Letter of Federico Aranas of the DOJ to the PHILRYCOM, June 1947
The San Jose Batangas Guerrillas was another unit in the province of Batangas that fought the Japanese under the banner of the large guerrilla organization called Fil-American Irregular Troops, commanded by the former United States Army Col. Hugh Straughn until he was caught and executed by the Japanese. The San Jose unit was commanded by one Amado Masilungan. In this document1, one Federico Aranas of the Legal Aid Office, Department of Justice, wrote to the Commanding General of the Philippines-Ryukyus Command about the San Jose Batangas Guerrillas and its commander, Masilungan.
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LEGAL AID OFFICE
MANILA
The Commanding General
PHILRYCOM, APO 707
Attention: Guerrilla Affairs Unit
S i r :
The case of Mr. Amado A. Masiluñgan has been referred to this Office.
It appears that in San Jose, Batangas, there was organized a guerrilla unit under the command of Mr. Amado Masiluñgan. Said unit was known as San Jose Unit, Batangas GRLAS. The supposed commanding officer of that unit was Mr. Amado A. Masiluñgan. But instead of Mr. Masiluñgan submitting the roster, one Jose C. Aguila submitted a roster for said unit. When the unit was recognized and the members were to be brought to the Office of the AFWESPAC, now PHILRYCOM, to be processed, the men under Mr. Masiluñgan refused to be processed because they knew that Jose C. Aguila and some of the officers and men listed in the roster were not in any way connected with the resistance movement. The men of Masiluñgan did not want to recognize the leadership of Aguila as well as his officers. However, 65 persons of the hundreds listed went to Manila for processing. A complaint was filed against Jose C. Aguila by Mr. Amado A. Masiluñgan in behalf of those who refused to be processed due to the irregularities they had found in the roster on February 28, 1946.
Several investigations have been conducted by the Guerrilla Affairs Section of your Office as shown by a letter transmitted to this Office by the complainant, copy of which is herein attached. However, to date, no apparent decision has been made.
Please inform us as to what decision has been reached or action taken by that Office with respect to the above-mentioned case.
Encl.: as stated