Part IV – Occupation
"Handa ka na ba?"
Carlos whispered to Basilio.
"Oo."
Carlos grabbed his bamboo tube and a rock and sent a Morse code message to the other former revolutionaries hiding behind trees for it was the safest mean of communication as it imitated lizard clicking sounds. He asked them if they're ready too, to which they replied that they are. The advance is set. They hopped from one tree to another until they reached the tall grasses near the road.
From a distance they could hear Japanese soldiers marching, doing their evening patrol. Carlos gave the signal to Basilio to climb up the palm tree nearby. From there, he started setting his bomb. He placed a dynamite stick inside a coconut and when they were nearby he lit the fuse and dropped it on them. It took the Japanese by shock so they grabbed their flashlights to find out what it was. To their relief that it was just a coconut, they looked up to see where it fell from. They flashed on the tree where Basilio was to which he replied with a manic smile waving hello. Before the Japanese could even make a move, the coconut bomb exploded causing damage to them.
"Sugod!" Commanded Carlos.
From the tall grasses they charged with their bayonet equipped rifles, and bolos. They immediately killed the soldiers on the ground by stabbing them on their backs. The others who managed to survive tried to fight back and grabbed their rifles and shoot at them. Laura was from a distance sniping any Japanese who would take a charge from behind. Others tried escaping but were immediately pulled back by Berto.
"Ala eh? Saan kayo pupunta? Duwag ba kayo?"
One by one he slit their necks and stabbed their hearts with his butterfly knife to make sure they get a quick death.
The full moon witnessed quite a blood bath that night. It's just one of the many bloodbaths organized by the guerilla fighters to get vengeance from the Japanese atrocities.
"Please, have mercy on me!" one of the Japanese soldiers pleaded as he was hold by the collar by Berto.
"Carlos, maawa daw tayo o!"
"Aba, wag ako tanungin mo ah.
"Maria!" called Berto.
Maria slowly walked up to the Japanese soldier with a bloody bolo smiling.
Berto dropped the soldier to the ground who looked up to Maria who was looking down at the soldier.
"Oh, so you want mercy? You know, we were kind enough to have given your friends here quick deaths unlike your other buddies out there who are currently raping our women over and over again, torturing our gentlemen, and looting our families and soon enough will die in Japanese hands."
Maria crouched to the Japanese soldier and holds on his jaw.
"What's your name; how old are you; and where in Japan did you come from?"
"Park Kyoong-So. I-I'm 20 years old a-and I'm not actually from Japan. I'm from Korea."
"You're pretty young. Why are you fighting us? Why are you fighting for them? Isn't your nation a victim of Japan too?"
"T-they forced me to. If I didn't then they would have to kill my family."
Maria stood up nodding.
"I guess we're both victims then. Tell you what, boy. We'll spare your life tonight but promise us that you'll live here as a civilian and if ever we see you again with the Japanese then we won't think twice to kill you. As soon as the war's over, look for us and we'll send you back to Korea. Sounds good?"
The soldier immediately kowtowed to Maria to show how humbled he is. With tears rolling down his face he hugged her legs.
"Stand up. Go and run before I change my mind."
The Korean soldier who used to serve the Japanese ran away from them.
"Ano ba naman yan Maria baka mamaya sumbong pa tayo niyan."
Said Berto approaching her while scratching his head.
"Hayaan mo na. Wala naman siyang magagawa. Kung bumalik 'yun sa mga Hapon malamang pupuwersahin siya dun magpakamatay dahil sa kahihiyan na hindi siya lumaban sa atin."
The tall grass rustled.
"Huy Laura, lumabas ka dyan. Tapos na." said Maria.
"Ha? Eh nasa likuran mo lang ako."
"Tignan niyo nga yun."
Carlos went to the tall grass to search what it was.
"Wala naman eh."
Basilio got down from the palm tree after shooting soldiers from above.
"Nakita ko may tumatakbo palayo. Hindi ko lang maaninag kasi madilim. Hayaan na natin yun. Baka kasamahan nila yun. Kung bumalik man siya sa mga Hapon papatayin lang din siya."
"Tara na, mangungumpisal pa tayo bukas kaya kailangan makapagpahinga na tayo." Said Nina.
And so they retired for the night to live normal civilian lives the next day. It was a no good thing. Ever since the Japanese occupation, inflation has sky-rocketed market prices. The money was treated no different from play money. In fact, they called it the "Mickey Mouse Money."Seventy-five pesos could only buy one duck egg. The looting of rice made everything worse. Hiding rice from Japanese authorities could result to death. Asides the financial crisis, the occupation instilled fear in the citizens. Failure to greet soldiers with a bow could result to getting hurt or worse sent to camp, something Maria really hated.
Maria and her crew were walking to church with the most modest clothes and veils over the ladies' heads. It has been a habit for them to hand out gifts from their looting and raids of Japanese bases and from time to time, American air-drop and submarine shipments to the poor around the streets. She placed a can of Spam on the hands of one of the beggars.
"Thank you." replied the beggar with a very Asian accent.
Maria crouched down a bit to see his face.
"Park, is that you?" she asked.
The beggar looked up.
"It is you!" she exclaimed because the only reminder of the Park she knew last night was his pants.
"Ah, yes. You're the one who spared my life. I followed what you said last night. I'm kind of having a hard time though given the condition of this country. Also, I couldn't go back to base to get my clothes. I had to throw my uniform away or else they might identify me."
"Maria, bilisan mo na! Mahuhuli tayo sa kumpisal!" shouted Manuel.
Maria took Park's hands and asked him to stand up.
"Susunod na!" she replied.
"I know someone who can help you."
She took him in to Church despite Park not being Catholic. They went to confession one by one with Park watching them.
"How sure are you that you can trust those guys with your sins you hide as secrets? Won't they tell the authorities?" asked Park who is currently confused of the Catholic doctrine.
"Oh, they have this vow to secrecy. It's the best thing we could do to clean our conscience for every murder we do. Those priests are brave enough to carry our burden. I admire them because they can still sleep peacefully in the evening without telling us to authorities."
"So they're good people then?"
"Oh, yes they are. Not during Papa Spain's time though. Hahaha!"
Soon enough it was Maria's turn which took quite a long time.
After the confessions the priest celebrated mass and gave everyone blessings.
"Where do I go now, Maria?" asked Park.
"You go nowhere, Park."
"What do you mean?"
The priest who celebrated mass placed his hand on the young Korean's shoulder.
"You're home now. That is, if you want to consider the Church as your new home." said the priest.
"B-but I'm not worthy! I-I murdered people and blindly followed orders! Your Jesus doesn't like sinners!"
The priest gave a hearty laugh.
"What do you mean you're not worthy, my boy? What makes Maria and her siblings different from you? It's true, Jesus doesn't like sinners but he likes it when sinners repent and change for the better. Now is your chance."
"But I still don't understand."
Maria placed her hand on the Korean boy's other shoulder. "We'll send you to Korea again, right? We don't want you dying here. We need you to live, and while you're living here, I want you to learn kindness, then eventually bring kindness to your land that I'm pretty sure needs it badly right now."
Crying, Park bowed down in front of them in great gratitude.
"Thank you! Thank you for giving me another chance, especially to someone unworthy as me! I will promise to do good and payback!"
With the priest ensuring Park's safety to Maria, she went out with her siblings to continue helping the poor and eventually went home.
Later that evening at the shed that they use as a hide-out, they received a message from one of the neighboring guerilla units through mail written in Baybayin carved on bamboo.
"Ammunition and Supplies Air-Drop | Km 5 Bibiclat Rice Fields | Tonight 20:00 | Secure Area" read Laura.
"Walang-hiya baka Spam nanaman yan!" yelled Basilio.
"Shush! Wag kang maingay baka may makarinig sa atin!" scolded Nina.
"Buti nga naaalala pa tayong mga Pilipino ng mga Amerikano eh. Pasalamat na lang tayo." said Tonio.
"Wala tayo dapat ipagpasalamat sa kanila." Maria coldly said.
"Teka, Maria. Anong sinasabi mo? Sila ang kakampi natin ah." questioned Manuel.
"Ha. Natandaan ko nangako siya ipagtatanggol niya ako, tayo. Nasaan siya ngayon? Wala. Nabahag ang buntot ng gago. Akala mo ang tapang puros yabang lang naman. Sana hindi na lang siya nangako."
"Saglit lang ha." replied Manuel.
"Ala eh, Maria, wala naman may gusto ng mga nangyari. Utos naman yun ng presidente niya. Wala naman tayong magagawa. Siguro sa mga air-drop na lang siya bumabawi ng maituloy natin ang laban." said Berto sharpening his butterfly knife.
"Ang hirap sa 'yo, Maria-"
Manuel slammed a stack of newspapers in front of her.
"Huli ka sa balita."
He showed her an archived copy of the newspaper published a day after MacArthur escaped to Australia.
"I SHALL RETURN!"
Maria saw a picture of Alfred on the background. She frowned and felt bitter about him. She opened the newspaper and found out the American Government prioritized the war in Europe as they saw Nazi Germany as a bigger threat.
"Kaya pala. Mas mahalaga pala sila kaysa sa atin. Ang lakas pa nila magsabi na babalikan nila tayo."
"Ate, wag ka naman ganyan. Hindi si Alfred may gusto niyan, si Pangulong Roosevelt." explained Manuel.
"Eh bakit?! Si Pangulong Quezon isinasama rin ako sa Amerika pero hindi ako pumayag! Alam mo kung bakit? Kasi nangako si Alfed na ipagtatanggol niya ako! Ang alam ko kakayanin ko kasama siya!" Maria growled at Manuel.
"Pero Maria!-"
"Akala ko may masasandalan ako sa paghihirap ko! Akala ko may kasama akong titindig! Inibig ko yung gago, Manuel!" growled Maria louder.
Everyone in the shed was in shock looking at Maria as she catches her breath.
"Umiibig pala ang binibini natin." said Carlos.
"Uuy~" teased Laura.
Maria broke down to tears as she released her grudge against Alfred. Nina went to the rescue to comfort her followed by Laura saying her apologies.
"O pag-ibig na makapangyarihan, hahamakin ang lahat masunod ka lamang… pero pag isa lang humamak, ang isa naman ang mapapahamak." said Basilio as he was abruptly possessed by the spirit of Balagtas.
"O siya, tama na yan. Kailangan pa natin pumunta sa Bibiclat para ma-" said Carlos who was interrupted by the knocking.
Placido approached the door.
"Ano ang hudyat?" he asked.
He heard a loud slam on the door instead.
"This is the Imperial Japanese Army! We have locked you inside! Surrender peacefully or we will burn this shed down!"
"Anak ng puta paano nila nalaman lungga natin?!" Carlos said angrily.
"Napapaligiran nila tayo!" Tarlac said after looking through the holes of the shed.
"Susuko tayo ngayon. Mahirap na." said Carlos.
"Sigurado ka? Wala ba talaga tayong palag?" asked Maria.
"Sa sikip ng lungga natin Maria madali nila tayong matatalo. Hindi tayo makakagalaw."
Everyone looked at each other with fear in their eyes.
"We surrender! Open the door!" shouted Placido.
The Japanese opened the door with an Officer greeting them together with soldiers pointing their rifles at them.
"Drop your weapons and hands in the air!"
All of them were quickly arrested and all of their items were immediately confiscated.
Maria and her guerilla team were sent to a Japanese base by truck. Along the trip they also noticed other trucks carrying other people who might be guerillas or innocent people. All of them were detained inside humid prison cells. The items confiscated were translated overnight to be used as evidence against them but it was certain that they are all doomed despite any investigations.
The next day at the heat of noon in front of the Church, the IJA have gathered the townspeople. They were up for a show that's quite tragic. In front of them were different guerilla groups and in front of guerilla groups were a group of much feared men. They were feared not because they could kill with weapons, they were feared because they could kill with a point of a finger and with their faces covered by a woven basket, you could never tell if they still have a conscience. They were known as the Makapili.
A Japanese soldier went on the platform and read crimes against them. A certain makapili who witnessed the crime would start pointing them out.
Soon enough a certain crime was read.
"16 of soldiers were killed during their evening patrol near this town using an improvised explosive device and various blades. They were doing it to keep the safety of this town from any forms of violence. Fortunately a Filipino loyal enough will stand witness and point out the wrong-doers."
Basilio cursed under his breath. "P*tang ina mo. Ikaw pala yun!"
The Makapili's finger flew in the air and started pointing out Maria and the rest of her crew.
"Bakit mo ginagawa 'to!? Pinagtataksilan mo ang bayang Pilipinas!" cursed Placido at the Makapili!
"Wala ka bang puso?! Wala ka bang damdamin?!" shouted Tonio.
Maria watched crying in pain as the gents got hit on their stomachs with the butt of a bayonet before being forced to kneel down with the rest of the others.
Soon enough they were lined up with their heads bowing down while kneeling. Each accused had a soldier with them holding a katana over their heads.
"Hahaha ganito lang pala tayo matatapos." said Basilio.
Maria looked to her siblings left and right.
"Isang karangalan ang makasama kayo muli. Mahal ko kayo." She said as if she already accepted their fate.
"Let this be a warning to all! Whoever opposes the Japan and its Emperor will face the same fate as theirs!" announced to the townspeople watching.
The commanding officer raised his hand but the higher he raised it, the cloudier skies become, and before he could drop his hand to command the executioners to swing their blades, rain drop fell. Maria and the rest wondered why their deaths are taking so long until they also noticed raindrops watering the ground.
The executioners placed back their swords back in their sheaths as commanded by the commanding officer.
"You're lucky it rained. It simply means our God Amaterasu doesn't approve of your immediate death."
Inside the church, a voice was heard pleading
"Saint John the Baptist, pray for them." prayed Park.