The Japanese

Occupation
The Resistance
Reported by Jerald M. Bernardo
During the Japanese occupation of the
Philippines, a successful resistance emerged
through underground and guerrilla activities.
This opposition gradually expanded, covering
a large portion of the country. Despite the
presence of Japanese-formed entities like the
Bureau of Constabulary, Kempeitai, and the
Makapili, the guerrillas operated actively and
effectively. Postwar investigations revealed the
extensive reach of the resistance, with
approximately 260,000 individuals belonging
to guerrilla organizations. The anti-Japanese
underground was even more extensive. Their
effectiveness was evident as, by the war's end,
Japan retained control over only twelve out of
the forty-eight provinces in the Philippines.
Despite Japanese campaigns against them, the
Philippine guerrilla movement continued to
grow. Filipinos across Luzon and the southern
islands joined various groups, determined to
resist the Japanese occupation. Group
commanders collaborated, though disputes over
territorial control arose. Their main objective was
to aid the return of American forces. The
guerrilla leaders gathered intelligence,
smuggling it to the U.S. Army, a process that
sometimes took months. General MacArthur
initiated a clandestine operation, led by
Lieutenant Commander Charles "Chick"
Parsons, to supply guerrillas with guns, radios,
and supplies via submarine. Simultaneously,
guerrilla forces amassed weapons and
explosives, planning to support MacArthur's
invasion by sabotaging Japanese communication
lines and attacking from the rear.
Following the Japanese invasion, diverse guerrilla forces
emerged across the archipelago, including U.S. Armed
Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) units resisting surrender
and local militias initially formed to counter banditry
stemming from the invasion-induced disorder. In the
Visayas region, islands hosted guerrilla forces led by
Filipino officers, including Colonel Macario Peralta in
Panay, Major Ismael Ingeniero in Bohol, and Captain
Salvador Abcede in Negros.
Mindanao, the farthest island from the center of Japanese occupation, housed
38,000 guerrillas who eventually came under the command of American civil
engineer Colonel Wendell Fertig. Fertig's forces included American and Filipino
troops who had initially been part of Major General William F. Sharp's contingent
on Mindanao. When ordered by Wainwright to surrender, Sharp, considering the
order under duress, refused. Many American and Filipino officers shared this
sentiment, believing that Wainwright, now a prisoner, lacked the authority to issue
such orders. Around 100 to 200 Americans ended up joining Fertig's guerrillas. The
actual number of those not surrendering was uncertain, as some Filipino recruits'
names were intentionally omitted from surrender lists, and documents were
sometimes falsified to underreport the number of men under Sharp. Additionally,
some troops perished, while others left Mindanao entirely.
A notable resistance group in Central Luzon was the Hukbalahap (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa
Hapon), or the People's Anti-Japanese Army, established in early 1942 under the leadership of
Luis Taruc, a communist party member since 1939. The Huks armed around 30,000 individuals,
gaining control over parts of Luzon. However, their guerrilla activities faced challenges, including
the Japanese presence and internal conflicts among various groups, with instances of Hukbalahap
troops attacking American-led guerrilla units.

The lack of equipment, challenging terrain, and underdeveloped infrastructure were the
obstacles to coordinating these guerrilla groups, nearly rendering communication impossible for
several months in 1942. However, in November of that year, communication was restored when
the reformed Philippine 61st Division on Panay island, under Colonel Macario Peralta's
leadership, established radio contact with the USAFFE command in Australia. This connection
facilitated the transmission of intelligence about Japanese forces in the Philippines to the SWPA
command. It also played a crucial role in consolidating sporadic guerrilla activities, enabling them
to contribute to the overall war effort.
As the guerrilla effort gained momentum, an
increasing amount of supplies and radios
were delivered by submarines. By the time of
the Leyte invasion, four submarines were
exclusively dedicated to supplying the
guerrillas, highlighting the growing support
for their activities.

Various guerrilla units, attached to the

Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA), operated
actively across the archipelago. Some of these
units were directly connected to pre-
surrender units, like Troop C, 26th Cavalry,
ordered to engage in guerrilla actions.
Additionally, there were guerrilla units
comprised of former Philippine Army and
Philippine Scouts soldiers released from
Japanese POW camps. Others were mixed
units of Americans and Filipinos who had
never surrendered or had escaped after
surrendering.
Colonel Wendell Fertig, in Mindanao, organized
a group that not only effectively resisted the
Japanese but also established a complete
government operating openly on the island.
Some guerrilla units received assistance from
American submarines, which delivered supplies,
evacuated refugees and the injured, and
inserted individuals and entire units, including
the 5217th Reconnaissance Battalion and
Alamo Scouts.

By the war's conclusion, a total of 277 distinct

guerrilla units, comprising approximately
260,715 individuals, actively participated in the
resistance movement in the Philippines. Some
of these resistance units were later reorganized
and equipped to become units of the Philippine
Army and Constabulary. The resistance effort
played a significant role in the liberation of the
Philippines and the restoration of order after
the Japanese occupation.
Thank
you!