A Life in Hiding: Recollections of a Philippine Soldier and Guerilla

Nowadays Jesus Mercado lives in the comfort of his apartment in Los Angeles. In his youthful years he was a soldier of the Philippine Army joining the army when he was sixteen years of age. And during World War II fought against the Japanese as a guerilla fighter. Under the Japanese the Philippines and its people became in a sense the slaves of the Japanese. Food became scarce and the Japanese executed anyone who was against them. Because of that Mr. Mercado had to go in hiding, along with his other fellow guerilla-men. In the mountains he hid, moving about from time to time to avoid capture or worse being killed. Every so often he and his companions would receive information on what was happening back at home, and news on how the Americans were doing. Now in his eighties I was pleasured to have the opportunity to interview him about his life as a soldier of the Second World War.

My name is former Sergeant Jesus D. Mercado, a veteran of World War II, a member of the 320^th Squadron Lapham Unit attached with the 6^th Army US 1^st Battalion and 1^st Division. Entered service May 10, 1943 honorably discharged may 15, 1945. I joined the guerilla movement when I was seventeen years old, operating in the provinces of Pampanga and Pangasinan. At that time there were no Americans helping us in our struggle against the Japanese. Most Americans were positioned in Bataan and Corigedor for a last stand against a Japanese invasion. I joined the fight against the Japanese because I saw how they mistreated my people. Slapping and beheading are very common, even hearing of the rape of our women. Because of this I developed a personal dislike and hate against the Japanese.

When the events of Pearl Harbor happened it had a major impact in the Philippines.  The Americans made preparations at their bases, but at that time I was not yet a soldier, only my two brothers were. When Japanese finally attacked the Philippines later in December they bombed the airfields and destroyed everything. Manila at that time was declared an open city to avoid unnecessary bombings, but the Japanese still laid waste to it.

Under the Japanese life was hard all the time.  The Japanese and their propaganda of telling Filipinos to side with them didn’t persuade me or change my personal dislikes. They said that we must love each other, we must cooperate together because we are the same blood, we are Asian. They said, “Asia is for the Asians”

In reality the Japanse took over all commerce and raided our food supplies.There was no more business, you could not even buy rice or even a staple of food, everything. Transportation was even under control. The only exception was the Kalesa (horse drawn carriage). If you had possession of oil you could be beheaded. If you had any sort of telephone or dynamo the Japanese took it away and punished you, because you could use that to communicate to the United States. They took away everything that was a use of power. If you were a suspected guerilla they mutilated your legs in public. I heard of many women who were beheaded.

Because I was in hiding though I never heard the stories about the Japanes prison camps. My two brothers were ex-Bataan and escaped the death march. Since they escaped, automatically declared enemies of the Japanese army. Most of the Americans were sent to the prison camps, nobody escaped and those who couldn’t walk anymore were bayoneted and killed. The Americans in hiding with us continued helping us up until the end of the war. In hiding we did encounter some Japanese but I was unable to confirm whether or not I had killed anyone. As a guerilla supplies were scarce and bullets were rationed.

Because Japan had already invaded the Philippines, General Macarthur was forced to leave the Philippines for Australia. I felt at first sad and desperate because without him our chances with the Japanese would be hopeless. But at least if Macarthur was in Australia he was safe and he and the Americans could make preparations for the liberation of the Philippines.

I was in the mountains of Pampanga hiding when I fanally heard the good news of Macarthur’s return. We were told to meet with the Americans in Pagasilan. I was overjoyed and in Jubilee when the “Liberator made his return. After the landing in Hingayen I finally saw the return of Americans to the islands. Their Presence revived our hope and moral in winning the war against Japan.

During the war I did have bitterness and contempt against the Japanese but as a soldier I knew that since the war had ended I should put my bitterness aside.