of its contents in relation to the other documents on this particular supposed guerrilla organization.
Taal, Batangas
26 Sept 1946
The Chief, Guerrilla Affairs Section
AFWESPAC, APO 707, Manila
S i r :
As stricken members of the Straughn Fil-American McKinley Division in Calaca headed by pseudo Col Braulio D. Sedano with a battalion in Lemery and Taal headed by fake Lt. Col. Dominador Encarnado, we want to know from you with it appearing in the daily news whether or not it is recognized as the two mentioned names claimed it was recognized only to collect contributions from members.
The unit commander, Sedano, and the Bn. Commander Encarnado, said that the recognition team consented to be bribed ₱15,000 for the recognition of the said unit. They collected ₱5.00 from officers and ₱2.00 from EMs and those who couldn’t afford to give more were stricken out of the roster, as the case of myself. Many met debt only to give contributions as everyone was eager to be included and it is sure money after processing even if fake, just bribe the AFWESPAC. If they couldn’t raise the ₱15,000, one month’s salary of every member will be collected and covered up. This is the second contribution they solicited.
At first, they submitted three battalions and it was rejected and they claimed only one battalion was recognized headed by Col. Dominador Encarnado, who arrived in Lemery four or five months after liberation and who stayed in Calapan, Mindoro the whole occupation period doing business. There was no such unit in Lemery during the occupation and it will be a plot upon the AFWESPAC only through bribery.
We can prove to you the fakeness of this upon looking over the roster of the “I” Co. of [the] 3rd Bn. 1st Regiment, 1st Blue Eagle Brigade with Capt. Perpetuo Venturanza, as Col. Commander, and Col. Eduardo Alabastro as Military Commander, recognized on 9 Jan 1945 and processed 26 Feb 1946. You can find there S/Sgt or T.Sgt rank of the Battalion Commander of Dominador R. Encarnado of the fake Straughn Fil-American McKinley Division command by Col. Braulio D. Sedano. How could a non-com within a short elapse of time be a Lt. Col. to command a battalion? He did not process because he is too ambitious that even if his unit is fake, just bribe the recognition team. We are sure that there is no other Dominador R. Encarnado in Lemery and besides, that he is a brother-in-law of the Co. Commander wherein he is a S/Sgt or a T/Sgt.
Same
Certified True Copy:
GEORGE W. TITUS
Major, CMP
Notes and references:
1 “6
th Infantry Regt, McKinley Division, FAIT,” File No. 275-13, online at the United States National Archives.
