WWII Heroes from Bayambang

 Pangasinan Heroes of World War II

 Cecilia Beltran Daranciang, PhD

Deborah I. Beltran-Castillo, CPA, MBA

 

Domingo Cayabyab Alvarez

(Bayambang)

Marrying his lovely wife Leonarda Bautista on May 19, 1941, Domingo C. Alvarez worked for a happy married life, not knowing that before he could celebrate Christmas for the first time as a married man, his life and that of the whole nation would be shattered by ruthless invaders who brought wickedness and turmoil to the country.

            A valiant guerrilla fighter with Army Serial Number 154 232, Domingo C. Alvarez was a
member of “F” Company, 2^nd Battalion, 1^st Pangasinan Regimen. He was born on December 12, 1919 in Bayambang, Pangasinan of a modest couple, Victor Alvarez and Faustina Cayabyab. He took his primary education in Bayambang and secondary education in Lingayen, Pangasinan. Before turning 22 years old, he married Leonarda Bautista from Manaoag, Pangasinan on May 19, 1941. Not long after their marriage, their first child was born. 

            Inspired by giving a brighter future for his family and fellowmen, he voluntarily joined the breed of freedom fighters. Hence, on August 15, 1943 he was inducted to the USAFFE. He fought fiercely in Villa Berde, Isabela, Cagayan Valley. He was shot by shrapnel four times in his legs. Luckily, he was treated by a daring battalion doctor by the name of Dr. Anselmo Gomez from Bayambang who was with them in the frontline.

            Later, in August 1943, he and 25 other guerillas were captured in Bayambang through the connivance of a Filipino spy for the Japanese. They were brought to Mancayan, some 34 miles away from Baguio City.

            With a dash of luck and a pinch of wit, he was able to leave the prison cell after five months of stay, by stealing the Kempe Tai badge of one of the Japanese guards and used it as pass to take a truck going to Pangasinan. He dropped by Manaoag, Pangasinan and looked for his wife’s uncle who, then, accompanied him to Bayambang. They traveled by carretela at night time.

            With Divine guidance, he arrived safely in Bayambang and was happily reunited with his family. However, since he was sick with malaria and typhus, he was taken to Bolingit Hospital for treatment.

            Later, the Japanese were hunting for him. Hence, he disguised himself as a farmer by wearing torn clothes and working in the farm.

He was discharged from duty on May 31, 1946. In the same year, his second child was born. After the war, he has been living happily with his wife and 13 children.

            As of interview, he was almost 92 years old.

Deborah I. Beltran-Castillo, CPA, MBA

           

S/Sgt. Lamberto Velasco Padua

 (Bayambang)

 Unable to understand Japanese language while being interrogated by his captors, Lamberto V.  Padua was tied up and manhandled while in prison. Despite his desperation, he hoped to survive his ordeal, until one day when his yearning for being released came to reality.

            Inducted on October 15, 1943, Lamberto V. Padua was only 19 years old when he was recruited by Major Antonio Bato to join the guerrilla movement. Belonging to “L” Company, 3^rd Battalion __? ROTC Guerrilla, his places of assignment included Sierra Madre Mountains, Sibul Spring, Norzagaray, Bulacan, and Ipo Dam.

             In the mountains, he joined the American combat patrol, wherein their group included __? Americans and eight Filipinos. Every morning, after eating their breakfast consisting of rationed corned beef and coffee, they looked for Japanese stragglers. Having no vehicle, they walked all day. At around four o ‘clock in the afternoon daily, they looked for a secured place and dug a pit where they could sleep.

            Their group lost three casualties during their four-month stay in the mountains looking for Japanese soldiers to kill.

            In 1944, four of them were captured by Japanese PC. They were imprisoned in Japanese barracks in Bautista, Pangasinan for a month and were sent to the Provincial Jail in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

One day, Lamberto was interrogated. Unable to understand Japanese language, he was tied up and manhandled. This might be the cause of his vomiting of blood later when he was discharged. Fortunately, he was freed through the intercession of a Japanese woman who was married to a Filipino.

Just right after the bombing at Nagasaki, Japan, Lamberto was involved in the __? operations. In one of their undertakings, Lamberto and his troop put up a loud speaker in the __? encouraged the surrender of the enemies, one of whom was a woman. Lamberto added that they were sick with skin diseases due to lack of sanitation since their job included digging of tunnels for the Japanese…the American soldiers brought them to a nearby hospital.

            And later, on October 15, 1945, while in Norzagaray, Bulacan, he was discharged from __?

          On the personal side, Lamberto was the eighth among the ten children of Domingo and Florentina Velasco. He was born on July 26, 1924 in Malioer, Bayambang, Pangasinan. __? in Malioer Elementary School. On January 25, 1947, he married Juanita Rosa? of Bayambang, with whom he had eight children. After the war, he became a farmer and lived peacefully with his beloved family.

Deborah I. Beltran-Castillo, CPA, MBA