Anything under the Sun
Glorious military tradition of Ilonggo soldier (1)
(This writer would like to share his speech during the graduation of the Advance ROTC Cadets of the University of San Agustin last March 11 in his capacity as Asst. Division Commander of the 61st Infantry Division (SR), Philippine Army).
As future officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, it is just proper for you to know the glorious tradition of the Ilonggo soldier.
This started 100 years ago during the Philippine Revolution in 1898. Many do not know that many Ilonggo soldiers were prominent in the Aguinaldo government. Among them were General Pascual Ledesma who was the first flag officer in command of the Philippine Navy and General Esteban de la Rama who was the first commandant of the Philippine Marines.
Considered the best regimental commander of Emilio Aguinaldo was Lt. Col. Julio Infante who had a big price on his head. One time, he was captured by the Americans who did not recognize him. He was assigned as a houseboy in the Office of Col. Charles Langhorne.
After a week he asked permission to visit his sick father and was permitted. Col. Langhorne also gave him a letter to be delivered to Col. Julio Infante to surrender. Few days after, Col. Langhorne received a letter written in perfect English (Infante studied in Hongkong) saying that he did not need to see Col. Infante because he had seen him already a week as his office boy. This incident reached the American press which criticized Langhorne for the escape of a high ranking prisoner of war.
Here in Panay, it was to General Martin Delgado to whom the last governor general of the Philippines surrender the Spanish Philippine colony. The revolution has also produced an Ilonggo lady general, Teresa Magbanua, the Joan of Arc of the Visayas.
During World War I in 1914, the American government organized the Philippine National Guard composed of three regiments. The commander of the First Regiment was an American officer and of the other two were Filipinos -- both Ilonggos.
The Second Regiment was commandered by Col. Adriano Hernandez and the Third Regiment by Col. Julio Infante. However, while they were preparing to go to Europe to fight the German Imperial Army under Kaiser Wilhelm II, the war ended and the units were subsequently demobilized.