January 5 in history

Diary in focus:

Paulino Santos (1890-1945) Major General in the Philippine Army, former Chief of Staff; at the time of the writing of the diary, general manager of the National Land Settlement Administration. His diary provides an insight into Filipino officials confronted by defeat in 1942 and who decided to remain at their posts. His entry for January 5, 1942 reveals a day in command:

Instructed Overseer Vargas to go to Matutum on horse back with Dr. Baltazar and there spend at least three days of each week visting the settlers in the barrios of Klinan and holding meetings with them in order to raise their morale.

After luncheon, Major Peabody and Lt. Mercado pulled off for Buluan to see Capt. Pasco about the reported presence of signal lights around the Sebu Lake area. Shortly after the left, we also set out for Bañga where we arrived about 4:39 p.m. Found the road to Bañga in deplorable condition and saw a gang of settlers at work fixing it under the supervision of Engineers Salazar and Velayo.

Upon arrival at Bañga poblacion, I saw a group of surly looking Moros armed with crisces and spears as the result of an altercation a settler had with two other Moros whom he mortally wounded and who are now confined in the hospital. Picked un their headman, Datu Kapok, and with him proceeded to the hospital to visit the wounded. Then held a meeting with the Moros and assured them that justice would be done to their wounded comrades and that the necessary punishment would he meted cut to the erring settler.

I told them, however, that I would not stand for their coming to Bañga with arms, as they would unduly alarm the women, They were fully satisfied with my explanation and they assured me they would deport as I told them thereafter.

See more of what was going on on January 5, 1942 by visiting January 1942: WW2PH 80 Years After.

Today in history:

Ferdinand E. Marcos: 1970, 1971, and 1972

1945: Leon Ma. Guerrero in Tokyo; Raymond Leyerly in UST; Wendell Fertig in Mindanao; Tomas Confesor, resistance leader; Gen. Basilio Valdes, Phil. Army chief of staff;

1938: Gen. Fidel Segundo.

1932: Marcial Lichauco.

1901: William Herman Wilhelm.

1899: Alfred Welch, John Asendorf, soldiers; John Milsaps, missionary.

1884: José Rizal in Madrid.