US Army Letter Informing Liberty Guerrillas of Non-Recognition, April 1947
The Liberty Guerrillas was one of many supposed units in Batangas that sought official recognition as an element of the Philippine Army in the service of the United States Armed Forces during the liberation of the Philippines. This unit was allegedly commanded by one Lt. Col. Sixto M. Malana and was supposed to have been affiliated with the larger Luzon-based guerrilla organization Marking’s Fil-American Troops of Marcos Agustin. Agustin, however, was supposed to have said that there were no units in Batangas worthy of recognition. In this document1, one Thomas Brown of the Adjutant General’s Office of the Philippines-Ryukyus Command wrote to Malana to inform the latter of the non-recognition of the Liberty Guerrillas, Batangas Unit.
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HEADQUARTERS
PHILIPPINES-RYUKYUS COMMAND
OFFICE OF THE COMMANDING GENERAL
| GSCPU PI / 865 |
APO 707 21 APR 1947 |
Lt Col Sixto M. Malana
4th Repacement Battalion
Camp Murphy, Quezon City
c/o Hqs Marking’s Fil-American Troops
2739 Rizal Avenue Ext, Manila
Dear Lt Col Malana:
The Commanding General has directed that you be informed that the Liberty Guerrillas, Batangas Unit, MFAT, purporting to be a guerrilla organization under your nominal control, is not favorably considered for recognition as an element of the Philippine Army.
A set of general requirements for guerrilla recognition established by General MacArthur during the liberation of the Philippines has been used as a guide in considering the record of this unit. After careful investigation and full consideration of all substantiating records and testimony of witnesses having pertinent knowledge, recognition of this guerrilla unit is not deemed to be warranted because of the reasons mentioned below:
a. Record of service was not substantiated by sufficient acceptable evidence.
b. The unit was not maintained satisfactorily in the field in opposition to the enemy.
c. A definite organization was not established.
d. Performance of the unit did not indicate adequate control by its leaders.
e. Unit did not show satisfactory continuity of activity and organization.
f. Members of the unit did not devote their entire effort to military activities in the field to the exclusion of normal civilian occupation and family obligations.
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such claims. Upon request from interested individuals, appropriate forms will be forwarded.
CWO, USA
ASST ADJ GEN
1 Inc
dtd 26 Sept 46