PHILIPPINE
MILITARY HISTORY
SCOPE OF THE LESSON
A. Filipino Freedom Fighters
1. Pre-Spanish periods
2. American Influence
3. Japanese Influence
B. The capsulated history of the AFP
[Link] in the conflicts from WWW II to
Korea, Vietnam
2. MNLF Campaign
3. Reconciling material traditions with the
new code of the Filipino soldier\
C. Role of the ROTC in previous wars
1. Commonwealth Act Number 1
2. War between France and Grate Britain
3. Treaty of Paris
4. R.A. 9163 NSTP of Act 2001
LESSON OBJECTIVE:
A. Identify how the Philippine Military History
originated
B. Identify the important dates, event and
personalities of those people behind the
Philippine Military History.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
PHILIPPINE MILITARY
Spaniards first came
to the Philippines
On March 16, 1521
and tried to
establish
Control over our
ancestors.
“Portuguese Leader of the Spanish
Expedition CAPTAIN GENERAL
FERDINAND MAGELLAN”
Some of the tribes
and chieftains
submitted after they
were given an
impressive
demonstration of
Spanish firepower. Mactan Chieftain Lapu-Lapu
But Lapu-Lapu
refused to pay
homage.
Magellan attacked his fiefdom but in the
ensuing Battle of Mactan on April 26, Lapu-
Lapu and his warriors numbering 1,500 strong
defeated the overconfident Magellan with his
60 Spanish fusiliers supported by Mortar fire,
ship borne canon fire.
Magellan was killed along with 8
of his men and 4 Christian native
auxiliaries while Lapu-Lapu lost
at least 15 men.
This was the first recorded
armed encounter involving
Filipinos.
The Spanish were forced to
leave these islands when their
abuses forced even their
friends to abandon them.
Andres de Urdaneta
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi
But they came back in February 1570
in an expedition under Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi and Andres de Urdaneta.
In 1570and 1571, de Goiti attacked and
destroyed the huge settlements of
Maynilad (Manila) under Rajah Soliman
and Rajah Lakandula eventually making
Manila the capital of the new Spanish
colony of the Philippine Islands.
THE HOMEGROWN MILITARY ASPECT
OF THE UPRISINGS AGAINST SPAIN
The various uprisings against Spain
necessitated the formation of units on
geographical or clan basis.
For the most part, they have little
training, poorly armed and solely lacking
in tactical leadership, organization and
logistical support.
Because of these shortcomings, the
superior arms of Spaniards and the
inability of the different tribes to unite,
these uprisings failed.
One of the few exceptions to this general trend
is the Dagohoy Rebellion in Bohol, which lasted
for 85 years from 1744 to 1829.
Dagohoy rose up in rebellion against the
Spaniards when Jesuit priests refused church
burial to his brother who died in the service of
the church. Rallying 3,000 Boholanos, he
defeated every expedition that the Spanish
authorities in Manila sent against him.
THE FIRST FORMAL TRULY FILIPINO
MILITARY ORGANIZATION
After 323 years of Spanish
rule, the pent-up feelings
against the oppressive
foreigners exploded in the
Philippine Revolution of
1896.
Andres Bonifacio
This army is truly national in character
and not based on class, tribe,
geographical or blood relation but on love
of the native land. Its members were
drawn from the entire spectrum of the
Filipino people.
Kataas-taasan Kagalang-galangan
Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan
In the Tejeros Convention of 1897, the
Revolutionary Government was
organized.
Appointment on March 22, 1897 General Antonio Luna as
of General Artemio Ricarte as Minister of War and
the first Captain (Commanding)- Director of Operations.
General of the Revolutionary
(Philippine Army)
The infant Philippine Army had its baptism of
fire as Army of an Independent Republic when
war broke out with Americans on February 4,
1899. The Army has about 30,000 men of whom
16,000 were fully armed not counting about
50,000 poorly armed militaries.
But as war dragged on the Filipinos switched to
guerilla warfare when the regular Army
disintegrated the Americans resorted to
extreme brutality and savagery that exceeded
the cruelties displayed by their Spanish
predecessors specially in areas where Filipino
patriotic guerilla units were most effective
Nevertheless, Filipino resistance
continued even up to 1910.
General Ricarte was captured and
forced to exile when he refused to
swear allegiance to the American
flag. He died in 1945 still a defiant
patriot.
Others who continued to resist were
Macario Sakay who proclaimed himself as
the President of the Tagalog Republic and
General Ola of Bicol. He accepted an
American offer of amnesty, only to be
seized and tried as a bandit then hanged.
Sakay and his Officers
THE COMMONWEALTH ARMY (1935 to 1945)
The Commonwealth of the Philippines was
inaugurated in 1935. This form of
government is to be a transitory
government that will last for 10 years,
which will give way to full independence
in 1945.
The first law passed by this government
was the Commonwealth (National
Defense) Act Nr. 1 circa 1935.
To act as the Advisers of the reconstituted
Philippine Army is the retired American
General Douglas MacArthur who was
made a Field Marshall of the
Commonwealth on June 19, 1936.
However, MacArthur’s stature and
influence on the American government
resulted to no favorable actions by the
US government with regard to the
availability of defense equipment and
special procurement prices and this did
not materialize.
THE ARMY IN THE WORLD WAR II
World War II came to the Philippines on
December 8, 1941 when the Japanese
bombed various targets in the country. The
country was left open to invasion and the
Japanese 14th Army landed in Lingayen,
Pangasinan almost unopposed on December
10.
MacArthur decided to implement an Old
Naval Defense Plan called War Plan
Orange-3, which call for the
concentration of the main defense
forces to Bataan with Corregidor
blocking the entry or use of Manila Bay.
The Japanese Commander Lt. Gen.
Masaharu Homma failed to appreciate
the Fil-Am withdrawal to Bataan and
was forced to fight the Battle of Bataan
from January 9 to April 9, 1942.
Japanese Commander
Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma
Initially suffering a
series of defeats on
the peninsula from
January to early
February, the
Japanese launched
their final assault on
the Fil-Am forces and
forced the American
commander Maj Gen
Edward P King to
surrender on April 9.
American Commander
Maj Gen Edward P King
A follow-up aerial and artillery bombardment of
Corregidor Island culminating in an amphibious
landing forced the American commander Lt
Gen Jonathan Wainright to surrender the
Corregidor Garrison on May 6, 1942.
Many officers and men refused to surrender and
fled to the hills to form guerilla bands with such
fancy names as Makiling’s Guerillas, Quezon’s
own, Hunters ROTC, Blue Eagle fighters and the
like.
One unit in particular did not have its origins with
the established military but emerged from the
peasantry and dominated by local communists.
They called their unit the Hukbong Bayan Laban
sa Hapon (People’s Army Against the Japanese)
or Huks.
The return of the American forces on October
20, 1944 led to the eventual defeat of the
Japanese Army in the Philippines. On that
same date, President Osmena who succeeded
Quezon as Commonwealth President issued
Executive Order Number 21 placing all
personnel of recognized guerilla units into the
service of the Philippine Army.
THE ARMY OF THE THIRD REPUBLIC
(1946-1972)
The first President of the Third Republic
Manuel Roxas organized the Armed Forces by
issuing Executive Nr 92 dated October 4,
1947. The Army was renamed the Armed
Forces of the Philippines and its Headquarters
called the National Defense Forces.
On December 30 of that same year, President
Quirino issued Executive Order Nr. 359 which
provided for the creation of the four major
services in the AFP, namely: Philippine Army,
Philippine Constabulary, Philippine Navy and
Philippine Air Force
With the AFP facing the menace of the
growing Huk Communist Rebellion, a new
type of fighting method and a new unit
was needed when it became apparent that
conventional methods were not effective.
Originally called the HUKBALAHAP
(Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon), they
renamed their army HUKBONG
MAGPAPALAYA SA BAYAN (People’s
Liberation Army or HMB) and they posed a
serious threat to the newly reconstituted
Republic.
It was then that the Scout Rangers were
organized by then Captain Rafael Ileto.
When the need for the Scout Rangers no
longer existed and because disciplinary
problems brought about by lack of combat
action, the First Scout Ranger Regiment was
deactivated in 1959.
The ugliest episode involving the military
during this period was the infamous
Jabidah Massacre of 1968. The Army
Special Forces recruited Muslims for
special training at Corregidor Island.
Unknown to these recruits, they were
being projected for clandestine operations
in Sabah, Malaysia in order to undermine
Malaysian control and to buttress the
country’s claim to that area.
No one can specifically pinpoint who gave
the order but the fact is, their Special
Forces cadres mercilessly massacred
these recruits. Only one escaped and lived
to tell the tale to the Congress and to the
world.
THE MARITAL LAW YEARS AND THE
FOURTH REPUBLIC (1972-1986)
On September 21, 1972, President Marcos
proclaimed a state of Martial Law all over the
country. He dissolved Congress, imprisoned his
political opponents and concentrated all power
in his hands using police and military to do so.
During this time, several units were
activated to enable the Armed Forces
and particularly the army to accomplish
its given missions.
The Philippine Army Light Armor
Regiment (PALAR), later renamed as
Light Armor Brigade now based in Capaz,
Tarlac was organized in 1976.
The First Scout Ranger Regiment was
reactivated in 1990 now based in Camp
Tecson, San Miguel, Bulacan.
The early Martial Law years saw the
Army fighting on two fronts. The Army
then decided to hold the secessionist
in the south with mobilized reservists
while their best troops were pitted
against the Communist guerillas in
the north particularly in Isabela.
With the capture and neutralization of their
more prominent leaders like NPA Chief
Bernabe Buscayno, Ka Dante, Ka Jose Maria
Sison, Communist Party of the Philippines
(CCP) Chairman, the communist insurgency
declined for a few years.
NPA Chief Bernabe Buscayno
Jose Maria Sison
The period of stability and progress
was short-lived, however. The
alleged mismanagement of the
economy by the Marcos government
and the excesses committed by the
members of his family and his
officials led to growing unrest and
the government found its expedient
to use more repressive measures.
Everything took a nose-dive when the
chief oppositionist to Marcos former
Senator Benigno Aquino was
assassinated in tarmac of the Manila
International Airport on Augus 21,
1983 when he came home from
voluntary exile to the US ostensibly to
seek a meeting with Marcos to draft a
National Reconciliation Program.
It was at this time that the professional,
technical & ethical standards of the Army fell
drastically with casualties exceeding 1,000 a
year for several years while killing only half as
many communist guerillas.
Resentment within the military grew and in such
an environment, the Reform the AFP Movement
(RAM) had its beginnings.
Headed by Defense Minister Juan Ponce
Enrile’s Security Chief Colonel Gregorio
“Gringo” Honasan, it actively sought the
discontinuation of corrupt practices in the
AFP although for the most part, these reform
adherents are themselves accountable for
some questionable activities of their own.
After 7 years as legitimate President, 9 years as
Dictator and over 4 years as authoritarian
President, Marcos bowed to international and
public pressure and called for a “snap” election
on February 7, 1986 if only to consolidate his
role.
The plan failed when counter-
intelligence units of the AFP Chief of
Staff General Fabian Ver uncovered the
plot and these 2 officers and a few
others were arrested on February 22,
1986. Informed by sympathizers that an
arrest order has been issued against
him, Enrile barricaded himself in the
Defense Ministry building in Camp
Aguinaldo and sought the support of then
AFP Vice Chief of Staff an PC/INP Chief
Lt Gen Fidel V Ramos.
AFP Vice Chief of Staff and
PC/INP Chief Lt Gen Fidel V Ramos
Defense Minister Juan “Ponce” Enrile
Oppositionist Agapito Aquino,
brother of slain Senator and Manila
Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin
joined the fray to protect Ramos
and Enrile’s forces.
Thus later began the
EDSA People Power Revolution.
This was one of the least bloody revolutions in history.
THE FIFTH REPUBLIC (1986-PRESENT)
Most of the members
of AFP even they
refused to obey
Marcos’ order to
attack and shed
blood, found it
extremely difficult to
accept Mrs. Aquino
as President and
Commander-in-Chief.
There were no more than five (5) attempted
coups & three (3) rebellions shook the AFP and
the Country.
1. Manila Hotel Incident (July 7, 1986)
2. God Save the Queen Incident (November
1986)
3. Channel 4 Incident (January 1987)
4. August 28, 1987 Coup
5. December 1-9, 1989 Coup
POCKET REBELLIONS BY MILITARY
ELEMENTS
1. Black Forest Incident (April 1987)
Former Military Personnel hijacked and rammed
Army Detention Center at Fort Bonifacio and set some
of his comrades free.
2. Aguinaldo Caper ( March 4, 1990)
Former PC and Cagayan Governor declared that
he no longer recognize the legitimate government of
Pres. Aquino.
3. Noble Uprising (October 1990)
Col Noble escaped detention and won elements
and occupied Camp Evangelista. Soldiers went on
AWOL and it took several months to convince them to
military control.
POCKET REBELLIONS BY MILITARY
ELEMENTS
4. March 16, 2000
When atrocities escalated in Southern
Philippines, President Joseph Estrada
declared an “ALL OUT WAR” against MILF &
ABU SAYYAF.
5. July 26, 2003
More or less 200 officers & soldiers with
high powered firearms took control over
Oakwood Hotel, Makati City.
POCKET REBELLIONS BY MILITARY
ELEMENTS
6. February 23 2006 Incident
Regimental Commader, FSRR, SOCOM with
COL QUERUBIN , Brigade Commander of
Philippine Marines influenced the Chief-of-Staff
to withdraw support from the President.
Despite these problems, troops loyal to the
government are doing their share instead of
aggravating the economic and peace and
other problems of our country,
“THEY ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO BE PART
IN THE SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM BY
ACCOMPLISHING THEIR ASSIGNED
MISSION”
And doing things that would help improve
the economy of our country.
-THE END-
ANY
QUESTIONS??
