The Luansing Unit Fil-American Batangas Guerrillas were commanded by one Galicano Luansing and known loosely as the “Luansing’s Unit.” This guerrilla outfit was at one time or the other during the Japanese occupation affiliated with the Fil-American Irregular Troops and also the President Quezon’s Own Guerrillas. By the time the Allied forces return to the Philippines, it was operating independently. This unit assisted the United States Army in campaigns against the Japanese forces from Balayan, Batangas Town, Lipa, Rosario and San Juan. In this document1, a brief history of the commandof the Luansing Unit of Fil-American Batangas Guerrillas is provided as one of the requirements for the unit’s application for official recognition as an element of the Philippine Army in the service of the United States Armed Forces during the liberation period.
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HISTORY OF [THE] COMMAND OF THE FIL-AMERICAN BATANGAS GUERRILLAS
The Fil-American Batangas Guerrillas was organized by Lt. Col. Jorge D. Espina in the early part of October 1942, under the banner of the Fil-American Irregular Troops of Col. Hugh Straughn. The organization became the strongest organization in Batangas Province, with members throughout the whole province. Upon the capture of Col. Straughn, Lt. Col Jorge D. Espina, due to the failure of the headquarters of Col. Straughn to send further contact, commanded the organization independently, vainly seeking contact with Panay and Mindoro. Somehow, in the early days of 1944, Lt. Col. Jorge D. Espina, gained contact with Panay. A certain Capt. Vidal and crew were sent to Batangas and a transmitter was installed in the barrio of Talumpok, Batangas, Batangas. On the latter part of Mar. 1944, Lt. Col. Jorge D. Espina and practically all staff officers were captured and killed. The transmitter, its crew and two Americans were captured. Other ranking officers in the organization surrendered and those who were lucky to be released laid low and kept off the organization. It was only the organization under the undersigned and Lt. Col. Isaac D. Farol that defied surrender and continued the movement. As a consequence of this, the entire force of the PCs in the province of Batangas was directed to operate in Rosario, Batangas, the sector of both Lt. Col. Isaac D. Farol and the undersigned. The Japanese high command ordered the combing of the entire municipality of Rosario and adjoining towns. More than two companies of Japanese soldiers held garrisons in the different barrios. Being the most qualified ranking officer unsurrendered at that time, and with the approval of Lt. Col. Farol, the undersigned assumed command of the organization and, thus, it continued to operate until pressure upon the civilians imposed by the Japanese and soldiers forced this command to operate from the sector of the PQOG under Col. Vicente Umali. By circumstances and [a] certain definite agreement, the unit was inducted into the PQOG with the undersigned as the commanding officer of the same men, sector and unit only under a different banner. This unit operated under the banner of the PQOG officially from 1 May 1944 up to 14 Nov. 44, a period of less than seven (7) months, until 15 Nov 44, it operated as an independent unit, for reasons highly expounded to Maj. Jay D. Vanderpool and the guerrilla coordinator of the 11th A/B Div. The latter headquarters, together with the office of the CIC of the 11th A/B Div. had gathered concrete evidences warranting the operation of this unit independently, under the undersigned. It will be noted and can be verified that the same man directly commanded the same men and area from the time of its organization up to the official liberation of Rosario, Batangas.
Notes and references:
1 “Luansing Unit, Fil-American Batangas Guerrillas,” File No. 63, downloaded from PVAO.
