The Bohol Liberation

The Bohol Liberation

About fifty years had passed but the recollection of World War II still lingers in the minds of the Filipino people who witnessed the massive and wanton destruction of properties and human lives inflicted by the Japanese military forces. After four years of agony, pain and sufferings the Philippines was liberated. Liberation was a great jubiliation to the Filipino people although it was too costly to the lives of millions of civilians.

Liberation of the neighboring provinces of Leyte and Cebu took several days of fierce fighting both land and air assaults by the American Liberation Forces. But the liberation of Bohol was so dramatic that they landed without firing even a single shot. There was no beach shelling and assault that usually precede a landing in a hostile area. The American troops were welcomed with open arms by a happy crowd of provincial officials, guerilla officers and men and some civilians.

The American troops came after a number of bombings and strafing by American planes on Tagbilaran and the periodic attack at the Japanese garisson by the guerilla where there were more or less two hundred Japanese holed. The Japanese were able to elude from the hands of the Americans when they sneaked out of town when they could no longer hold out as a strong force to fight against the formidable American forces. They were able to wind up in the heavy forested mountains of Valencia, Sierra-Bullones and Jagna until they were caught by the American clearing operation.

Special unit of guerilla soldiers under the American Division was organized to guide and perform reconnaisance work for the American troops while operating against the Japanese stragglers. The Special Unit was under the command of Major Nunag. The American clearing operation and the Special Unit of the Bohol Area Command encountered skirmishes with the Japanese stragglers in the mountains of Valencia and Mayana, Jagna led by Lt. Patricio Pizarras. It was said it cost few American lives and most of the enemies were killed and captured. The negligible few of the remaining Japanese stragglers were entrusted to the hands of the Bohol Area Command. The Bohol liberation was officially proclaimed on May 25, 1945 by the American Liberation Forces.

Significant Historical Developments

          Historical Setting                              Muslim Raids On Bohol Coastal Towns
          Sikatuna, The Bohol Chieftain              Dagohoy, The Celebrated Hero Of Bohol
          How Bohol Got Its Name                     Bohol Participation in the Philippine Revolution
          Christianization of the Natives              Lonoy, Jagna Massacre

Bits of World War II History

          April 1942 Bombing of Jetafe              The Moalong and Ubujan Ambushcades
          June 1943 Japanese Kempatai             The Bohol Liberation
          Underground Movement                       How Bohol was Liberated