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#OnThisDay September 25, 1942, a conference was held by the Boholano soldiers at the headquarters of the “Behind the Clouds” in barrio Maitum, Balilihan (now under Catigbi-an), presided over by Captain Francisco Salazar as Commanding Officer of the “Behind the Clouds” Force.

The following were present: Lt. Isamael P. Ingeniero, Lt. Arcadio Fontanilla, Capt. Graciano Espinueva, Lt. Brigido Serrano, Lt. Vicente Cabrera, Lt. Vicente K. Nunag, Jr., Lt. Woodrow Sales, and Sgt. Sotero Arbilon.

Capt. Salazar presented the plan to attack at a strategic place the Japanese who were determined to burn the towns of Calape, Tubigon, Clarin and Inabanga. Capt. Salazar told the officers that the Japanese would burn the said towns as a punishment for the killing of the alleged “spies” by the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) at Panaytayon on September 23, 1942, and he stressed the fact that it was absolutely necessary and vital to stop the Japanese at all costs in order to save civilian lives and property. The proposal was approved and carried out, and Capt. Salazar gathered all the soldiers and volunteers whom he could take along with him.

On September 26, 1942 early in the morning, Capt. Salazar called again the officers to a conference and before them; he discussed plans, tactics, and strategy for ambushing the enemy. After the conference, Capt. Salazar ordered all the soldiers to get ready for assemble. He divided them into sections and assigned the following officers: Lt. Brigido Serrano, in the rifle section; Lt. Woodrow Sales, in the shot-gun and .22 caliber rifle section; and Lt. Vicente K. Nunag, Jr., in the pistol section.

Then at about 9:00 A.M., Capt. Salazar and his officers and men left the “Behind the Clouds” camp for the eventful encounter the next day at Moalong, Loon, leaving Lt. Ingeniero to take charge of the camp together with Lt. Vicente Cabrera. The intuitive powers of Capt. Salazar appeared very strong. The timing of the planned ambuscade and the choice of the place appeared perfect.

After breakfast when all were ready, Capt. Salazar and his men began their memorable march from the “Behind the Clouds” in Maitum, Balilihan to the town of Loon, a distance of more than sixty kilometers through a short-cut via mountain trails. There were around eighty guerillas – 34 with .30 calibre rifles; 10 with shot-guns; 18 with pistols; and the rest with bolos. Capt. Salazar led the march with Capt. Graciano Espinueva, Lts. Brigido Serrano, Vicente K. Nunag, Jr., Woodrow Sales and Sgt. Sotero Arbilon.

The sky was very cloudy and gloomy. It was a symbolic of a fateful day. Soon it rained the whole day. The trails were all muddy, the mud reached over the knees. Brooks with strong currents had to be waded by the guerilla soldiers who held each other’s hands to prevent from slipping away and being carried down the stream. All were wet to the skin and everyone shivered from cold. It was a wearisome and terrible journey.

From barrio Maitum the soldiers passed through Triple Union, Alegria, and Catigbian, and then to Kambansag and Agbonan, Antequera. They had no rest, except when they took their lunch. At night, they reach Agbonan and took their supper. After supper and without resting they proceeded immediately and groped in the dark night. From Agbonan they headed for Canlawi, Calape, and thence to Loon, passing through the barrios of Saong, Catipohan, Cawayanan, and then to Candaigan and Cantamis, until they reached the sitio of Moalong, Loon, along the provincial road at about 6:40 in the morning, September 27, 1942. All were tired and hungry and without a wink of sleep during the whole night. In Moalong the patriots made vow to meet the enemies and fight them to the last to defend the towns of Calape, Tubigon, Clarin, and Inabanga which the Japs promise to burn. Here the Boholano guerilla soldiers swore and prayed to high heavens and show to the world that the Filipino Boholanos are no animals or beasts but real men – Christians and patriots ready and willing to die for country, loved ones, and God.

Upon reaching Moalong, Loon, in the early morning of September 27, 1942, Capt. Salazar ordered for breakfast. Enthusiastic civilians led by Cecilio Soria, Filoteo Soria and others, slaughtered a cow and prepared a good breakfast for the Boholano soldiers. In the meanwhile, Capt. Salazar ordered his “boys” to inspect their chosen battle position on a rocky plateau overlooking the Moalong bridge and to make improvised defenses. He further ordered that the riflemen should constitute the first line of defense, the pistol men should stay behind, and the bolo men to remain a hundred meters away.

At 7:30 A.M., before the Boholano soldiers were able to take a bite of their much-needed breakfast, two passenger trucks rumbled down the road from the direction of Tagbilaran, loaded with around 70 Japanese soldiers. On top of the first bus were two Japs each holding an automatic rifle. Sandbags were at their sides that served as cover. On top of the second bus were three Japs holding a low-mounted machine-gun and stoke mortar. Upon hearing the rumble of the approaching vehicles, the guerrilla patriots upon the command of Capt. Salazar immediately leaped to their respective positions.

As the two buses were fast approaching the Moalong bridge, the Boholano soldiers watched very anxiously and, upon seeing two buses already past the Moalong bridge and just below the high cliff, Capt. Salazar shouted at the top of his voice: “Fire!” Instantly, the Boholano soldiers forgetting altogether hunger and fatigue and only too eager to make a memorable vengeance, let loose a volley of their grenades, dynamites, automatic rifles, shot-guns, and pistols. Lt. Nunag pulled the safety pin of his hand grenade and hurled it smack into the driver’s seat of the second bus; thus exploding and causing the said bus to turn and fall into the sea, killing or seriously wounding most of the Japs therein.

At 12:00 noon, this time the fight continued unabated. With a .30 caliber rifle, Nunag cut down several Japs including one who was aiming at Capt. Salazar. Nunag was almost hit by a bullet fired by a Japanese from the right. Noting immediately this Jap, Nunag fired and felled him with one shot.

At 2:00 in the afternoon, the Boholano soldiers attained complete control of the bridge and the river area. By 4:00 in the afternoon firing ceased on both sides. The enemy lost about 60 men in this terrible 9-hour encounter, their two buses completely demolished, 27 guns captured, several thousands of munitions, steel helmets, etc., confiscated. Of the whole Japanese force only around eight soldiers, mostly wounded, managed to escape towards the mangroves. As night fell, these stragglers walked or limped their way to the Poblacion of Loon some 4 kilometers away where they were given first-aid treatment at the town church at about 10:00 P.M. This is one of the most successful ambuscades ever recorded in the history of guerrilla warfare in Bohol against invading forces.

Bohol force lost Capt. Graciano Espinueva, Lt. Brigido Serrano and Pvt. Antonio Iyas. Lt. Woodrow Sales, and six enlisted men were wounded and sent to Tubigon for treatment in an emergency hospital under Dr. Macario Q. Falcon.

References:
1. Pio B. Ferandos, “The Bohol Guerillas in Action”, 1981, pp. 61-67
2. Bohol Provincial Library Archives
 

#BehindTheClouds
#BehindTheCloudsForce
#MoalongBridge #Moalong #Loon
#BattleOfMoalong
#Maitum #Balilihan #Catigbian
#BoholPatriots #BoholanoWarriors
#BoholanoSoldiers #BoholGuerillas
#FranciscoSalazar #Captain
#VicenteNunag #Lieutenant
#WorldWar2
#PhilippineHistory
#BoholProvincialLibraryDigital


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