Miguel Lina's Brief History of the Lipa Guerrilla Company
[TRANSCRIPTION]
The Lipa Guerrilla Regiment used to be known as the “Second Batangas Regiment” when it was affiliated with the Marking’s Guerrillas of Marcos Agustin. It was formed by a former USAFFE officer named Felino Paran. Upon Paran’s capture by the Japanese, command was assumed by Miguel Lina and became known as the “Lipa Guerrilla Unit.” The organization ultimately failed to collectively gain official recognition by the United States Army, but some of its members did get this coveted accolade. In this page1 is a transcription of a short history of the “Lipa Guerrilla Company” which accompanied this guerrilla outfit’s application for recognition by the United States Army. Miguel Lina purportedly took over command of the guerrilla unit after Paran’s capture, hence his role in preparing this narrative.
[p. 1]
HEADQUARTERS
LIPA GUERRILLA COMPANY
BRIEF HISTORY
Organized, December 1942.
Made contact with the Marking’s Guerrillas in San Rafael, Sto. Tomas, Batangas through Lt. Col. Dionisio Medrana, February 1943.
Formally incorporated into the Marking’s Guerrillas, May 1943, by Col. Daud Mangkon as the Second Batangas Company of these Guerrilla Forces.
Commenced operation, July 1943, mainly counter-intelligence work and anti-collaborationists activities. Operations done with the utmost secrecy. Area covered; Lipa, San Jose, Malvar, Calamba, Alaminos and San Pablo, concentrating mainly in Lipa.
Lost contact with the Marking’s Guerrillas when Col. Daud Mangkon was captured and executed by the Japanese. In Sept. 1943, the Lipa Guerrilla Company operated as an independent unit.
December 1943. Concentrated on intelligence work. Unit operating as the Chief Intelligence Corps for the Provinces of Laguna, Tayabas, and Batangas. Agents were assigned to do extensive sabotage work against enemy installations in Lipa, Batangas and other areas by giving them specific orders to masquerade as laborers in Japanese Labor Battalions.
Arms secured through raids of enemy supply depots in the sitios of Sapac and Bubuyan and in the barrios of Banay-Banay and Tambo, Municipality of Lipa, Batangas.
May 1944, commenced actual combat operations against Japanese patrols charged with the requisitioning of food stuffs from Filipino producers. Area covered: municipalities of Lipa and Rosario.
July 1944. Started counter-propaganda activities.
September 1944. Established semi-permanent base on the eastern portion of the municipality of Lipa to coordinate large-scale sabotage work. Japanese installations accurately mapped out.
October 1944, ten thousand rounds of artillery ammunition were taken away and others destroyed in the sitios of Sapac and Bubuyan where the Japanese soldiers were concentrated. Six truckloads of Japanese Army clothing were also confiscated and issued to active enlisted personnel.
Gasoline dumps in and around the vicinity of Lipa Airstrip were destroyed, 600 barrels of high grade aviation gasoline.
Supply depot in the barrio of Tambo, Lipa, Batangas was raided. 200 cavans of rice and 24 boxes of Japanese biscuits taken and rationed out to needy civilians. Japanese foodstuffs bound for Manila were taken.
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November 1944: transferred headquarters higher in the midst of Malarayat Mountain. An American pilot, Lt. John Boyle, USNR, rescued in the sitio of Dagatan, Lipa, Batangas when the said pilot bailed out from his shattered airplane. Two .50 caliber machine guns taken from the plane. (Note: the two .50 caliber machine guns still in the possession of our unit. The rescued pilot is now in the United States.)
Enemy installations and dispositions mapped out and sent for transmission to SWPA through the ANDERSON’S GUERRILLAS, Allied Intelligence Bureau. Bomb targets indicated to American airplanes.
December 1944, countermeasures taken against enemy mass massacre of civilians in the whole Southern Batangas area. [A] Military Reservation was established in the sitios of Payapa, Maugat, Nasi, and Castillo. Civilians were evacuated to this area from territories subjected to reconnaissance of Japanese patrols who were ordered to kill all civilians and non-combatants. 67,000 people were evacuated from Lipa, San Jose, Rosario, Tiaong, Candelaria, San Pablo, and Malvar and given due protection and medical care. During the said period, seven Japanese attacks against the headquarters and civilians warded off.
January 1945. Two machine guns (Japanese) cal. 30 taken including 200 sacks of rice; ammunition depot burned when this unit made physical contact with the Japanese garrison troops in the barrio of San Celestino, Lipa, Batangas. One Japanese 81 mm. trench mortar captured. (Note: The said .30 cal. Machine guns and the trench mortar still in unit’s possession.)
March 1945. Made contact with the American forces in Alitagtag, Batangas. Unit was assigned to work directly under the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff G-2 11th Airborne Division by Lt. Col. Henry Mueller.
March 1945. Three Japanese killed in Pinagkaanuran, Rosario, Batangas; one battle flag taken.
April 1945. Cooperated with the 11th CIC Detachment, 11th Airborne Division under Lt. Dave Finn and Lt. William P. Myhan in apprehending Makapilis and other Japanese collaborators and in gathering affidavits against same.
One Japanese caught alive and two killed in Masiit, Lipa, Batangas; Japanese alive taken to the 11th CIC Detachment in Mataasnakahoy.
Combat units participated in the extensive mopping operations in the municipalities of Lipa, San Jose, Rosario, and Malvar.
Some certificates issued by the U.S. Army officers contacted were lost. Only a few remaining ones are submitted herewith for information.
LIPA GUERRILLA COMPANY
APOLINAR MASONGSONG, EO
LIPA GUERRILLA COMPANY