[TRANSCRIPTION]
The Pandita Unit was a guerrilla organization organized in the town of Bauan, Batangas. It was supposedly affiliated with the 6th Military District under Col. Macario Peralta which was based in the island of Panay in the Visayas. Also affiliated with this district is the Lobo Unit, the documents of which are also posted in this web site. In this particular document1 is a transcription of a reconsideration report filed by one Lt. Manzano from the PHILRYCOM of the United States Army related to the Pandita Area unit’s request for official recognition.
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RECONSIDERATION REPORT ON THE PANDITA AREA DI COMBAT
FREE LUZON AREA SIXTH MILITARY DISTRICT
1. In accordance with verbal instructions received on 3 September 1947 from Captain E R Curtis, Chief, Unit Branch, G-3, Guerrilla Affairs Division, Headquarters PHILRYCOM, Lieutenant J H Manzano undertook the investigation for the reconsideration of the Pandita Area, DI Combat, Free Luzon Area, Sixth Military District.
2. INTRODUCTION:
a. The Pandita Area, DI Combat, Free Luzon Area, Sixth Military District, which consisted of approximately 1650 members organized into a regiment of two battalions and a special intelligence unit, initially submitted a request for recognition on 30 August 1945. This request was investigated by Lieutenants Peter R Betts and Tirso Cura; the unit was not favorably considered for recognition by letter, Headquarters AFWESPAC, dated 7 June 1946. Team Leader’s report dated 21 May 1946 is being considered along with the investigation (See Inclosure 1).
b. On 15 November 1946, Danny Flores, unit commander, submitted to Headquarters AFWESPAC additional evidence to substantiate his claims; these records were accompanied by a request for reconsideration of his unit (See Inclosure 2). The unit was accepted for reconsideration by letter, Headquarters PHILRYCOM, date 13 January 1947.
c. This report concerns the abovementioned request for reconsideration granted the unit and will take into consideration all evidences submitted, and reports previously prepared.
d. No field investigation was found necessary in view of available records at this office. However, the unit commander, Denny Flores, was contacted and interviewed in line with this report. His statements are reflected in the findings.
e. To date, the subject unit has a total of 159 members recognized by attachment to the 382nd AAA AW Bn, US Army; these members were recognized as of 8 March 1945. Inclosed is the recognized roster for the Pandita Area, DI Combat, Free Luzon Area, Sixth Military District (See Inclosure 7).
3. ALLEGED HISTORY:
(See Inclosure 3)
4. FINDINGS:
a. The unit was not maintained satisfactorily in the field in opposition to the enemy. The unit was purely an intelligence organization during the period of enemy occupation. From early 1943 to the beginning of the liberation operations in Luzon on 9 January 1945, the guerrillas were aware of the fact that the “lay low” order was in effect and that the procurement of intelligence was to be the main objective of the guerrillas. However, the Pandita Organization
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was an intelligence unit, the type of information procured by the unit seemed valueless as may be seen by the attached samples (See Inclosure 6). Furthermore, the intelligence reports of the unit were forwarded to Panay; since the distance was so great between Batangas and Panay, the reports were almost obsolete by the time they reached the Sixth Military District Headquarters for transmission to GHQ, SWPA. This system remained in effect from December 1943 to December 1944. Colonel Denny Flores, unit Commander, also realized that the distance was too great and that this, coupled with transportation difficulties, made his intelligence reports of no value.
Col Denny Flores, therefore, made contact with Colonel Enrique P Jurado, commanding officer of the Mindoro Area, Sixth Military District, in March of 1944; intelligence reports were then also forwarded to GHQ, SWPA, through Col Jurado. The same difficulties in distance, transportation, and enemy activities were encountered by the Pandita Guerrillas. Col Denny Flores never came in contact with the AIB or guerrilla signal stations then operating in the Batangas area. During the liberation operations on Luzon, the unit remained passive up to their attachment to the American Forces operating in their area, on or about 8 March 1945. Colonel Denny Flores claims that his unit had approximately 300 arms but were never used by his organization during the occupation and liberation operations due to the shortage of ammunition. Upon attachment to the 382nd AAA AW Bn, these arms were taken over by the US Army. During the period of attachment to the US Army, the main duties of the Pandita Guerrillas consisted of general duties such as acting as guides, laborers, as well as conducting reconnaissance patrols to a very limited extent. The unit commander, Colonel Flores, claimed that the unit was under the direct control of Headquarters Sixth Military District under Colonel Macario Peralta. This unit cannot be accepted as there are no original papers such as appointments, circulars, directives, memorandums, special orders, and such records of this nature to substantiate the claim. Colonel Denny Flores, upon being interviewed by the investigating officer, stated stated definitely that he never had more than 57 men active at any time. Whenever a mission had to be accomplished, members were called upon to perform them; upon completion of the mission, these members were allowed to return to their homes.
b. A definite organization was apparently established but only on paper. The unit was originally organized in December of 1943 and composed of three battalions and a special intelligence section. Records of induction of members were kept but there were not records to indicate what they did after induction. It is common knowledge that guerrilla units, in most cases, made members sign induction papers regardless as to whether these individuals were active or otherwise.
c. Activities of this unit did not contribute to the eventual defeat of the enemy. Intelligence activities of this unit did not assist in the eventual defeat of the enemy as the Pandita Area had no immediate source for transmittal of these data to GHQ, SWPA. The unit did not engage actively
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in combat operations up to the time they were attached to the 382nd AAA AW Bn, US Army, on 8 March 1945. All combat reports are dated after 8 March 1945. The unit was allowed to accompany American patrols and were armed only when such missions were assigned. Upon return to the camp area, the weapons had to be returned to the using unit. However, [the] main duties of the unit consisted of labor and installation guards. Colonel Denny Flores claims that his unit accounted for approximately 1,000 Japanese as having been killed in action. His official records, however, indicate that the Pandita Guerrillas accounted for approximately 152 Japanese in conjunction with patrols conducted with the US Army troops (See Inclosure 5). The claimed strength of the unit (1650 members) is considered to be too large for the amount of activities credited the unit. The unit claims but six fatalities in [the] line of duty or killed in action.
d. Performance of the unit did not indicate adequate control by the leaders for the following reasons:
(1) Desertion of personnel to join other guerrilla units. In December 1943, Colonel Denny Flores organized his unit into three rifle battalions and a special intelligence section. One of his battalions, composed of Visayan soldiers and designated as the Special Battalion, left his command in September of 1944 and returned to the Visayan Islands to join Colonel Macario Peralta’s guerrillas.
(2) Members of the unit did not devote their entire efforts to military activities in furtherance of the resistance movement to the exclusion of normal civilian occupation and family obligations. Members remained in their own homes and did not remain in the field with the unit. Only about 57 men at a time were maintained by the organization in the field. Members would be assigned missions lasting for approximately three or four days; upon completion of the mission, these members were allowed to return to their own homes. This fact is acknowledged by Colonel Denny Flores.
(3) The unit did not have continuity of activity. Four different rosters were submitted to this office; these rosters are dated 27 December 1943, 20 March 1944, 30 June 1945 and 29 December 1945, and all differ from one another.
e. No useful purpose will be served by further investigation of this unit as all members worthy of recognition, numbering 159 individuals, have already been recognized by attachment to the 382nd AAA AW Bn, US Army. Added evidence submitted to this office by the unit commander indicates that no added personnel are worthy of recognition since this additional evidence was the basis for recognition of the 159 members mentioned above and cannot be used as basis for added recognition.
f. Inclosed casualty list has been submitted to this office for consideration (See Inclosure 4).
5. POLITICAL ASPECTS:
This unit does not appear to have any political affiliations or aspirations, although the unit request for reconsideration was coursed thru
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political channels instead of normal military channels.
6. RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. That the original decision of this headquarters dated 7 June 1947 not favorably considering the recognition of the Pandita Area, DI Combat, Free Luzon Area, Sixth Military District be sustained.
2. That the unit be allowed to submit a casualty report consisting of six individuals inasmuch as same has had 159 members recognized by attachment.
3. That this report constitute the final action by this headquarters on the Pandita Area, DI Combat, Free Luzon Area, Sixth Military District.
[Sgd.] JAYME H MANZANO
Lieut, Inf
7 Incls:
1 - TLR dtd 21 May 46
2 - Request for Reconsideration dtd 15 Nov 46
3 - Unit History
4 - Unit Casualties
5 - Combat Activities
6 - Intelligence Reports
7 - Recognized Roster
Notes and references:
1 “Pandita Area, Free Luzon Intelligence Echelon, 6
th MD, [Folder 4],” online at the United States National Archives.
