Miscellaneous Documents of the 35th Infantry Division, PQOG

PRESIDENT QUEZON’S OWN GUERRILLAS
ADVISED BY COL. WENDELL W. FERTIG (0254976)
Luzon, Free Philippines

OFFICE OF THE DIVISION COMM’DR. 35^th Inf. Div.
13 March 46

1. The undersigned, Commanding Officer of the 35^th Infantry Division of the President Quezon’s Own Guerrillas with the rank of Brigadier General, recognized and processed as Major of the Philippine Army with serial number 048239, certifies that he personally knows Captain ANTONIO MANTUANO.

2. That Captain Antonio Mantuano, with his men, joined my command in the mopping up operation against the Japs in the mountain of Lipa and in the different parts of Rosario.

3. That Captain Antonio Mantuano, with his men, have shown courage while acting as guides of the Liberation Forces in pursuing the Japanese stragglers in Malarayat Mountain. They had several encounters against the Japs during their mopping up operations in different places.

1. On 13 March 1946, I submitted through the Philippine Army the ROSTER of the company under my command, consisting of 158 officers and men, with the request that they be included in the original ROSTER submitted by our superior officers to the AFWESPAC. Together with said ROSTER was the original communication of my superior officer, Maj. Esteban Mayo, who was already processed and whose status was already recognized. The commission of my company in the original ROSTER cannot be counted against us because we were not consulted. The commission must have been due to oversight.

2. The officers and men under my command, in pleading for justice, with to advise your Headquarters that the Lipa Company of the PQOG guerrillas was organized early in June 1943 under Major Esteban Mayo. In April 1945, said company was attached to the 511 Cavalry, 11^th Airborne Division of the United States Army.

3. A similar request was made to the Philippine Army Headquarters. The officers and men under my command will appreciate it very much if action could be expedited on their request. They are ready for processing upon notice.

4. We believe that it would not be fair [that] our superior officers are recognized, but the men who fought with them, the men who risked their all that the cause of democracy might triumph are forgotten and neglected. We believe in the justness of our cause and we submit our just claim to the just officers of a just movement.

Your letter dated 30 March 1946, requesting recognition of [the] Lipa Company has been received.

Your application for recognition has been filed in this headquarters pending further investigation. A great number of similar applications requiring investigation has been received and a considerable delay is to be expected before final action in your case. However, your application will receive attention at the earliest practicable date and you will be informed promptly when a decision is reached.

It is suggested that you defer further inquiry regarding the status of your application for at least 60 days. Such inquiries are neither necessary nor desirable because the time consumed in additional correspondence and interviews serves to delay final disposition.

The Commanding General has directed that you be informed that the 35^th Infantry Division (PQOG), purporting to be a guerrilla organization under your nominal control, has not been favorably considered for recognition.

It is felt that the recognition extended to personnel of the PQOG General Headquarters and of the 2^nd Infantry Regiment, President Quezon’s Own Guerrillas (PQOG), a composite unit from the overall command, constitutes just and adequate acknowledgement of military service.

This decision does not preclude individual requests for casualty recognition by injured personnel or their heirs. Upon request from interested individuals, appropriate casualty forms will be forwarded.

Relative to my roster submitted to you personally last March 13, 1946, the undersigned humbly solicits your kindness to be informed as to what action has been committed on my case. Said roster was under the unit of the PQOG Guerrilla organization with Gen. Esteban M. Mayo (recognized as major) as its commanding officer. Since my submission and up to the present time, no contact or notice of any sort or the like has been extended upon my behalf to clarify my status.

I would appreciate greatly for whatever sort of favorable action your honor will wrestle upon my case, I remain,

This will acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 29 November 1947, requesting the status of the 35^th Infantry Division, PQOG.

The request for recognition of this unit was not favorably considered by this headquarters on 10 March 1947. After extensive investigation and full consideration of all the substantiating evidence submitted by this unit and a careful analysis of all other available information of the military activities of the unit from its inception, scrutinized in relation to the overall resistance movement, it was determined that the unit failed to fulfill the requirements of our constant guerrilla recognition criterion used in the consideration of all claimant guerrilla units. A letter to this effect was sent to your commanding officer, Mr. Esteban Mayo, at Lipa, Batangas, on 10 March1947.

1. Basic, ltr fr Mr. Antonio A. Mantuano, to CG, PHILRYCOM, dtd 29 Nov 47, requesting the status of the 35^th Inf Div, PQOG.

2. Writer refers to himself as “37^th Inf, PQOG” under Esteban Mayo. Mayo was CO of 35^th Div, PQOG, which was NRC’d 19 Mar 47. Writer of basic was included in roster as a Capt.