Anything Under the Sun
Priest-soldiers of Panay
On March 18, we will be celebrating the Anniversary of the Liberation of Panay. We have been honoring our veterans and had been focusing on the fighting men and often times overlooking the non-combatant elements of our armed forces.
So this time, let us dwell on the fighting padres -- the chaplains who were with the Panay guerillas. Here they are:
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1. Capt. Mariano Ga - 61st Infantry Division Chaplain of the Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayan church). After the war, he retired as major and became the Obispo Maximo (Supreme Head) of that church.
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2. 1Lt. Jose Dacudao - 61st Infantry Div. Chaplain of the Catholic Church.
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3. 1Lt. Ildefonso Odi - 61st Inf. Regt. Chaplain. After the war, he retired as major and became a monsignor serving in several parishes his last being Janiuay.
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4. 1Lt. Ciriaco Escutin - 62nd Inf. Regt. Chaplain. After the war, he became Chief Chaplain of the Armed Forces of the Philippines with rank of brigadier general.
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5. 1Lt. Celso Pasiderio - 63rd Inf. Regt Chaplain.
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6. 1Lt. Miguel Tadifa - 64th Inf. Regt Chaplain. After the war, he became Chief Chaplain of the Philippine Army with rank of full colonel. He saw action in the Korean was as chaplain of the 10th Battalion Combat Team (10th BCT).
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7. 1Lt. Federico Velasco - 65th Inf Regt Chaplain
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8. 1Lt. Vicente Tim timan - 66th Inf Regt Chaplain
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9. 1Lt. Aguston Masa - 61st Inf. Chaplain for Protestant sects.
In the 71st Inf. Division of Negros Guerillas two from Panay served as chaplains, thus:
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1. Major Antonio Frondosa -- Chief Division Chaplain (Catholic). After the war, he became the first archbishop of Capiz.
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2. 1Lt. Felix Regalado -- regimental chaplain (Protestant) of the 71st Inf Regt.
Of post war officers, we have Fr. Vicente Vacante who served as chaplain in the Philippine Army until he retired as full colonel.
In the United States Navy, there is Lt. Col. Roy Panes who saw action in the Iraq war in 1990.
Lastly, a hundred years ago, during the Philippine Revolution Iloilo, three Ilonggo Catholic priests joined the revolution as chaplains in the Ejercito Libertador. The chief chaplain was Fr. Praxedes Magalona and his assistants were Fr. Santiago Pamplona and Fr. Sivestre Apura.