After hearing the news in CNN confirming that World War II veterans can now get their benefits or lump sum money from the United States after a bill has been approved. Personally, it was really good news to hear that World War 2 veterans, especially here in the Philippines have finally got what they have hoped for. After waiting for decades for this great opportunity to materialize since World War 2 ended.
The question is that, were all the war veterans have been really compensated? What if they lack the papers or evidence that were required before they are given such benefit? Well, that is another big question and issue these veterans must face.
Hukbalahap Guerrillas - Are They Covered?
I know that some of the veterans, especially those who were with the HUKBALAHAP (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon) have not been considered to receive such benefit. Those who were entitled must have been enlisted in the US Military or USAFFE and they possess their US Military ID to present.
For those Hukbalahap guerrillas who have been fighting in the mountains and in the city proper that has served as Information Officers or Couriers were used by US Military Officers in the mid-part of the war and after the war, they were not been officially enlisted in the US Military office that is why they were not compensated up to this time. But still they have served a great part of rescuing American soldiers and officers during World War 2 and their fighting skills were amazing. If ever their stories got the chance to be heard but most of them have died and it was never been published.
The worst part here is that they were even been accused as hoax or having a false identity and making up stories. I really pity these old people since most of them lived poorly in different parts of our country.
There was a time when my father, Dr. Ernesto V. Romasanta Sr. gathered all their applications that he submitted in the US and hoping that these applications may be re-considered as US beneficiaries as World War 2 veterans and that happened early 2000 and two years after that my father has died.
A Glimpse of an Accomplishment by Hukbalahap Guerrillas
From my previous postings, I mentioned that Dad had been a Hukbalahap guerilla (a.k.a. Commander Ivory) who killed the notorious Japanese officer, Colonel Tanaka in Manila downtown area and this event was one of the greatest assassination plot in World War 2 history here in the Philippines that was carefully planned by Hukbalahap guerrillas, together with a US Military officer. Since Colonel Tanaka was one of the most notorious Japanese officer who killed thousands of women, children and US military personnel during World War 2.
Assassination Plot for Colonel Tanaka
It happened in Manila, where Colonel Tanaka used to drink in a bar and the group planned the assassination plot through a 1 month surveillance led by Commander Ivory (Dad). Everyday, Colonel Tanaka was in this local bar in the afternoon accompanied by two Japanese soldiers who stayed in the car while Colonel Tanaka is inside the bar to drink.
The question is that, were all the war veterans have been really compensated? What if they lack the papers or evidence that were required before they are given such benefit? Well, that is another big question and issue these veterans must face.
Hukbalahap Guerrillas - Are They Covered?
I know that some of the veterans, especially those who were with the HUKBALAHAP (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon) have not been considered to receive such benefit. Those who were entitled must have been enlisted in the US Military or USAFFE and they possess their US Military ID to present.
For those Hukbalahap guerrillas who have been fighting in the mountains and in the city proper that has served as Information Officers or Couriers were used by US Military Officers in the mid-part of the war and after the war, they were not been officially enlisted in the US Military office that is why they were not compensated up to this time. But still they have served a great part of rescuing American soldiers and officers during World War 2 and their fighting skills were amazing. If ever their stories got the chance to be heard but most of them have died and it was never been published.
The worst part here is that they were even been accused as hoax or having a false identity and making up stories. I really pity these old people since most of them lived poorly in different parts of our country.
There was a time when my father, Dr. Ernesto V. Romasanta Sr. gathered all their applications that he submitted in the US and hoping that these applications may be re-considered as US beneficiaries as World War 2 veterans and that happened early 2000 and two years after that my father has died.
A Glimpse of an Accomplishment by Hukbalahap Guerrillas
From my previous postings, I mentioned that Dad had been a Hukbalahap guerilla (a.k.a. Commander Ivory) who killed the notorious Japanese officer, Colonel Tanaka in Manila downtown area and this event was one of the greatest assassination plot in World War 2 history here in the Philippines that was carefully planned by Hukbalahap guerrillas, together with a US Military officer. Since Colonel Tanaka was one of the most notorious Japanese officer who killed thousands of women, children and US military personnel during World War 2.
Assassination Plot for Colonel Tanaka
It happened in Manila, where Colonel Tanaka used to drink in a bar and the group planned the assassination plot through a 1 month surveillance led by Commander Ivory (Dad). Everyday, Colonel Tanaka was in this local bar in the afternoon accompanied by two Japanese soldiers who stayed in the car while Colonel Tanaka is inside the bar to drink.
During the day of assassination, Commander Ivory, who was in his early teens during that time and two other Hukabalahap lookouts started the plot and waited for the exact hour when Colonel Tanaka started to go out of the bar and sat at the front seat of his vehicle beside the driver seat. Commander Ivory approached the vehicle from behind the back of the car and went to the spot where he can see the face of Colonel Tanaka seating at the front passenger seat. He started to pull out his .45 caliber handgun and aimed the gun right in front of the Colonel's face and started firing shots until he consumed all the bullets from his handgun. While this was happening, two of his comrades who were lookouts (boys ages 9-12 years old) went to the back of the vehicle and after hearing the first shot that rang out from Dad's gun, they started firing at the two Japanese soldiers and emptied their handguns as instructed, killing the two soldiers on the spot.
After confirming that Colonel Tanaka is dead and the assassination plot was successful, the ladies from the adjacent bar where Colonel Tanaka used to drink, grabbed all of the boys, looked around the street and saw no one in site and started to bring the boys inside the bar and pointed them a way out in the back to escape unnoticed. The ladies even gave them food to bring during their escape.
The news spread out in the neighborhood very fast and all of them were celebrating in silence. They tried to know who did the assassination plot by asking the ladies who helped them eradicate Colonel Tanaka. But they remained silent and told them they never knew who killed Colonel Tanaka and just saw him dead when they went out the bar. They were eager to know who it was because they wanted to thank whoever it was who did the assassination because they have helped them serve justice to thousands of victims being murdered by this Japanese officer and some of them have been members of their family.
But they never knew who he was until now that I have made this story public since my father is gone too. I just don't know if anyone of those who knew that event would have the chance to read this blog and finally knew who was their hero at that time. I guess it was just time to share this untold story in memory of my father. I believe that at this point, it was time to tell one of his heroic deed that has never been told since World War II ended.
After confirming that Colonel Tanaka is dead and the assassination plot was successful, the ladies from the adjacent bar where Colonel Tanaka used to drink, grabbed all of the boys, looked around the street and saw no one in site and started to bring the boys inside the bar and pointed them a way out in the back to escape unnoticed. The ladies even gave them food to bring during their escape.
The news spread out in the neighborhood very fast and all of them were celebrating in silence. They tried to know who did the assassination plot by asking the ladies who helped them eradicate Colonel Tanaka. But they remained silent and told them they never knew who killed Colonel Tanaka and just saw him dead when they went out the bar. They were eager to know who it was because they wanted to thank whoever it was who did the assassination because they have helped them serve justice to thousands of victims being murdered by this Japanese officer and some of them have been members of their family.
But they never knew who he was until now that I have made this story public since my father is gone too. I just don't know if anyone of those who knew that event would have the chance to read this blog and finally knew who was their hero at that time. I guess it was just time to share this untold story in memory of my father. I believe that at this point, it was time to tell one of his heroic deed that has never been told since World War II ended.
