AGDANGAN MASSACRE : History of Agdangan Poblacion

Many stories have been written and movies have been filmed about brutalities and
atrocities committed by occupation forces in the Philippines, but none could equal the horror
left by the Japanese Imperial Forces at Agdangan, Baao, Camarines Sur.

During the later part of 1944, on October 15, when che ride of baule was definitely turning
against the Japanese, a Japanese courier on his way to the Iriga garrison was ambushed and
killed by Filipino guerillas. His body was congealed in a bamboo thicket far from the scene of
the killing. On the morning of the next day, October 16, a truckload of Japanese soldiers headed
by Capt. Zosaki and an interpreter Izuni, picked up Manuel Pevra, Baao Chief of Police, Perfecto
Bolalin - Agdangan Barrio Lieutenant, Isidro Panambo - president of a neighborhood association
and a Barrio Lieutenant of San Isidro, Baao, for questioning.

The Japanese inflicted all sorts of horrible torture on the Filipinos. Their favorite form of torture
was the "water cure", in trying to extract information which lasted until morning. For fear of
torture, after hours of grilling, Isidro Panambo revcaled chat the courier was killed by Isaac
Romano and two other companions, all guerillas.

Lucky persons were able to escape but most of them failed. A woman, Felicisima Bazar almost
made it but was seen by the Japanese. She was chased and bayoneted to death. An old woman
Bartolemca Borela escaped but returned for her precious belongings was not spared, neither a
young pregnant woman who delivered her baby prematurely due to bayonet stabs on her
stomach. The premature baby was made to dangle in the air for some time impaled by the
enemy's bavonet and later chrown into the blazing inferno. Trulv it was a sight indelibly printed
in the minds of a few who escaped.

A glimpse of the past would surely make anyone shiver especially when you listen personally to
our Barangay Captain, Victor Bisenio relate his traumarie experience about the massacre. He is
one of the three survivors of that gruesome happening, thirty-nine (39) years ago when he was
only a young man.

Reliable sources: https://luisgdato.com/the-agdangan-massacre/

JAMES ALLEN LOPEZ