Various Affidavits on the GHQ Batangas Force, FAIT

I, ANSELMO BEREDO, of legal age, married and with postal address at Batangas, Batangas, after having been duly sworn to in accordance with law, do hereby depose and say;

That I am the CO of the Fil-American Irregular Troops, Batangas Town Guerrillas, part of which has been recognized by AFPAC on 20 March 1945;

That I am aware of the existence of the Gen. HDQS., Fil-American Irreguar Troops, FAIT, an active Guerrilla Organization which was an element or a unit of the organization under the late Lt. Col. Jorge D. Espina;

That after the death of Lt. Col. Jorge D. Espina and after I had taken over the command of the Batangas Town Guerrillas, FAIT, the abovementioned organization, the Gen. HDQS., FAIT, under Capt. Loreto Abaya, continued to operate as a unit independent of the Batangas Town Guerrilla Regiment which was under my command although they continued to bear the name of the overall command of Fil-American Irregular Troops;

That the said unit carried on an organized resistance to the enemy continuously up to the liberation, to the exclusion of all other pursuits and occupation;

That I am officially aware of the fact that this unit assisted the U.S. Army forces in its operation in coordination with my unit in the Batangas Area, particularly in and around the towns of Batangas, Ibaan and San Jose.

Further deponent sayeth none.

[Sgd.] COL. ANSELMO BEREDO

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 14^th day of April, 1947, at Batangas, Batangas.

[Unreadable signature]
[Handwritten] Notary Public
Until Dec. 31, 1948
Doc. 65, p. 35, Book V, s. 1947

I, SIXTO M. GUERRA, Filipino, of legal age, married, resident of Ibaan, Batangas, after being duly sworn in accordance with law, DEPOSE and SAY:

That I was the Commanding Officer of the Ibaan Regiment, Fil-American Batangas Guerrillas, part of which has been recognized by the 6^th Army Headquarters on March 1945.

That I was aware of the existence of the Gen Headquarters FAIT, under the overall command of Colonel JORGE D. ESPINA way back in 1943, my unit being then a part and component thereof;

That I am also aware of the fact that the members of this Headquarters have not yet been recognized;

That I certify that this Headquarters is deserving of recognition for having carried on an organized resistance to the enemy continuously up to the liberation;

That after the death of our overall Commander Col. Espina, the members of this unit continued to engage in resistance activities to the exclusion of all other pursuits and occupation under Capt. Loreto Abaya;

That during the liberation campaign, this unit assisted the US Army forces, particularly in and around the towns of Batangas, Ibaan and San Jose.

Further deponent sayeth none.

[Sgd.] SIXTO M. GUERRA, COL.

[Sgd.] Juan T. Mercado

I, PEDRO PASIA, of legal age, married, Filipino and resident of the Municipality of Cuenca, Batangas, after having been duly sworn according to law, depose and say:

That I am a Lt. Col. and Commanding Officer of the 5^th Bn. 1^st Inf. Reg. FOLSOM FIL-AMERICAN IRREGULAR TROOPS, recognized by AFWESPAC on 31 January 1945;

That I have official knowledge of the existence of a Guerrilla outfit known as FIL-AMERICAN under the command of the late Col. JORGE D. ESPINA which operated in the Province of Batangas during the RESISTANCE period and the Liberation campaign;

That I also have official knowledge of the activities of the guerrilla outfit above specified because on several instances, I had occasion to meet some of the ranking officers of the said organization for the purpose of coordinating our plans of sabotaging enemy activities, scheme of attack in the event of [the] landing of the American liberating forces and the best ways and means by which Guerrilla organization in the province of Batangas could [be] of effective assistance to the Americans;

That among the officers of the Guerrilla outfit herein mentioned with whom I had the opportunity to interview during the middle of the year 1943 were Capt. Loreto Abaya and 1^st Lt. Leonardo Abaya;

That I am further aware of the fact that said organization was active and rendered highly valuable services to the American forces during the liberation campaign in the Province of Batangas but, by an irony of fate, only a little portion or, more specifically, only one Company out of one Regiment commanded by the late Col. ESPINA was granted recognition;

That for the last I vouch for the genuineness of the said organization and that its members are deserving Guerrillas; hence, entitled to a just and equitable consideration;

That I have personal knowledge of the foregoing facts and that they are true and correct.

FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NONE.

[Sgd.] PEDRO PASIA, Lt. Col.

SUBSCRIBED and SWORN to before me this 12^th day of April, 1947, at Cuenca, Batangas. Affiant exhibited to me his residence certificate No. A-3033588, issued at Cuenca, Batangas on 25^th February 1947.

[Sgd.] DOMINADOR PASIA

I, ESTEBAN M. MAYO, of legal age, married and with postal address at Lipa, Batangas, after having been duly sworn to in accordance with law, do hereby depost and say:

THAT I was the Division Commander of the 35^th Infantry Division, President Quezon’s Own Guerrillas in the Province of Batangas (PQOG) which was attached during the liberation period to the 11^th Airborne Division, USA;

THAT I was recognized with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel by the Commanding General of the AFWESPAC on January 1, 1945; processed and discharged on 11 December 1945, at the 4^th Replacement Battalion, PA, in Camp Murphy, Rizal;

That I was fully aware of the existence of the Gen. Headquarters of the FIL-AMERICAN IRREGULAR TROOPS or FAIT, an active guerrilla organization thru out the entire province of Batangas under the overall command of the late COL. JORGE D. ESPINA, way back in 1943, my unit then being in close contact with the said GHQ;

THAT I am also aware that the members of this Headquarters have not as yet been recognized;

THAT I certify that this Headquarters is deserving of recognition for having contributed materially to the eventual defeat of the enemy;

THAT the said Unit carried on an organized resistance to the enemy continuously up to the liberation;

THAT after the death of the overall commander, Col. JORGE D. ESPINA, the members of the said Unit remained loyal and faithful thereof and continued to engage in resistance activities, to the exclusion of all other pursuits and occupation under Capt Loreto Abaya;

THAT during the liberation campaign, the said unit assisted the US Army Forces, particularly in and around the towns of Batangas, Ibaan and San Jose;

FURTHER affiant sayeth none.

[Sgd.] ESTEBAN M. MAYO

SUBSCRIBED and SWORN to before me this 12^th day of April 1947, at Lipa, Batangas.

[Sgd.] JOSE M. MANGUIAT

I, ISIDRO G. SULIT, of legal age, married and with postal address at Taysan, Batangas, after having been duly sworn to in accordance with law, do hereby DEPOSE AND SAY:

THAT I was the CO of the 36^th Inf Regt, 35^th Inf Div, President Quezon’s Own Guerrillas (PQOG) which was attached during the period of liberation to the 1^st Cavalry Div, USA, and duly recognized effective on 1 January 1945 by the PHILRYCOM (previously, AFWESPAC) as a composite unit of the 6^th Bn, 2^nd Regt, PQOG, of which I am the recognized CO with the rank of Lt. Col.;

THAT I was fully aware of the existence of the Gen. Headquarters of the FIL-AMERICAN IRREGULAR TROOPS or FAIT, an active guerrilla organization thru out the entire province of Batangas under the overall command of the late COL. JORGE D. ESPINA, way back in 1943, my unit then being in close contact with the said GEN. HDQS.;

THAT I am also aware that the members of this Headquarters have not as yet been recognized;

THAT I certify that this Headquarters is deserving of recognition for having contributed materially to the eventual defeat of the enemy;

THAT the said Unit carried on an organized resistance to the enemy continuously up to the liberation;

THAT after the death of the overall Commander, COL. JORGE D. ESPINA, the members of the said Unit remained loyal and faithful thereof and continued to engage in resistance activities, to the exclusion of all other pursuits and occupation under Capt. Loreto Abaya;

THAT during the liberation campaign, the same Unit assisted the US Army Forces, particularly in and around the towns of Batangas, Ibaan and San Jose.

FURTHER, affiant sayeth none.

[Sgd.] ISIDRO G. SULIT

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 11^th day of April, 1947, at Taysan, Batangas.

[Sgd.] MONTANO T. VIRIL

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