25 October 1942
Kabacan, in the heart of Cotabato, was garrisoned by the Japanese in 1942, and the government run by puppet officials. When the Rio Grande Rubber Estate was sold by the Filipino Incorporators to the Japanese Imperial Government, it became the site for the provisional municipal government with Cenon Doctolero as the appointed mayor.
The guerrilla movement all over Cotabato was at fever pitch and the enemy garrison at Kabacan must be taken at all cost.
The siege started on 25 October 1942. Ali the puppet policemen including the Chief of Police and puppet Mayor surrendered en masse after due warning. They gave up all of their arms and ammunition, and they then volunteered to support with the guerrillas.
68 JAPS KILLED OUT OF 76
Early in the morning, the Japs coming out of the Kabacan garrison were ambushed. Twelve of them were killed including one Jap officer and one Filipino BC officer – Lt BALANAG by name.
The siege continued for fourteen days, carried on night and day. On 7 Nov 1942, another twelve Jap soldiers and one Filipino BC were killed. Maj BUYAO, Lt RAYMONDO F. FLORES, and Sgt MENEDSEN KAMBANG on the guerrilla side were wounded slightly by hand grenades.
The guerrilla force, a strength of one company, was commanded by Maj UDTOG MATALAM and Maj BUYAO.
Out of the seventy-six Japanese soldiers in the garrison, sixty-eight were verified definitely killed. The garrison was about to fall when a reinforcement of 250 Japanese troops arrived. Our troops were forced to retreat due to diminishing supply of ammunition, the constant complaint of all guerrilla units due to lack of means of getting ample supplies into enemy-occupied territory.
The guerilla force, a strength of one company, was commanded by Maj UDTOG MATALAM and Maj BUYAO.
Source: History of the Mindanao Guerrillas by the American Guerrillas of Mindanao (AGOM) (Unpublished Manuscript)
