Keeping tabs on local legacy

Nowadays, it’s seldom for one to find an almost anonymous wartime hero, unknown to most local contemporary folk. Perhaps, it’s because of his innate simplicity and humility. On the first question as to which Cabahug lineage does he belong to, Sgt. Uldarico “Ikoy” Perez Cabahug shyly demurred that theirs was the “pobreng” Cabahug, “duol-duol” to Mano Tiyong Cabahug’s side – father of Atty. Inting Cabahug – used to be a simple barber.

 Earlier acquaintance with Mano Ikoy was during Mayor Boy Cortes’ time when he was barangay captain of Ibabao-Estancia. Other than a passing impression that he is a Cebu guerilla veteran, no further reference to his “Bronze” medal and “Purple Heart” medal awarded in 1958 by the United States government through its Armed Forces.

It’s no small wonder that since his enlistment into the Cebu resistance movement at age 16 until now, Sgt. Cabahug’s sharp memory hasn’t failed him despite going on 87. He still remembers wartime encounters against the Japs and Filipino “undercover” quislings, say, the one aiming a pistol at him in close range, which he boldly disarmed. He still bears the scar on his upper right arm as “souvenir.”

Assigned to “H” Co., 87th Infantry Bn., Cebu Area Command, Northern Cebu area, with camp in Lugo, Borbon, the young soldier’s fearlessness had been backed by his unit leader, Lt. Pedro Potot of Opon, Cebu and his guerilla colleagues, and participated in every combat mission in the north. While not as epic as the Battle of Guila-guila, the firefights in the North, like the 1943 assault of the Medellin Japanese garrison led by Col. Joven Almendras, the Lugo firefight where Sgt. Capungan was a casualty, or the Tabuelan attack of thousands of Japanese in place, or the Ginatarcan Island raid capturing 7 enemy machine guns, and other guerilla-type “hit-and-withdraw” skirmishes, he recalls with fondness.

In fact, on the second-day of the Battle of Guila-guila led by Mandauehanon Major “Ingko Bian” Sanchez, other units came to reinforce the defenders who were running on short ammo. But on foot from Lugo, the “H” Co. reached the battle site when the defenders had already withdrawn for lack of bullets, after inflicting some 800 Jap casualties.

Mano Ikoy readily recalls other Mandaue guerilla fighters, like, Vicente Ramirez, Jr., Jose Perez, Jr., later Atty/Councilor Magno Dionson, the Cinco brothers – Pardonio (Pard), Catalino (Tali) and Jesus (Susing) – and their cousin Lt. Momoy Cinco who was killed by “undercovers” after visiting his virgin-faced sweetheart, Pepang Tagalog of Estaca, Compostela.

The highest U.S. combat medal is the Congressional Medal of Honor for gallantry and bravery beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Alvin York of WW I fame, and Lt. Audie Murphy, reel and real-life hero of WW II were both recipients. Next is the Distinguished Service Cross for exceptional heroism.

The next is the Bronze Star for heroism in ground combat, followed by the Purple Heart for the wounded or killed in action. Mano Ikoy was awarded both, and also the WW II Victory Medal, US Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and Combat Infantry Badge. In spite of their priceless value, he selflessly turned them over to the Museo Sugbo/Cebu Provincial Museum, for posterity.

 While Mano Ikoy has been honored already, this tribute is not just for him that he richly deserves. One hopes for the Mandaue folk and officialdom to create a legacy or heritage memorial for deserving Mandauehanons, in such fields of history, culture, arts and letters, sports, intellectual achievements, and the like, other than crass politics.

 Offhand, Mandaue has had two Bar topnotchers, namely Atty. Eugeniano Perez, Jr. – victim of Harry Fenton – and Atty. Gregorio Batiller, Jr. One knows two “King of Engineers,”namely Engr. Zoilo M. Cortes, Jr. and Engr. Jacinto Rafanan, now a Mandauehanon by choice. In literary fiction, there’s Gilda Montayre, in the movies there’s Caridad Sanchez, and Jose “Joe” Logarta in journalism. In sports, like basketball as the premiere sports of Mandaue, there was Atty. Cesar Cabahug of then champion Visayan Institute, his son Eddie “Skipper” Cabahug as the best Filipino cager, and Eddie’s son Elmer.

Some others who now skip recall, also deserve the heritage memorial for Mandaue achievers and their achievements annually, and regularly. Will the CHEST Foundation Inc. pick up the cudgels?