Protection of American in Hiding
WITH the fall of Bataan and Corregidor in the earlier days of April, my father believed that the Japanese invaders would eventually occupy the country. Hence as a former public schools district supervisor, he was aware that keeping the high morale of his people was an important ingredient in resisting enemies of the newly acquired American democratic ways of life.
As the deputy governor of the sub-province of Ifugao, he embarked on community awareness in every individual’s discipline and role during Japanese occupation.
“Lt. Cloggy and I had to work together by conducting conferences and meetings among the people in the barrios in order to maintain their morale. We gave warning to the people never to reveal the movements or hiding places of Americans or any white for the Japanese will surely kill them. We were much concerned about this because of the inhumane cruelty of the Japanese to any white.
“The safety of the three American women, namely Misses Mitzger and Spizard of the American Christian Missionaries at Kiangan, and who were but 8 km. from the Japanese outposts was paramount. With them was Mrs. Cloggy.
“We also informed the people that the Americans will be coming back and it is only a question of time; patience was necessary for the time being. The only way was to get out of the paths of the enemy and be safe from them.
“... Lt. Cloggy left to travel between Ifugao and Benguet, never staying in any single place longer than a couple of days.”
“The natives for fear of them being discovered named these two American women: Bugan and Aginnaya. So even if we talk of them, in the presence of the Japanese, they will not hear any American names.
The indoctrination campaign launched by my father continued through the months of May to July 1942. The information drive was also to keep the American women safe and secure from the knowledge of the enemy thus “laid the foundations for the protection of Americans in hiding in the Sub-province of Ifugao.”
Upon the arrival of Japanese soldiers, my father has this to say:
“We local officials had been again and again grilled and threatened to tell the whereabouts of the American women and other Americans reported to them from other places. We denied and denied with as much as our abilities to deal with them, in lies, diplomacy and outright bluffs, finally convinced the enemy to give up their daily grilling upon us.
“Some boys and girls acted as messengers to the American women, and as much as possible, we avoided writing messages. The Mayor of Kiangan in whose jurisdiction the ladies hid, had to use all the means and ways of communicating with the whites and to the people of his district. Each Mayor, and councilors down to the Lts. of Barrios, to the citizens as a whole, were given full responsibilities for the safety of any white who may come into their respective municipalities.
“Later on, about the end of November, 1942, Councilors Kimayong Dulnuan of Hapliap and Timmikpao of Antipolo came to me confidentially and secretly informed me of the arrival of two American officers. And they asked what to do, since the order of the Japanese was terrible in its meaning, that anyone found to be feeding and hiding soldiers or Americans will be killed and all the inhabitants of the villages be also killed and their homes burned.
“I assured the two councilors of safety provided they will hide the two Americans, feed them and hide them in the forests nearby. Then the two councilors were instructed to campaign their own people to help hide them and to keep their mouths shut, if they did not want any trouble for themselves and the people of the villages as a whole.
“For us local officials, we had been denying the presence of any American and soldiers in hiding and should anyone of them be discovered or betrayed, there is no question about being the first to suffer death penalty from the enemy.
“Consequently, the warning to the people was death for them from our hiding soldiers (allied forces) as well as the enemy, should anyone of them betray any soldier or American in the whole sup-province.
U.S. Army Maj. R.A. Volkman sends “thank you”
“Upon their return, I believed that the two councilors informed the two Americans of my suggestions and instructions to them concerning their safety ...
“Then on Dec. 8, 1942 I received the following letter from one of them. Below is the excerpt from the letter:
Hdg. U>S> Army Force N. Luzon” in the field, Dec. 8, 1942
Subject: Cooperation of Councilors and Barrio Lts. In Food Procurement
To: The Governor of Ifugao
1. “It has been reported to this Hdq. that some Councilors and Barrio Lieuts. in the Kiangan Area are failing to cooperate with the U.S. Army in procuring food on Government Receipt.”
2. “The latest report involves Councilor Pinkihan. He refused to furnish a cow on Government Receipt and investigation shows he could well afford to do so. Please inform Mr. Pinkihan that he will be contacted again in the near future, and that unless he changes his attitude, drastic measures will be taken by this Hdq.:
3. “This Hdq. wishes to take this time to thank you for the splendid work you have been doing.”
By Order of Col. Moses,
Commanding Officer, U.S. Army, N. Luzon
(Sgd) R.A. VOLKMAN, Major, U.S. Army
“Immediately, I notified Councilor Licyayo Pinkihan ... to give the cow and to give every aid and protection to the hiding Americans. The cow was given and the councilor was one of the most active councilors ... in the procurement of food supplies for the hiding soldiers...”
To be continued...
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Note: The narrator is the youngest son of the late Luis I. Pawid of Kiangan, Ifugao and Angeline Laoyan of La Trinidad, Benguet. He is a journalist by profession, former town Mayor of La Trinidad, Benguet, and former Executive Director of the defunct Cordillera Executive Board of the Cordillera Administrative Region. He now resides in New Jersey, USA.