COMMUNIST PARTY ACTIVITY IN PANAY AND NEGROS

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP82-00457R009500520009-5
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
5
Document Creation Date: 
November 17, 2016
Document Release Date: 
June 1, 2000
Sequence Number: 
9
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
December 7, 1951
Content Type: 
REPORT
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PDF icon CIA-RDP82-00457R009500520009-5.pdf490.46 KB
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Approved For Release 2000/06/26 : CIA-RDP82-00457R009500520009-5 CLASSIMACION SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY 25X1A CENTRINEITIREZETUNCY REPORT NO. INFORMATION REPORT CD NO. COUNTRY Philippines SUBJECT PLACE ACQUIRED DATE OF INFO. Communist Party Activity in Panay and Negros ! t 25X1A 25X1C DATE DISTR. 7 Dee. 1953. NO. OF PAGES 5 CULATE 25X1X NO. OF ENCLS. (LISTED BELOW) SUPPLEMENT TO 25X1A REPORT NO. 25X1C I. Relationship Between RMB and FOF. l. The FOF is a reserve force of the RMB, and FOF members are classified as "progressive reserves"' of the Philippine Communist Party and the HMB. This classification derives from the fact that while FOF members are active in a legally registered labor union, their objectives, in general, parallel the long range policies of the Philippine Communist Party and the HMB. Althougb the rank and file members of the FOF are not aware of this classification of their membership, FOF officers have been so informed. 2. FOF officers believe that the loyalty of rank and file members to their leadership is so strong that they will follow the decisions of their leaders. When the need arises, and when arms are available in sufficient quantities, FOF members will be armed to participate in HMB operations in the Visayas. 3. The FOP organization is strong in the following localities in Negros: San Carlos, Pulupandan, Valladolid, San Enrique, Bazo, Hinigaran? La Castel- lano., Isabela, Binalbagan, Himamserlan, Kabankalan? !logy and San Carlota, 1. II. FOF-HMB Officers. Nicanor Dirson?2 who is also known as Alfredo Fernandez, is an HMB organizer and director who was sent by Guillermo Capadocia to organize HMB units in the mountains of Negros Occidental. He succeeded in organizing 50 men at Tam*, Kabankalan? Negros Occidental, where he was captured with his men and with some documents. In order to protect his men, Dimson confessed to being personally responsible for their activities. The men subsequently were released. While he was in Negros, Dimson con- tacted Zacarias Seminio, President of the FOF Chapter in Paupandan, CLASSIFICATION SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY s-TA-146-CSA ARMY NMN MR NSRB RM DISTRIBUTION Approved For Release 2000/06/26 : CIA-RDP82-00457R009500520009-5 SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY 25X1A Apprived For Release 24Si4iii?a6 nfierlaiettiOWW9500520009-imm - 2 - Negros Occidental. On Capadocia's orders, Dimaon did not contact other por units in order to confine his work to the mountain areas. 2. Manuel Palacios is the first vice president of the TO?, as well as chief of the FOF organization in Negros. In June 1951, Palacios was confined In the Government's Panay Task Force Stookade in /lollo City, Iloilo. %leers was released on the basis of the testimony of Pedro Torres y Term& who was then under detention, and upon the intervention of Governor Rafael Lacson. Torres exonerated Palacios by stating that the latter had quarrelled with Capadocia at a meeting in FOF Headquarters In Iloilo in .1949, thus demonstrating that the two were not on good terms.4 3. Governor Leeson armointed Palacios a deputy agent of his office after re- leasing him from the stockade. Leeson supporta Palacios because the latter commands a considerable politioal force in Negros. Palacios has aperoximately 40 mill arms in nog, in addition to an unspecified quantity of arms in Talubangi, Kabankalan, Negros Occidental. Edmund Vail and Pedro Buenaventura, relatives of Palacios who are brothers-in-law, control a cache of aperoximately 30 weapons in flog. Neither Vail nor Buena- ventura are members of the row, but they represent Palacios in 'logo and Buenaventura is a deputy agent of Leeson. 4, Zacarlas Semiro,who formerly was a close associate of Guillermo Capadocia? is President of the Pulupandan Chapter of the FOP, as well as an organizer for the Mindanao zone of the FOF. Seminio and Pelacios directed a person known as %Meng who burned sugar oane on the La Carlota Sugar Central and other sugar estates following a strike in 1948. Tonieng served as a body- guard for FOP President Jose M. Nava. Seminio was released from the Panay Task Force stockade during 1951 following the intervention of Governor Leeson. 5. Julio Preshitero, legal adviser for the FOP and an organizer for the Mindanao zone, was arrested with Jose Nava. He was released when he agreed to give evidence to the Government, following Lacson's intervention. Presbiterop who is confining his testimony to Jose Nava; visited Loreto Gareza, President of the Himamaylan (Negros) Chapter of the roFt and Rosendo Jacildo of the Pulupandan Chapter who are confined in the Panay Task Force stockade .5 Presbitero succeeded in seuggling letters out of the stockade, and he promised Gareza and Jaoildo that Lacson would arrange their release. Gareza had been arrested previously by the Philippine Constabulary (PC) in Negros for making inflammatory speeches. Lemon arranged his release. 6. Jose Valdevleja, a member of the Pulupandan POP Chapter, is now in Davao as an organizer for the Mindanao sone of the FOP, but he is in fact engaged in organizational work for the HMB. 7. jacildo, Caress, and Valdevieja attended a labor school which was operated by the Philippine Communist Party on Pinpin Street in Manila during 1946 as rop. representatives. III. Relat o s of Guillermo Ca docia with the FaF. 1. Immediately prior to his departure for the mountains of Panay as HMR Super- visor of RECO-6 in 1949, Guillermo Capadocia had a conference with Jose Nava and other senior FOP officials in Iloilo City. Nava called a second con- ference after Capadocia had gone underground, and it was decided to oust Capadocia from the FOP' directorate in order to conceal the relationship of the FOP to the R1113. 2. It November 1949, Nave ordered Restitute Sunni, one of his bodyguards, to join the BNB in the mountains. Sumili was to take with him a box of arms, a box of ammunition, and a box of grenades. Sumili refixed to accept this assignment, and he departed for Mindanao. He is now confined in Iloilo on charges of rebellion, but he has not testified against Nava. In addition to arms NM supalled the HO-with medicines. SECRET/CC/MOL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY Approved For Release 2000/06/26 : CIA-RDP82-00457R009500520009-5 NEU.INNUUUNILIWIJ -? U.S. OFFICIALS OHIAT 25X1A Approved For Release 26F6 IMIllfact 04,110)9500520=MIM - 3 - IV. Conditions in Negros Occidental. Residents of Negros Occidental have described the provincial administration as being "a la Comeunista".6 In support of this description, they have cited the following examples: (a) Intimidation by Temporary Police at checkpoints, as well as irregularities in the eheekpoints at Tallow, Valladolid, and La Castellana. Displays of farce by Lacsonte men which have included threats and intimidation of opponents of the Governor. (c) Destruction of sugar cane of haciendas owned by farmer Senator Pedro C. Bernaez by Temporary Police who have so intimidated hacienda laborers that no cane has been milled for two years (d) Threats by Leeson to delegates attending the Liberal Party con- vention in Binalbagan during September 1551. Laespn later walked out on the convention, and Binalbagan Police subsequently were replaced by Temporary Police employed by Leeson. (e) Sponsorship by Leeson of the FOP as a labor organization. The Binalbagan Sugar Central Labor Union is sponsored by Leeson under,a new name,,with Jose Valencia? chief of the Temporary Police for the Third District, a Leeson protege and bodyguard, as leader. Palacios manipulated this change in the union leader- ship, although the organization is composed principally Of POP members. (f) Necessity for Military Intelligence Service (MIS) agents to obtain Lamont; permission to operate in Negros. The activities of MIS agents are obstructed by Lemon's men. (g) Domination by Leeson ,of Captain Maroial Enriquez? PC Provincial Comeander. Public knowledge of this situation has resulted in a loss of prestige for the PC. V. pp ActivitieliALM.sy.. 1. BMB RECO-6 in Panay does not aspire to overthrow the local Government, nor do plans include the elimination of Government forces. RECO-6 leaders consider themselves incapable of succeeding in these actions, and encounters with Government troops are the result of unavoidatae incidents or unauthorized activity by undisciplined units. 2. The mission of RECO-6 includes the following: (a) To divert attention from the main HMB endeavor in Luzon, where the Philippine Communist Party Political Bureau and the gm over-all command are situated. To fulfill organizational purposes. To demoralise the local Government. To imerove the morale of HMB sympathizers. To conduct propaganda activities. To collect supelies and to became familiar with Pansy terrain. SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. mums ONLY Approved For Release 2000/06/26 : CIA-RDP82-00457R009500520009-5 SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY ApproyedForRelease2ODDIRRAMNIWEMEOIMENG310950052 - 4 25X1A 3. HMB members who have surrendered or who have been captured declare that they were attracted to the HMB by propaganda, or that they joined the HMH without knowing its aims. Webers of RE00-6 units actually have joined of their own volition, and they have been Indoctrinated in Communist aims and are familiar with HMB purposes. 4. Members of RECO-6 who have surrendered have done so for the following reasons: (a) Because of the failure of the Manila Political Bureau to assist them. 00 Because of continued raids by Government troops. (c) Because of shortages of food and arms, as well as widespread illness. 25X1A 25X1A Surrendered and captured HMB members have ignored the indoctrination which the Government has conducted in detention camps. They believe that the HMB campaign will succeed eventually, and they believe that events in Palmy represent only a temporary failure. 25X1A 1. oninent. The description of FOP members as "progressive reserves" of the Philippine Communist Party and the HMB was originated by Guillermo Capadocia, ranking HMB and Communist leader who was killed by Government forces in September 1951. 25X1A 1111.1111Comj Comments , which this report supplements, des- cr b the present position of the FOP labor organization since the arrest of Jose Nava on 3 May 1951. This report also referenced previous reports on Nava and included additional information on other persons mentioned in this report. 2.11.11.0_omment. A press report of 4 September 1951 indicated that Dimson, ro t =ical director of HMB Field Command 64, pleaded guilty to Government charges following his arrest. Be was given a 1O-ear prison sentence. 25X1A 3. Comment. Torres, an FOP officer frmn San Ferique, Negros Occ dental, is an HMB political director and advisor, as well as a member of RECO-6. He is now confined in the Panay Task Force eteckade. 25X1A Comment, President Quirino suspended Governor Leeson on 22 Novem er 1951. 25X1A 4. Comment. This quarrel with Cepadocia was in fact at ordinary difference of opinion, but it was exaggerated by Torres in an effort to exonerate Palacios. 25X1A 5. Comma*. Among several Philippine Communist Party documents which were confiscated in August 1947 was a letter addressed to Comrades Leon and Panda. Leon has been identified as Leopoldo Ponelas, Congress of Labor Organizations (CLO) leader. Pando may have referred to Mate p del Cestillo who is Immin to have used this pseudonym recently. This document, dated 26 August 1946, was a report from Negros Occidental signed by Benito Serrano, which may be a true name. Serrano described the Provincial Committee of the For as follows: Presidents Palacios; Second Vice-Director of the Organization Department: Cerise (Gareza); Chief of Fipatce Committee: Siminio (Seminio). In a section referring to Communist Party organization, Serrano referred to the comrades studying "therent probably referring to Manila. HO stated that Gareza would be head of the (Party) Organization Department, ' and that Valdevia (Valdevieja) would be head of the (Party) Rduoatica Department in Negros Occidental. SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY Approved For Release 2000/06/26 : CIA-RDP82-00457R009500520009-5 SECRET/COMBOL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY ? Appcoved For Release 2000/06/26 : CIA-RDP8200457R009500520064-* CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 25X1A 6. .1111Cemment. The phrase "a la Communistan has been interpreted as a generalized reference to the arbitrary actions of the provincial administration, rather than as an indication that the public is aware of actual Communist activity on the part of provincial officials. - 5 - Serrano also referred to Hacildo (Tagalog spelling of Jacildo who may be identical with the person referred to in this reporq in connection with Party work and declared that he was still a candidate because . he was still weak. The remainder of the document described the Party's close cooperation with Jose Nava and complained that Capadocia was a problem because he sought to direct both the Party and the FOP organizations himself. 25X1A 19111korezt, It is believed that the FOP is maintaining a policy o remain ng inconspicuous at the present time, but that the organize.. tion oonstitutes as a reserve force of the BNB and Communist Party in Negros. In some areas, the !OP is changing the name of its units In order to maintain the loyalty of its membership and in an effort to avoid being linked with subversive activity. The FOP organization has control of private arsenals of arms and ammunition. The organiksa- tion is using the political power of Governor Leeson as protection, and it is engaging in political activity in collaboration with Leeson in order to increase its influence with him. 25X1C 25X1A -. Comment, 1116 general observations on the subject of Leeson and his provincial administra- tion are in agreement with those which have been reported by other Sources. However, it has net been reported previously that Leeson is being exploited b; the FOP, and thus by the Communists., while Leeson himself believes that he is using the pm SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY Approved For Release 2000/06/26 : CIA-RDP82-00457R009500520009-5