The Philippine Constabulary : a brief history

Title

Creator

Milan, Primitivo C.

Language

English

Source

Philippine Armed Forces Journal Volume IX (No. 6) July 1956

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

PHILIPPINES ARMED FORCES JOURNAL The Philippine Constabulary A BRIEF HISTORY By Captain Primitivo C. Milan, lnf HE Philippine Constabulal'y trained and equipped their own mPn will be fifty-five years old and in three months the Constalouon August 8, 1956. Con- lary became a well-knit and efficient · ceived by the masterly organization. Luke E. Wright, a member The mission of the early Consta1~ of the Second Philippine Commission, bulary was to suppress brigandagf:', ''this national police force was created insurrection, tribal warfare, headby Act No. 175 of the Philippine hunting, unlawful assemblies and Commission soon after the inaugu- other crimes, such as murder, kidmtion of Civil Government in the napping, slavery, and cattle rustling. Philippines. Later on the Constabulary performed It was on August 8, 1901 when specific functions in connection with Ch·ii Governor William H. Taft ap- national epidemics, quarantire measpointed Captain Henry T. Allen of urea, and locust control. the 6th U.S. Cavalry and Captain To accompli!!h this mission effectDa\·id J. Baker of the 26th U.S. In- ively, General Allen first organited fantry as the first Chief and As- the Philippines into three Constabusistant Chief, respectively, of the lary districts and placed them under Constabulary. With the aid of se- the command of the Assistant Chiefs leeted commissioned and non-com- of Constabulary. On June 13, 1904, missioned officers who were grad- the number of districts were inuates of U.S. Army Service Schools, creased to five: First District, comGenersl Allen had all the first batch prising the provinces of B!Raan, Baof offi<:ers undergo a prescribed tangas, Bulacan, Ci.vite, Laguna, training course. After graduation, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Pangasiall the officers were equipped and nan, Tarlac, Rizal and Zambal··~; Sesent out to the field. A Captain cond District, consisting of the provan..i three or four Lieutenants were inces of Albay, Camarines Norte, assigned in each of the provinces Camarines Sur, Masbate, Mindoro where civil government had been es- Sorsogon and Tayabas; Third Distablished. These teams recruited, triet, comprising the pro\'inces of , H!I..Y IUS ~ ,, Cebu, Antique, Bohol, Capiz, Iloilo, the course of three years which Leyte, Negros Occidental, Negros course lasted up to 1936 when the Oriental, Palawan, and Romblon; Academy was rP-named Phi\ippint Fourth District, consisting of the Military Academy, by virtue of Comprovinees of Abra, Cagayan, fsabe- monwealth Act No. 1, othnwi!;li' Ia, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La known as the National Defense Act Union, Mountain Province and Nue- which created the Philippine Army. 'it- vs Vizcaya; and Fifth District, com. The Philippine Constabulary bl:>prising Mindanao ana Sulu. The~-, came a division of the Philippine five districts were later re-desig- Army on December 31, 1935, but on T!ated District of Northern Luzon, June 23, 1938, the First National with headquarters in San Fernando, Assembly psssed Commonwealth Act La Union~ District of Central Luzon, No. 343 re-activating the Philippine with headquarters in Manila; Dis- Constabulary and separating it from trict of Southern Luzon, with head- the Philippine Army. The newly quarters in Legaspi, Albay; District re-acth·ated organization was placed of Visayas, with headquarters in under the executive supervision of Iloilo, Iloilo; and District of Minda- the Secretary of the Department of nao, with headquarters in Zamboan- Interior. The Constabulary had the _ • ga, Zamboanga. category of a Bureau under this On October 15, 1902, Vice-Go,•er- Department up to the outbreak of nor Luke E. Wright and Brigadier the Pacific War on Derembcr 8, General Henry T. Allen got the ap· 1941. prova\ of the Philippine Commission During World War t1 the Conto organize the Constabulary Band. stabulary units of Luzon u.nd MinLt. Walter Howard Loving, an Am- danao wPre inducted into the United erican Negro of exceptional musical States Army Forces in the Far East talent, was ordered to do the task (USAFFE). By virtue of General of organiution. Commanded sue- Order No. 46, of Headquarters, cessively by Lts. Navarro, Silos United States Army Forces in the . }. and Fresnido, and Captain (now Lt. Far East, all personnel of the ConCol.) A. Buenaventura, this organic stabulary were called into the servunit of the Constabulary has existed ice of the USAFFE. ThP first, sethrough the years up to the present cond and fourth Constabulary regiand has become world-famous. ments were attached to the 2nd ReIn 1906, an Of!icers' School was gular Division, Philippine Army unestablished for the training of new der the command of Brigadier GenConstabulary officers. Initially, the era\ Guillermo B. Francisco. The school provided only a six-month fourth regiment saw service in Mincourse. In 1914, the course was danao. lengthened to two rears, and in 1919, Some unit8 of the PC were acthe school was re-named Academy tivated in November and December for Officers of the Philippine Con- 1944 but the eomplete re-activation stabulary. The Philippine Constabu- of. the Constabulary was not pushed tarr Academy further lengthened through. On June 7, 1945, units of ing of municipal police forces to make them more valuabl auxiliaries in the maintenance of civil security, pursuant to Commonwealth Act No. 343; Executive Order 175 series 1938; and Section 837 of the Revised Arlministrative Cede. ~ the PC were assigned to the newlycreated Military Police Command, PA. It was, however, on January 1, 1948 when the MPC was de-activated and the Philippine Constabulary was again activated by virtue of Executive Order No. 94 of the late President Manuel A. Roxas. U nder the new setup the country was divided into four zones: Northern Luzon Zone, with headquarters at Bamban, Tarlac under Colonel Liberato Littaua; Southern Luzon, with headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City under Lt. Col. Florencio Selga; Visayas Zone, with headquarers in Cebu City under Lt. CoL Angel Oppus; and Mindanao Zone, with headquarters in Iligan, Lanao under Lt. CoL Alejandro Suarez. These ;~:ones were abolished when the four Military Areas of the Philippines were activated. J. To assist the civil government and semi-government agencies in the l accomplishments of their individual missions. Today, the Philippine Constabulary 4. In time of emergency, to perform home defense in rear areas and such other services as the Chief of Staff, AFP may direct, pursuant to Executive Order No. 389 series 1950. Since early this year, an additional mission has been given the PC-to continue the campaign against communistic dissidence and subversion, in accordance with Letter of r,. Instructions No. 1 GHQ, AFP dated 13 February 1956. Provincial Commanders are under The story of the Constabulary isthe immediate supervision of Area in the words of former Governor Commanders but are all under thf" General William C. Forbes-one o! oterall command, control and direction of Gen Cabal. The present mission of the Philippine Constabulary are as follows: 1. To preserve public order and enforce the law throughout the cruntry pursuant to Section 9, Article XIV of the Constitution. 2. To intensify inspections\ supervision over, and undertake the trainheroism, endurance and loualty to ideals under great difficulties. As guardian of the peace, law and order of the country "it has been instrumental to no mean degree in the social, economic, and political achievement" of the Filipino people. E,·ery right-thinking Filipino should look with justifiable pride upon the accomplishments of the Philippine Constabulary. Captain Primitivo C. Milan ocnod u P11bli~ lnfarmallon Officer and SGS, 1-MA andor lhi.-. ('..,.,_ Man11d F. Cabal. Ho lo a .-nduato of The lnfantr7 School, Fori BonninJ, Goor!fla. USA. He wao an lnotrac\or in Compan7 Admlniolnhon and lnfantr7 Tadlu at tho Philippine Groand Foree School, AFP. Ho ""'''"d ..-ith tho lila! lnf. Rort., PA, USAFPE d11rin.o: tho Lur ,.•ar. and wao Aut. Hut. AdJ. of tho Uht Jnf. USAFIP, NL undu Ddenoe Socr.,tar~ uhon Lt. C<ol.o ElllOI"io Balaa durln1 tho ll~ratlan umpalrn. A torlpiont of th• Mltitar7 Merit Modal for nutstandlnl" duntian Ia dUll' and oaperlor perfouuann uSGS. 1-MA. he lo at prootnt Sorrotar7 of Conttablllarr ~tatf, Hq., PC. c~mp Cr.,mo, Qanon Cit7.

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