Chapter 3 –The Japanese-American War in Philippines at Dayhagan, Pilar, Capiz & Dayhagan, Carles, Iloilo in 1944

Chapter 3 –The Japanese-American War in  Philippines at Dayhagan, Pilar, Capiz &  Dayhagan, Carles, Iloilo in 1944

I remember one time, the whole community in Dayhagan, Pilar, Capiz where we reside were ordered to leave their homes. They were    transferred   to the   village center.   Every family started to build small huts in the middle of the village.   All the families were to be concentrated in that  area.  They built a  Track and Field area  where residents, specially the youth can compete in running 100 meters and 200 meters of  short distance running. Those were games for exercises and keep the young busy ordered by the village officers on order of the Japanese.

There were also a community competitions which was like  “Rodio de Anillo”   where participants  ran  fast and tried to  hit the “anillo”, a round circle about 3 inches diameter that were suspended about 10 feet from the ground. There  were  small prizes for the winners.   It was an  order  by  village officials to make life a little enjoyable , living  with fears under the  Japanese  soldiers control of the villages.   In just   few   weeks  we were all  living  in small huts, concentrated in  Dayhagan village.

Farmers   go to their farm and work on their rice fields,  bananas and different kinds of root crops during the days.   The fisher folks go to the seashores or the seas to fish or gather shells.  We were living in the “concentraton camp” about 1 kilometers away from the seashore. All go back to their homes to sleep during the nights. This was the  new  directives  by the Japanese.  Concentrated  families  in the village could be easily monitored.

I remembered Sabbath Schools and  Sunday Schools  before were in the bigger home of some members.  Now, this   were    done   under   some trees with shades.   The   cottages and huts were too small for a few people inside.  Group meetings were now   under the trees.   I heard from my uncle,   the reason for the concentration of  the  residents.     The  Americans  were coming back to  the  Philippines.  During that time, I was nearly 5 years old.  

I remembered stories of  Japanese  soldiers  coming in our village  looking for guerrillas. My grandmother, and most people  were afraid of the Japanese.  I heard  stories of the Japanese tyranny on  civilians.  There   were  stories  in nearby villages  and towns, where  civilians were shot by the Japanese.  There   was   even  story   that a mother was bayoneted together with her child by the Japanese.  Every time we hear   Japanese were coming,  we all hide and  disappeared  in   the  heavily forested swamps.

One day, about 11:00 AM, there  were two men who arrived  at home.  I have never saw these men before.    One was  shorter.  The other a bit taller. They  went  to me when I came inside  to drink water. We were playing with my friends outside.  And the taller man  tried talked to me and tried to lift me.  But I refused.  When my mother came  in  from the the field,  she told me that the taller man  was  my father.  He tried to befriend me.

My father told me stories of his   life in the Japanese concentration camps in Tarlac.  Those were very hard life.  It was said, nearly 50,000   soldiers  died   in the  Japanese  concentration camps.  The major causes of death were  dissentery, typhoid fever and cholera.  They   often   buried  some  500  dead soldiers in mass graves daily.   My father said he worked  very hard  to survive  the  sickness and diseases.  One of the thing that helped him was chewing  ginger. He always  carry and chew ginger during his Japanese internment.  

He told me he  bought some ginger  roots and planted it in their prison garden. Ginger has anti-biotic properties  and good disinfectant.  He used  it  as a  beverage, boiling ginger in a cup of water and drink every  morning. No sugar were used. There  were no sugar in the camp.   And he made sure he and the sorroundings  were  always clean.  He   always  drink  boiled water from the rivers and   wells.  He has a canteen and a canteen cup, where he boiled water.  Some soldiers,  drunk water from the wells and river without boiling.  Many of them got sick.  And the death for cholera, dyssntery and thypoid fever were    heavy. Often there were blooted dead bodies that floot on the river side.

 My father   said he always  prayed asking  God for  health and strength. He did not know when they will be released from prison.  He and his friends tried to find way to make life a little bit easier. They were always hungry. They planted vegetables in some small plots. Vegetables gave them health and  strength.  Some prisoners were released and allowed to go home.  Unfortunately  some  of them  who returned were  arrested by the guerrillas  who suspected them of having been indoctrinated by the Japanese.  Some were detained  and  investigated.  Some  were killed, suspected that they are now loyal to the   Japanese. 

My father told me that when he and about 10 prisoners were released, the went to Manila, then proceeded to Tayabas province in southern Luzon.  From  Tayabas, he and 4 of his comrades, took a boat to Carles. The boat was operated by a certain Mr. Ocena. The boat carried salt to Carles and Estancia. While on their way, they passed by Romblon province to get drinking water. But they were stopped by the guerrillas and brought to their camp.

My father said they were investigated by the Romblon guerrillas in the camp. Near the guerrilla camp, there  where many coconuts  growing and bearing fruits. They were held for 4 days by the guerrillas. He said, nearby,  under the coconut trees, there were  some mounds with  bamboo crosses. He was told by the by civilians,  these   were graves of  Japanese war prisonners  who retunred and were  executed by guerillas,  believing that they were  already to the Japanese. They will be dangerous to the guerrillas if   they  were allowed to live.

My father said he assured the guerrilla commander they remained  to the Filipino cause. That if they doubted their loyalty, he asked the commander to give th e 5 of them arms, and they weill attack the Japanese camp.  He told him, it will be better for them fighting the Japanese than to be killed by fellow Filipinos, now guerrillas. Later, they were ordered released. They can proceed to Iloilo. But the guerrillas asked for 10 sacks of salt. He said, they contributed to buy salt for the guerrillas.

My father said, it was very hard experience to be imprisoned by the Japandes for about 3 years. Then, after they were released, the Filipino guerrillas nearly executed them, doubting their loyalty.