Affidavits Submitted to the US Army in Support of the Pagamutan ng Maralita's Recognition

I, JOSE P. CAEDO, ASN 0-1100, of legal age, Filipino, married, Lieutenant-Colonel in the Medical Corps, Philippine Army, after having been sworn according to law, depose and say:

That I was the Division Surgeon for the 61^st Division, Visayas-Mindanao Force, USAFFE, until the time of surrender to the Imperial Japanese Forces on 25 May 1942;

That I requested then Capt. Domingo T. Tolentino, DC, Division Dental Surgeon for the 102^nd Division, Visayas-Mindanao Force, USAFFE, in case he would be released from concentration as prisoner of war, to organize a First Aid Clinic and Infirmary for the Batangas Guerrilla Forces;

That he was the Commanding Officer with the rank of Major for the abovementioned guerrilla medical installation organized on 23 January 1943, which medical unit bore the camouflaged name “PAGAMUTAN NG MARALITA, BATANGAS;”

That the said medical installation was able to cope efficiently with the demands of all the guerrilla units in Batangas, Batangas for medical support in the form of first aid, nursing and short time hospitalization services, until the clinic and infirmary were burned by the Japanese incendiary squads of Capt. Oda on 7 March 1945;

That the Commanding Officer (Major Domingo T. Tolentino), with skeletonized personnel, continued active participation in the field when the 2^nd Battalion (under Maj. Day, USA) of the 158^th Regimental Combat Team under Brig.-Gen. McNider, USA, accomplished the mopping up operation or battle for Batangas, Batangas.

FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NONE.

[Sgd.] JOSE P. CAEDO

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me this 13^th day of Dec 1945 at HOH [or HQH], Manila.

[Unreadable signature]
(Rank and Branch of Service)

I, GALICANO M. LUANSING JR., ASN-0-46316, of legal age, Filipino, Captain, Infantry, Philippine Army, Chief, Team No. 3, Adjudication Section RPD, PAS, AFWESPAC, APO 707, after having been duly sworn to according to law, depose and say:

That I was and still am the Commanding Officer of the FIL-AMERICAN BATANGAS GUERRILLAS (LUANSING’S UNIT);

That the “BATANGAS PAGAMUTAN NG MARALITA” supported my guerrilla unit with efficient medical service, particularly first aid, home nursing and short-time hospitalization services up to the time said guerrilla clinic and infirmary were burned by the Japanese incendiary squads under Capt. Oda of the Japanese Forces in Batangas on 7 March 1945.

FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NONE.

[Sgd.] GALICANO M LUANSING JR.

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me this 19^th DAY OF December, 1945 at Manila.

[Sgd.] Gregorio P. Reyes

I, JACOBO ZOBEL, of legal age, Filipino, married, Major, Infantry, Philippine Army, presently at the Inspector General Service Headquarters, Philippine Army, after having been duly sworn according to law, depose and say:

That I was with Brigadier General McNider of the 158^th RCT, USA-PAC, in the morning of 12 March 1945, when we were looking for the Japanese appointed Municipal Mayor of Batangas, Batangas.

That we met DR DOMINGO T TOLENTINO (later known to us as Guerrilla Major, Commanding Officer of the First Aid and Infirmary, with the camouflaged name of “PAGAMUTAN NG MARALITA,” or “POOR MAN’S HOSPITAL” for Batangas.

That Major Domingo T Tolentino was our escort with us in the jeep driven by Brigadier General McNider until we found the Japanese appointed Municipal Mayor Roman Perez of Batangas, Batangas.

That Major Domingo T Tolentino was introduced to the Battalion Commander, 2^nd Battalion, 158^th RCT and his medical installation’s services were attached to the medical unit of the said battalion, on verbal instructions made by Brig-Gen. McNider to the Battalion Commander at the Battalion Command Post then at the base of the Batangas Cemetery Hill.

[SGD] JACOBO ZOBEL

(SGD) RAF A MONSERRAT

[Sgd.] DOMINGO T TOLENTINO

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