Buenaventura J. Bello [column]

Title

Identifier

Roll of Honor

Language

English

Source

Philippines 3 (3) May 6, 1943

Year

1943

Subject

Bello, Buenaventura J.--Biography

Philippines--History--1898-1946

Philippines—History—Japanese occupation, 1942-1945

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

Bello was 42 year old and father of six children. He was well known as an llocano poet and declaimer. Humble and unassuming in appearance conservative even in his way of
dressing-the hard white collar and the black bow tie-yet he looked with an open mind act the Philippine youth who adopted the ways of the west, meanwhile retaining their own. He died when the Japanese soldiers shoot him for disobeying them to raise the Japanese flag.

Fulltext

The Igorots Ge1;t/ema:. ~'hen iou rd/ that Jtory, sr~nd in trib11te ro those ~::!!at:! lgMoti. -M.ACARTIIUR These lgorots are nameless. but singly, or as a body, che exploit for which they are remembered will rank among che masc valiant aces of heroism performed by men whose military feats h:ive glorified them co the stature of deathless heroes. Jn a Japanese offensive in Bataan, the 20th Japanese Infantry Regiment attacked a position held by a single Igorot company. The Igorots preferred to die in their foxholes rather than retre:n; and they died to a man, fighting, exacting a terrible toll from the enemy. The American High Command ordered a counter-attack. This assault was to be carried out by a tank unit supported br Igoror infamrr. The terrain, bristling wirh thick bamboo underbrush, and irregular undulations, would have been impenetrable but for the limitless resourcefulness which was characteristic of General MacArchur's troops. Led by an Igorot commander who "hoisted" his men to the top of the tanks, rhe rank unit rolled into the jungle, the exposed Igorot soldiers guiding the ranks through ~he marted morass, by beating on rhe curret of the ranks with sticks while in their other hands they held automatic pistols with which they shot at the enemy. "Bataan," General MacArthur is reported to have said, "has seen many wild mornings, but nothing equal to this. No quarter was asked and none was given. Always above the din of the battle rose the fierce shouts of the Igorots as rhey rode the tanks and fired rheir pistols." Losses were heavy on both sides, bur when the batde was over "the remnants" of rhe ranks and Igorots were still ther; but the 20th Japanese Infantry Regiment was nowher~ in sight. It had been completely annihilated. In recounting the story of this exploit to a group of his officers General MacArthur is quoted as having said that a!rhou~h he knew of many acts of heroism in batdefields all over the world, "for sheer, breath-taking and heartscopping desperation, I have never known the equal of those Igorocs riding the tanks." "Gentlemen,'' he continued, "when you tell that story, stand in tribute to those gallant Igorors." MAY 6, 1943 Buenaventura J. Bello .... the Filrpi11n J(honl tr.1, l•cr u ;.,, /•r, It nt../ /,f .:l:l· rath~r than obt·i,- 1he ]a/1.ttt< ,,. r•r.ler ,,, !1:11 tr ti£ :1,•d r1, .i11 /fag and fl, ti.;£. Phtl:/'/~u;( ,,,/ .. ,, .i.'11• •. ~·1,it· 11·t '"f(1·1 1 ;_.:, Sun'' 01 .. er bir '111/t: uliaJ;t _., /im,/l.rdot --QLT7<>'.'i For refusing ro haul down che A.meric111 1!.1g whid1 lkw side by side the Philippine tlag in front of th<: vill.i.i.::e schoolhouse. as ic did in .11! sd1ool build111.~' .JI mw the archipelago, Buenaventura J. !kilo w.1> ;hnc """ n in wl,l blood. He fell dead at the fwc of the: thin b:tmb''° pole which yet flew the American flag. Bello could have obe)'ed the J.11x1m·se ollic<·r "ho orden.:d him to haul down the Americ.rn 1l.1g. The l'iltp1no fl.1g w.is co remain flying in che breeze. le w.ts bm a simple maccer of untying a knot and letting down che ScJrs and Stripes. His students were not there co wimess the ignominious an. The classrooms were empty. All the children had remained in their homes at the news of the coming enemy. The rooms were littered wich tinsel and buntings and sih·er starshastily abandoned Christmas decorations for the Christmas trees that stood in corners, shorn of gifcs. and withered now. (Philippine schools celebrated Christmas about two weeks before Christmas time.) But even if they were there, those young people would have understood that their teacher was defenseless in the face of the armed aggressors. Yer Bello refused, and he was shot down like a dog. "We have no quarrel with you. All I ask is that you pull down the American flag and you can keep your own still flying. I will give you two minutes to make up your mind. If you disobey my orders my soldiers will shoot," said the Japanese officer who now turned to his men, ordering them to load and take aim. This was death. These many years he had been teaching his children the ways of democracy, instilling in them love for freedom, love for all the cherished ideals for which the American flag stood. Every Monday motning he had stood on chose front steps of this little school house and sung with his pupils the Star Spangled Banner and the PhilippinrJ National Anthem, as two little boys hoisted up the thin bamboo pole the American and Philippine flags. Bello answered, "I don't need two minutes. Tell your men to shoot me now, because I shall never tear down either of rhe flags." The Japanese Qfficer made a swift angry morion with his 7 nand and barked our a command. TI1e le,·eled guns blazed, and the litrle. frail school[eachc[ lay dead at the foot of the ibg he tried to defend with his lif~. Bello was -i2 ye.m old. and father of six children. He was well known as an lloc:mo pc">Ct and declaimer. Humble :md unassuming in appe.uance. consernci\'e even in his way of dressing-the hard white collar and the bbck bow cie-yec he looked wich :in open mind ac che Philippine routh who adopted che u·.iys of the west. me:mwhile reraining cheir own. Nou· his children are fatherless but well mar ther be proud of him. \\~ell may every Filipino teacher feel pride in his he.m for this humble m.~n who was a credit to his profession. \"'fell may every Filipino remember and respect the memon· of chis man who '\\"as true co his creed, who was honest. to himself. whose courage typified that of his brorhers who remained ar home because they \\'ere coo old r0 join their sons who flocked co the colors at the approach of the enemy. But Bello srood for something more. In the words of President Quezon, Bello "was paying tribute to the sc.lidariry berween the Uniced Scates and the Philippinesa solidarity that will live e\·en '\\'hen, one day soon, che Philippine Bag Bies alone over our school houses." Filipinos Can Now Own Land ( Contint1ed) Sea ion 101 ( b) of the Nationality Ace of 1940 pro· ,·ides as follows: "The rerm 'Nacional of the United Scaces· means ( 1) a citizen of the United States, or ( 2) a person who, though nor a citizen of the United Stares, owes perma· nenr allegiance ro the United Stares. It does nor include an alien." Furthermore, in his letter, the California Attorney-Gen· eral paid tribute to the intense loyalty of the Filipino to the United States when he scared that: "Our nation has been impressed with the heroism and che loyalty of the citizens of che Philippine Islands. We Americans do nor-nor do our courts-regard them as "aliens"-bur as American Nationals, who rose as one, unflinchingly, co make our fight, their £.ght,-they are adding their full screngch and effort alongside that of this country for the coral defeat of our enemies." Subsequently, on April 14, 1943, the Arcorney-General of Arizona held that "Filipinos come within the purview of the definition of 'National of the United States', and therefore, are noc included within the inhibitions contained in the Arizona Code Annotated, 1939. These provisions pcescribe only aliens from acquiring, possessing, enjoying, transmitting and inheriting real property in the State of Arizona. It will be recalled that in February 1941, the Supreme Court of the Seate of Washington ruled that Filipinos are not included in the provisions of the Seate Ami-Alien Land Law and may lease or buy real property in rhe Srate. The Office of the Philippine Resident Commissioner, to whom credit is due in obtaining this liberal interpretation of che alien land law in these two stares, has had this matter under consideration for some time now. At present, efforts are being exened toward obtaining similar rulings in other siateS. 8 Philippine Government Buys Bonds THE Philippine Government, through its agency, che New York branch of che Philippine National Bank, has subscribed and paid $2.700,000 co the second Victory War Bond drive, according co an announcement made recenrly by Audicor-Genernl Jaime Hernandez at Washingmn, D. C. "The Philippine Government.'' said che Audicor·Gen· erul, "in wholeheartedly parcicipacing in the United States Treasury drive. is giving a good example co all Filipinos in America." Awards THE Michigan Daily, ollicial organ of chc University of Michigan, carries the news chac Eduardo Salgado. a Filipino paincer, was awarded a medal of honor for distinguished work in the field of art by che Fine Arcs Section of the Michigan Academy. The paintings chac won Salgado che award were cwo panoramas of che Philippines and two porcrnic studies. ": member of che committee on awards praised chem for their realistic couches, their line details and brilliant colors. "'The pictures," she said, "'are typical of his people, and illustrate their feelings well." The same paper scaces chac among six foreign women who received the Barbour scholarship for the 1943-44 school year, was a Filipina, Miss Pura J. Hernandez, who has attended the University of the Philippines, Columbia University, and George Washington University. She specializes in accounting. A Letter A MONG the many lecrers we have received so far from Filipinos all over rhe country, chis one from Raymundo Lapitan of Taunton, Massachusetts, paints an almost heroic figure of a man humbly doing his bit in his own unobtrusive way in a country far from the homeland. He wrote: "I am a Filipino-born in Cebu-am married and have five sons and daughters--the oldest, 16, is a welder in the Bethlehem Steel Shipyard. I myself work for the govern· ment ar rhe Miles Standish Army Camp as a mason ... I have been working on defense since 1940. "I own a farm here in Massachusetts and have three acres to be planted, and I shall see to it that some of my less foc( Con1inued on page 10) PHlLIPPlNES

pages

7-8

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