Read Aloud the Text Content

This audio was created by Woord's Text to Speech service by content creators from all around the world.

Text Content or SSML code:

The more than 7 hundred strong squadron of young guerrillas, some of them teenagers, and others in their early 20s fought side by side with Filipino guerrillas, snatched weapons from enemy strongholds, liberated prison camps, gathered intelligence information, disseminated propaganda materials and helped evacuate rural folks during heavy encounters with Japanese. The Wha Chi persisted for three years in 14 provinces in Central and Southern Luzon, fought in 260 small and big skirmishes, where 72 of their fighters lost their lives in battles or when captured by enemies. Approximately 400 Chinese left Japanese-controlled Manila to fight in the countryside. They scattered in several towns and municipalities, in the Nueva Ecija-Pampanga area. Local residents welcomed the Chinese evacuees as freedom fighters in the struggle against a common enemy. Recruits were sent to fight with different Hukbalahap (Hukbong Laban sa Hapon) guerrillas dispatched to the provinces, Soon, the guerillas moved to a barrio at the foot of Mt. Arayat in September 1942. They had to cross the Candaba swamp at the height of the rainy season, and although 38 of them were stricken with malaria, they made it back to the barrios. What followed we’re months of major and minor skirmishes, mostly carried out in coordination with the Hukbalahap and other local guerillas. With only seven rifles, the Wha Chi contacted Filipino resistance groups in the area, and set out to arm themselves with the weapons of the enemy. They spent the next few months gathering discarded or abandoned weapons. Along with mock attacks, they formulated rules and policies. One of their major principles was to foster close ties with the people. It proved to be an invaluable factor, because they had to depend on their support for food, medicine and information time and again. Many lives were saved through this connection. Once, they ambushed a Japanese truck crossing a bridge. The Wha Chi shot it down, attacked, then fled,”. That’s thier tactic hit and run.” This was the Wha Chi’s first major engagement in Candaba, Arayat where they let over 1 hundred Japanese troops cross a river, cut off their retreat midway, then attacked, killing 38 soldiers.