Memo to PHILRYCOM Requesting Reconsideration of Recognition Dates, October 1947
The Santo Tomas Guerrilla Unit was an outfit formed and operated out of northern Batangas, with its headquarters located on a hill in Mount Makiling near the town of Santo Tomas. The outfit was commanded by one former Captain in the USAFFE named Lorenzo Talatala and would later become affiliated with the President Quezon’s Own Guerrillas (PQOG), one of the large guerrilla organizations operating in Luzon. In this document1, one Prisciliano Modelo, Executive officer of the Santo Tomas Guerrilla Unit, wrote to the Commanding General of the PHILRYCOM, through channels, requesting for reconsideration of the unit’s recognition dates.
HEADQUARTERS
SANTO TOMAS UNIT (PQOG)
1215 Felix Huertas
Manila
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SUBJECT
TO
THRU |
: Reconsideration, Request for
: Commanding General, PHILRYCOM, APO 707
: The Overall Commander, PQOG
Attn: Guerrilla Affairs Section
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1. That we were the original organizers of the above-named Unit as early as 1942 and since then, we have never been separated from the said Unit up to our processing into the Philippine Army on 12 July ’45;
2. That we, more than anybody else, have full knowledge of the activities and operations of the Unit from the date of organization up to the date of attachment to the 11th Airborne Division, U.S. Army;
3. That this Unit was fully organized and disciplined when the American Forces arrived as may be supported by evidences which we will submit in case reconsideration is granted;
4. That we have on hand additional documents and evidences to support our existence and activities prior to the date of the original recognition;
5. That any decision by that office as to the reduction of ranks of the personnel will be acceptable to us just to give justice to the most deserving members of tis outfit.
In case the above request is granted, we request further that we be contacted personally as we are in possession of documents and evidences which we believe will merit our claim for reconsideration.
We appeal that we be given all the opportunities to enable us to substantiate our claim just so that the sacrifices of our heroic members [may] be given just consideration.