The Batangas Intelligence Unit was one of the many guerrilla organizations that operated in the Province of Batangas during the Japanese Occupation up to the liberation of the Philippines by the Allied Forces in 1945. The unit was commanded by one Ramon Limjoco. Unfortunately, the folder containing documents related to this unit yields very little information, so that it is not even apparent if the use of the name Batangas by this unit pertained to the then-town or the province, or if it was affiliated with any of the large guerrilla outfits that operated in Batangas. This unit even failed to meet the deadline for submission of requests for recognition as an element of the Philippine Army in the service of the United States Armed Forces during the liberation of Batangas. In this document1 is a brief chronological history of the Batangas Intelligence Unit, submitted as part of Limjoco’s appeal for exception to the deadline for application for recognition.
HEADQUARTERS SWPA
(BATANGAS INTELLIGENCE UNIT
THE CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE UNIT
2 November ’43 – The birth of this unit began when on or about this date, contact was made with Capt. Luis Licopa (GLINT HQ) at Lemery, Batangas. Lt. Ramon A. Limjoco and Jose Francisco proceeded to Negros to establish contact with Major Villamor’s HQ.
29 December ’43 – Back to Batangas, attempt being successful.
10 January ’44 – Contact with Batangas Guerrillas Lt. Galicano Luansing Jr. Agents continued to report on enemy installations and activities, cutting the telephone lines.
1 July ‘44 – Contact with Col Jurado’s HQ at Mindoro and giving their HQ assistance in Batangas Sector.
15 October ‘44 – Last contact with Col Jurado before he got killed.
10 December ‘44 – Contacted SWPA Intelligence Operatives at Taal for disposition of rescued AAF pilots F/O Clyde McConnell of Kansas and intelligence reports.
12 December ‘44 – Escorted F/O Clyde McConnell from Ibaan to Glint HQ in Lemery, Batangas finally to SWPA Intelligene HQ at Abra de Ilog, Mindoro. Reports subsequently reported.
1 January ‘45 – CO took off for Leyte with F/O Clyde McConnell and Major Folsom with Jap prisoner. Intelligence reports submitted to G-2 at Leyte, 5th Air Force HQ, and G-2 HQ, at Hollandia, New Guinea.
2 January ‘45 – Operations intensified in all sectors. Reports submitted to Glint. (Licopa) HQ weekly for submission to SWPA. Federico Borillo got drowned on [the] way back from Mindoro with supplies.
1 February ‘45 – Got thirty-seven (37) rifles (Enfield) and several hundred rounds of ammunition from Jap Garrison at Batangas High School. Thirty (30) rifles were turned over to Glint HQ Lemery, Batangas and seven (7) to Batangas Guerrillas by Jose U. Francisco.
11 February ‘45 – Operatives called to join Glint (Licopa) at Lemery. Thence, sent to Nasugbu to contact the landing American troops for arms and ammunition.
24 February ‘45 – Back to Batangas. Resuming operations and bringing news on the coming arrival of the Liberation Forces and bolstering the morale of the people.
11 March ‘45 – Joined the 158th Regimental Team under Major Boysie Day (Bushmaster) to locate Japs and their emplacements.
16 March ‘45 – Mopping operations in barrios with Batangas Guerrillas. Casualties two (2) Japs and one of agents Salustiano Melo gets killed. The
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members of the command continued to help the incoming and outgoing troops by giving reliable information and destroying waylaid booby traps by the Japanese forces. This work continued until
1 September ‘45 – “SURRENDER OF JAPAN”
The above was never recognized and application for recognition was never filed due to the departure of its CO for the United States (See date January 1, 1945) and arrival only on 18 March 1947.
CERTIFIED TRUE AND CORRECT:
[Sgd.] Jose Francisco
Notes and references:
1 “Batangas Intelligence Unit,” File No. 179, downloaded from PVAO.
