Anything Under the Sun
Ilonggo soldiers on other war fronts (1)
During World War II, many Ilonggo soldiers became heroes in other war fronts.
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Jose Calugas - During World War II, the only Filipino soldier who was awarded the US Congressional Medal of Honor was Sgt. Jose Calugas of Leon, Iloilo for heroism in Bataan.
His award reads: "For conspicuous gallantry and interpidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy at Culis, Bataan Province, Philippine Islands, January 13, 1942. When the battery gun position was shelled and bombed until one piece was out of action and casualties caused the removal of the remaining canoneers to shelter, Sergeant Calugas, mess sergeant of the another battery, voluntarily and on his own accord proceeded 1,000 yards across the shell-swept area to the gun position and joined the volunteer gun squad which fired effectively on the enemy although heavy bombarding and shelling of the position continued."
This feat of Calugas contributed in the delay of the Japanese advance to Bataan for around three months.
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Lt. Col. Delfin Jaranilla - In 1925, Senate President Manuel Quezon, the most powerful political figure then in the country, wanted to wrest the appointing power from the American governor general thru legislative action.
The issue reached Attorney General Delfin Jaranilla who ruled against Quezon. When Quezon became the President of the Commonwealth, he abolished the office of Attorney General and demoted Jaranilla to senior judge of Court of First Instance of Manila. Jaranilla refused and retired.
When war broke out in 1941, Quezon appointed him as Judge Advocate of the Philippine Army which he accepted for patriotic reasons. Col. Jaranilla fought in Bataan and joined the Death March.
During liberation days, President Sergio Osmeña appointed Jaranilla as secretary of justice and later, justice of the Supreme Court.
Still later, President Roxas appointed him the only Filipino member of the International Military Tribunal which convicted Japanese generals Yamashita and Homma for war crimes.
Born in La Paz, Iloilo City in 1883, Jaranilla finished law at Georgetown University. He was married to Angela H. Salazar and died in 1980 at 96.