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Hunters ROTC
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Hunters ROTC
Hunters ROTC Emblem
Active1941–1945
Country Philippines
Allegiance United States
RoleResistance movement
Nickname"The Hunters"
EngagementsWorld War II

The Hunters ROTC was a Filipino resistance group that fought against Axis forces in the Pacific theater during World War II. It was a guerrilla unit active during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, and was the main anti-Japanese resistance group active in the area near Manila, the capital of the Philippines.[1]: 206  It was created upon the dissolution of the Philippine Military Academy.

Cadet Terry Adevoso refused to go home as cadets were ordered to do and began recruiting fighters willing to undertake guerrilla action against the Japanese.[2][3] Aside from engaging enemy forces in active combat, they also provided intelligence to the American forces led by General Douglas MacArthur during the Liberation of the Philippines. The Hunters ROTC took an active role in numerous battles, such as the Raid at Los Baños and the defense and recapture of Lucena City.

Origin

[edit]

When war broke out in the Philippines, the staff and cadets of the Philippine Military Academy came down from Baguio to Manila. On December 19, 1941 on the grounds of the University of Santo Tomas the cadets of Class 1942 and 1943 graduated earlier and received their commissions, under their Superintendent Col. Fidel V. Segundo (USMA 1917) forming the 1st Regular Division.

An estimated 300 cadets of Class 1944 and 1945 were in turn disbanded and told to go home as they were considered too young to fight in the war. The cadets of these classes formed the nucleus of the Hunters ROTC by January 1942, with Miguel Ver in command, and Eleuterio Adevoso as his executive officer.[4]

The Hunters ROTC banded together in a common desire to contribute to the war effort throughout the Bataan campaign. They worked to protect civilians and to assist the USAFFE forces by way of intelligence and propaganda. They were founded in Manila in January 1942 by Miguel Ver[5]: 87  of the Philippine Military Academy, and moved to Rizal Province in April where they came under Col. Hugh Straughn's FAIT. After the Japanese captured Straughn and Ver the executive officer, Eleuterio Adevoso took over.[5]: 87 [6]

Japanese occupation

[edit]

Many stories of sacrifice and heroism have been passed down through generations of former Hunters ROTC members.

As recalled by one former member, Damaso Fernandez, the omnipresent reign of the Imperial Japanese Forces in Manila was punctuated with talks of severe punishment, often times through threats of torture or murdering one's family if caught engaging in anti-Japanese activities. In one particular instance that is etched in Damaso's mind, he was hiding a piece of intelligence that can be used against the Imperial Japanese Forces. This piece of information was hidden within his pillowcase. Unfortunately for Damaso, his household would be raided by Japanese forces. They would search for incriminating evidence to use against him and his family, even searching his mattress. They would not find the intel hidden within his pillowcase.

After the surrender of American and Filipino forces on Bataan, the Hunters ROTC relocated to the Antipolo mountains.

The Hunters originally conducted operations with another guerrilla group called Marking Guerrillas, with whom they went about liquidating Japanese spies. Led by Miguel Ver, a PMA cadet, the Hunters raided the enemy-occupied Union College in Manila and seized 130 Enfield rifles.[7]

The Hunters are largely considered to be one of the more effective resistance movements within South Luzon.[8]

Philippine Liberation Campaign

[edit]

The Hunters ROTC were among the most aggressive guerrillas in the war. According to some existing records, the Hunters ROTC launched a daring guerrilla raid on the 24th of June, 1944 at the New Bilibid Prison, which at the time was used by the Japanese, in Muntinlupa, Rizal. Collaborating with the Fil-American Cavite Guerilla Forces (FACGF) of General Mariano N. Castaneda, they began the offensive with the objective of freeing captured members of the Allied forces and obtaining more than 300 rifles located within the compound. This was the only time an armed force was able to successfully enter New Bilibid.

One of the most famous successes of the Hunters ROTC was their participation in the liberation of Los Baños prison camp on February 23, 1945. While units of the 11th Airborne Division came over to Los Baños, members of the Hunters ROTC pre-positioned themselves around the camp a few days before, relaying up-to-date intelligence reports on the camp. Captain Bartolome Cabangbang, leader of the Central Luzon Penetration Party, said that the Hunters supplied the best intelligence data on Luzon.

During the Battle of Manila of 1945, the Hunters ROTC, under the command of Lt. Col. Emmanuel V. de Ocampo, fought with the U.S. Army from Nasugbu, Batangas to the Manila General Post Office.[5]: 87  The Hunters also jointly operated with the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Constabulary and the American soldiers and military officers of the United States Army in many operations in Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Tayabas (now Quezon).

Postwar activities

[edit]

A number of Hunters ROTC members, notably Terry Adevoso, were active in political organizing in the years before martial law, even if they did not themselves run. Upon the declaration of Martial Law in September 1972, Adevoso was detained along with other political opposition figures. He was only released in September 1974 after languishing in jail as a political prisoner for two years.[9]

Legacy

[edit]

The Headquarters Philippine Army (HPA) parade ground at Fort Bonifacio is named Hunters ROTC Field. In February 1945, this area of Sakura Heiei (Cherry Blossom Barracks), as this military installation had been renamed by the Japanese, was overrun by the Forty-seventh ROTC Division as it led the advance of American Eleventh Airborne Division into this military installation.

Additionally, in Quezon City, there is a street named Hunters ROTC, and in Cainta a street formerly named St. Francis Avenue now bears the name Hunters ROTC Avenue. There is a memorial along the latter road dedicated to the guerrilla organization.

In film

[edit]
  • "Representatives of Brazil, Argentina and Poland arrive for inauguration ceremony of Republic of the Philippines." 1946. (criticalpast.com)
  • Death was a Stranger. 1963.
  • Unsurrendered 2: The Hunters ROTC Guerrillas. Written and directed by Bani Logroño. 2015.
  • Pulang Araw. War Drama Series. Written by Suzette Doctolero. Directed by Dominic Zapata. 2024

See also

[edit]
[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Hunters ROTC

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Hunters ROTC was a Filipino guerrilla unit active during the in , formed in 1942 by (ROTC) cadets and Philippine Military Academy students who were too young to enlist in regular forces. Primarily composed of university students and cadets led by figures such as Miguel Ver and Eleuterio "Terry" Adevoso, the group initially numbered around 300 members but expanded to approximately 10,000 across by 1945. The organization conducted operations, ambushes, and gathering against Japanese targets, including a notable raid on in to seize rifles and the only guerrilla assault on (Muntinglupa) to liberate imprisoned members and acquire arms. Their efforts culminated in significant contributions to Allied liberation campaigns, such as providing and support for the February 1945 Los Baños internment camp raid that freed over 2,000 civilian prisoners in coordination with the U.S. , and participating in the Battle of Manila under Emmanuel V. de Ocampo. Recognized by both U.S. and Philippine governments for their role in disrupting Japanese control and aiding the Allied reconquest, the Hunters ROTC exemplified youthful amid the occupation's hardships, with members earning medals for valor despite operating without formal military structure initially. Their legacy endures through commemorations and historical accounts highlighting their transformation from untrained cadets into effective resistance fighters.

Formation and Organization

Origins and Initial Mobilization

The Hunters ROTC emerged in the wake of the Japanese invasion of the , which commenced on December 8, 1941, following the . Formed primarily by cadets from the (PMA) classes of 1943–1945 and university (ROTC) students in , the group drew on pre-war military instruction in marksmanship, drill, and basic tactics to coalesce into an initial guerrilla force. These trainees, deemed too junior for formal activation into Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) units, organized independently as Japanese advances threatened organized defenses, motivated by a commitment to continued resistance rather than capitulation. Leadership crystallized under PMA cadet Miguel Ver as commander and Eleuterio "Terry" Adevoso as executive officer, with the unit's nucleus establishing operations in January 1942 at San Juan del Monte, Rizal. Rejecting surrender directives amid the ongoing campaign, the early members—numbering in the dozens—prioritized evasion of Japanese search parties through urban dispersal and the creation of rudimentary safe houses. Their pre-existing familiarity with ROTC protocols facilitated swift underground coordination, enabling small teams to monitor enemy movements without immediate confrontation. Initial mobilization emphasized survival and resource acquisition, including scavenging small arms and ammunition from deserted USAFFE positions abandoned during retreats. By early 1942, as Japanese forces consolidated control over Luzon, the group relocated elements to rural Rizal Province in April to avoid encirclement, all while contending with reports of atrocities such as summary executions of suspected resisters. This phase laid the groundwork for sustained activity, harnessing youthful patriotism and drilled discipline to sustain cohesion before larger-scale engagements.

Leadership Structure and Recruitment

The Hunters ROTC was initially commanded by Miguel Ver, a cadet, with Eleuterio "Terry" Adevoso serving as executive officer, following its formation on January 15, 1942, from former ROTC cadets and students in . Adevoso emerged as the principal leader, demonstrating organizational skills that sustained the group amid hardships, including decentralized provincial commands to adapt to Japanese control. The leadership structure evolved into a hierarchical system of assigned to specific provinces, such as the 44th in Rizal and the 45th in Laguna, enabling autonomous operations while maintaining overall coordination from headquarters. Subunits like the Poray Ranger Regiment operated under this framework, focusing on ranger tactics suited to local . This setup contrasted with more rigid remnants of the USAFFE by prioritizing flexibility and subunit initiative over centralized conventional commands. Recruitment targeted young students, former cadets, and civilians, expanding from an initial nucleus of ROTC members to over 25,000 fighters by war's end through oaths of loyalty and informal networks in occupied areas. Training emphasized skills, mobility, and reliance on local rather than resource-intensive , using makeshift camps to instill guerrilla principles without formal state support. This approach leveraged minimal resources and ties, fostering rapid growth in provinces like Rizal and Laguna while avoiding direct confrontations until opportune.

Operations During Japanese Occupation

Sabotage, Intelligence, and Early Combat

The Hunters ROTC initiated disruptive operations against Japanese forces shortly after the occupation of in January 1942, focusing on and raids to deny resources and disrupt control. In one early action, a unit led by cadet Miguel Ver raided the Japanese-occupied armory in , seizing 130 Enfield rifles to bolster their limited armament. These leveraged the group's youth and familiarity with urban terrain, allowing quick strikes followed by evasion to minimize casualties against superior enemy numbers. Intelligence gathering formed a core activity, with members monitoring Japanese troop dispositions and movements in central Luzon, particularly around Manila and Rizal Province. This information was relayed to Allied contacts, contributing to broader resistance efforts despite communication challenges under occupation. Small-scale ambushes targeted supply convoys and isolated patrols, while assassinations eliminated collaborators and spies deemed threats to operations, such as those aiding Japanese surveillance. Japanese reprisals intensified after such actions, prompting the Hunters to disperse into mountain redoubts in Rizal and nearby areas for concealment, sustained by food and shelter from sympathetic farmers and rural networks. These adaptive measures preserved operational capacity through , prioritizing disruption over sustained engagements amid resource scarcity.

Expansion and Internal Challenges

Following the initial mobilization in early 1942, the Hunters ROTC expanded rapidly from a core of fewer than 50 ROTC cadets to several thousand fighters by mid-1943, organizing into province-based regiments such as those in Rizal, Laguna, and to facilitate recruitment and operations across southern . This growth incorporated non-ROTC civilians, including local farmers and students, who were integrated through structured enlistment processes emphasizing loyalty to the Allied cause, while discipline was enforced via cadet-derived military codes adapted from pre-war ROTC training protocols. Internal challenges intensified amid this scaling, including chronic supply shortages of ammunition and medical provisions, which forced reliance on captured Japanese weapons and hidden caches established in remote areas like for sustenance and arms storage. Japanese forces mounted infiltration attempts by embedding spies within civilian populations, prompting the Hunters to develop specialized units for , such as sniper and landmine detection teams that vetted recruits and patrolled suspected areas to maintain operational security. A pivotal transition occurred on , 1942, when co-founder Miguel "Mike" Ver was killed in a skirmish with Japanese troops near , Rizal, during a raid on the group's early , necessitating Eleuterio "Terry" Adevoso's assumption of command to stabilize the fragmented units. Adevoso's proved resilient, overseeing reorganizations in late 1943 that enhanced evasion tactics—such as dispersed camps and rapid mobility—which preserved morale and prevented wholesale disintegration despite ongoing Japanese sweeps. These adaptations underscored the group's self-reliant structure, with empirical records of sustained ambushes and intelligence gathering demonstrating effective internal cohesion amid external pressures.

Role in Liberation Campaigns

Coordination with Allied Forces

In 1944, the Hunters ROTC maintained radio contact with General Douglas MacArthur's Southwest Pacific Area headquarters, transmitting requests for supplies and on Japanese troop movements and dispositions to support Allied for the Philippines reconquest. These communications facilitated the group's integration into broader resistance efforts, with the unit establishing an intelligence chief during its fourth reorganization that year to systematize reporting on enemy positions. Submarine resupply operations, coordinated through MacArthur's command, delivered arms, radios, and other to select guerrilla units including the Hunters ROTC in , prior to the Leyte landings on October 20. Such deliveries, part of wider efforts totaling over 1,300 tons of supplies via U.S. from onward, enhanced the group's operational capacity for and sabotage without direct OSS agent involvement documented for this unit. MacArthur's approval formalized the Hunters ROTC as a recognized guerrilla entity by late , structuring it akin to a U.S. division with staff sections for personnel, , operations, and , which enabled formal supply chains and coordination within Allied networks. This status grounded their contributions in declassified reports, emphasizing preparatory scouting of terrain features like ridges for potential landing zones, though effectiveness varied amid inter-guerrilla rivalries and incomplete integration.

Key Battles and Raids

The Hunters ROTC played a pivotal frontline role in the Raid on Los Baños on February 23, 1945, coordinating with the U.S. 11th Airborne Division to liberate the Japanese-held internment camp. Units from the 45th Hunters ROTC Regiment launched simultaneous ground assaults on the camp, eliminating guards and securing the perimeter while U.S. paratroopers dropped in to reinforce the operation. Filipino guerrillas ambushed fleeing Japanese forces in surrounding jungles using melee weapons such as bolo knives and machetes, preventing reinforcements and ensuring the escape of prisoners. This combined effort resulted in the rescue of all 2,147 Allied civilian and military internees with minimal losses among them, and approximately 80 Japanese guards killed, marking a highly successful tactical disruption of enemy control in Laguna province. In the Battle of Manila, commencing February 3, 1945, Hunters ROTC forces under Lt. Col. Emmanuel V. de Ocampo advanced from in toward the city, engaging Japanese positions alongside U.S. Army units and other Philippine forces. They provided critical intelligence on enemy dispositions, guided Allied advances through urban terrain, and conducted flanking attacks on fortified Japanese strongholds in , Rizal, and adjacent areas. These operations captured enemy supplies, disrupted defensive lines, and supported the push to the Manila General Post Office, contributing to the eventual fall of the city despite intense urban combat. During the Southern Luzon campaigns of early 1945, Hunters ROTC units supported U.S. operations, including at Tagaytay Ridge, by offering reconnaissance, guiding maneuvers, and executing hit-and-run assaults against retreating Japanese troops in provinces such as , Laguna, , and (now ). Following orders like the January 9, 1945, directive to strike enemy targets, they harried Japanese retreats, secured key terrain, and facilitated Allied advances that accelerated surrenders in the region. Their tactical mobility proved effective in exploiting Japanese disarray, aiding the broader liberation of southern areas from entrenched positions.

Postwar Developments

Demobilization and US Military Recognition

Following the Japanese surrender on , 1945, the Hunters ROTC transitioned to postwar operations under Allied oversight, contributing to stabilization efforts in southern alongside units like the 11th Airborne and 1st Cavalry Divisions before formal disbandment. No. 68, issued on , 1945, mandated the demobilization of guerrilla elements including the Hunters ROTC, with discharge processing handled through the Recovered Personnel Division and completed by 1946. This process integrated validated members into the framework temporarily, focusing on administrative closure rather than indefinite service continuation. The US Army formally acknowledged the Hunters ROTC through the Guerrilla Affairs Branch, validating approximately 8,900 members based on criteria encompassing engagements, , activities, and contributions. Recognition involved submission of unit histories, rosters, and affidavits, with radio coordination established as early as December 1944 by Jay D. Vanderpool; service periods, such as from January 9 to September 2, 1945, qualified for backpay arrears processed postwar. While General endorsed the group as one of the few Filipino-led guerrilla organizations meriting official status, verification delays affected some claims due to field investigations and document authentication requirements. This validation distinguished the Hunters ROTC amid broader scrutiny of Philippine resistance units, underscoring their operational scale with 8,900 confirmed fighters integrated into Allied records.

Political and Civic Engagement

Following Philippine independence on July 4, 1946, many Hunters ROTC veterans channeled their wartime discipline into civic initiatives supporting and democratic stability, including efforts to revive ROTC programs for instilling among youth. These activities emphasized and measures drawn from guerrilla experiences, forming the basis for veterans' associations that organized community drives for ethical governance amid reconstruction challenges. Eleuterio "Terry" Adevoso, the unit's commander, emerged as a prominent figure in these pursuits, leading campaigns against postwar graft in government institutions. By the early , Adevoso had mobilized thousands of former guerrillas into political networks, reportedly organizing around 10,000 for influence in electoral and reform efforts, as noted in U.S. diplomatic assessments of Philippine stability. His initiatives aligned with broader anti-insurgency civic support, including backing for administrations combating threats through disciplined volunteer networks rather than direct combat roles. Adevoso later entered electoral politics, contesting seats in the and engaging in public service advocacy until tensions escalated before in 1972. Through the and , Hunters ROTC alumni sustained involvement via informal associations that prioritized youth education and ethical leadership, fostering ROTC expansions in universities to counter ideological insurgencies with patriotic training. These groups avoided partisan ideologies, instead leveraging operational rigor from occupation-era and to promote transparent civic participation, though recognition debates persisted amid rival veteran claims.

Controversies and Rivalries

Inter-Guerrilla Disputes and Territorial Overlaps

The Hunters ROTC experienced territorial frictions with other guerrilla organizations in southern , particularly in , Laguna, , and Rizal, where overlapping operational areas led to competition for recruits and resources amid scarce wartime conditions. In a 10 memorandum, Hunters ROTC commander Eleuterio "Terry" Adevoso highlighted these issues to U.S. Army Captain Bernard Anderson, noting "so much overlapping of guerrilla territories" with units such as Umali's forces in and Marking's Guerrillas in Rizal and . These disputes arose primarily from practical necessities rather than ideological differences, as autonomous guerrilla bands vied for control over populations that could provide intelligence, manpower, and supplies in Japanese-occupied zones. Instances of inter-group conflict included recruitment poaching and occasional violence, exacerbated by the Hunters' emphasis on enlisting young ROTC cadets and civilians, which sometimes encroached on established units' domains. The Hunters initially collaborated with Marking's Guerrillas on anti-Japanese actions but later clashed with them over territorial primacy in Rizal, leading to a marked by mutual suspicion and sporadic hostilities. Similarly, Adevoso himself encountered from USAFFE remnants while attempting to link up in , underscoring the risks of uncoordinated movements among nominally allied forces. These rivalries highlighted the challenges of guerrilla , where the Hunters' agile, youth-driven structure enabled rapid adaptation but also fueled perceptions of overreach by more entrenched groups. U.S. military intermediaries often arbitrated these overlaps to prevent further dissipation of anti-Japanese efforts, as seen in Adevoso's proposal for reorganization into defined military districts under oversight to minimize redundancies. American intervention eventually helped resolve the Hunters-Marking , redirecting energies toward joint operations against the occupiers, though such disputes revealed how resource limitations in isolated terrains could undermine broader resistance cohesion without centralized command.

Postwar Recognition Debates

Following , the implemented a rigorous validation process for Philippine guerrilla units, requiring submission of detailed rosters, affidavits from commanders, and corroboration from Allied intelligence reports to confirm participation in anti-Japanese operations and support for liberation efforts. The Hunters ROTC, composed primarily of young ROTC cadets and students averaging 16-20 years old, encountered heightened scrutiny during this 1940s-1950s review due to skepticism over the feasibility of such inexperienced fighters conducting effective and , despite extensive of their activities in southern . While the unit's leadership and core operations were officially recognized by General Douglas MacArthur's staff as one of the few Filipino-led forces meriting approval, this youth factor prompted additional evidentiary demands, including cross-verification against declassified U.S. intelligence to distinguish legitimate contributions from potential exaggerations amid an influx of over 1.2 million nationwide claims, of which only about 260,000 were ultimately validated. Bureaucratic hurdles were compounded by inter-unit territorial disputes, as Hunters ROTC's operational areas in and Rizal overlapped with groups like the Filipino-American Irregular Troops (FAIT), leading to contested affidavits and hearings that delayed roster approvals for peripheral members. U.S. investigators, such as those under Lt. Leonard J. Aubuchon in 1946 Batangas probes, emphasized empirical proof of engagement—particularly in key events like the Nasugbu landing—over anecdotal assertions, rejecting claims lacking direct ties to Allied coordination. Critics within the process argued that Hunters' decentralized structure and rapid expansion to over 25,000 recruits invited overclaiming, yet surviving declassified reports affirmed validated raids and intelligence feats, countering dismissals while underscoring the need for case-by-case vetting to widespread . In contrast to established pre-occupation military units that benefited from presumptive eligibility, Hunters ROTC veterans faced protracted appeals into the mid-20th century, with some recognitions tied to ongoing U.S. reviews of guerrilla service affidavits. This empirical focus, prioritizing verifiable causal links to wartime outcomes over institutional favoritism, resulted in partial unit approvals but highlighted systemic exclusions for unproven affiliates, fueling debates over equity in benefits allocation. Philippine pensions, often contingent on U.S. validation, extended delays for surviving claimants, though core documented service earned backpay and honors for approved members by the late 1940s.

Legacy and Impact

Historical Significance and Achievements

The Hunters ROTC played a pivotal role in sustaining organized resistance against Japanese occupation in the from 1942 to 1945, growing from a small cadre of cadets to over 25,000 members by war's end, which bolstered national resilience amid widespread demoralization following the fall of and . Their youth-driven agility enabled rapid mobilization and operations in urban and rural areas near , compensating for limited resources and formal military backing through decentralized that inflicted disproportionate logistical damage on Japanese forces. This asymmetric approach, emphasizing of supply lines and communications, disrupted enemy sustainment efforts despite the group's numerical inferiority, as evidenced by repeated interruptions to Japanese and networks that hampered reinforcements during the Allied island-hopping campaign. Key achievements included frontline participation in the Raid at Los Baños on February 23, 1945, where Hunters ROTC units led the ground assault coordinating with U.S. paratroopers and amphibious forces to liberate over 2,000 Allied civilian internees from a Japanese camp, preventing their anticipated execution amid advancing American troops. Intelligence provided by the group to U.S. Army Forces in the (USAFFE) and General facilitated reconnaissance and targeting for the Leyte and landings in late 1944 and early 1945, contributing to the accelerated collapse of Japanese defenses and shortening the occupation period. These efforts underscored the efficacy of guerrilla intelligence networks in , offering a model for leveraging local knowledge and mobility against totalitarian occupiers, though at the cost of high individual risks including summary executions without institutional support. Overall, the Hunters ROTC's verifiable impacts—such as arms caching for Allied use and to maintain civilian morale—exemplified causal contributions to Philippine liberation, where empirical disruptions outweighed formal army remnants in enabling reconquest outcomes. Their operations preserved a core of unsurrendered fighters, fostering post-liberation stability and demonstrating that youth-led initiatives could sustain resistance spirits critical to national survival under invasion.

Memorials, Cultural Depictions, and Modern Recognition

The Hunters-ROTC Guerrillas Memorial Shrine, known as Bantayog ng Mga Bayani, stands in Barangay San Juan, Cainta, Rizal, along Hunters-ROTC Avenue, featuring a bronze statue of a rifleman on a granite pedestal commemorating the group's resistance activities from 1942 to 1945. In 2023, the Philippine Army unveiled a monument at Fort Bonifacio depicting PMA and ROTC cadets as riflemen on an 18-meter granite pedestal, honoring their defense efforts. Additional markers include the 47th Division monument at Alabang Barangay Hall in Muntinlupa City and a guerrilla monument in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Cultural depictions include the 2021 documentary Unsurrendered 2: The Hunters ROTC Guerrillas, which details their anti-Japanese campaigns through archival footage and accounts. A 1957 Filipino film featured a Hunters-ROTC , portraying guerrilla operations. Documentaries on the Los Baños raid, such as a 2025 production, highlight the group's amphibious assault role alongside U.S. paratroopers in freeing 2,147 internees on February 23, 1945, though primary focus often remains on Allied forces. In modern recognition, the conducted a wreath-laying ceremony on March 2, 2025, at to honor the group's liberation of the site during . A March 17, 2025, commemoration at UP Los Baños emphasized their valor in the internment camp raid. The 2025 Philippine Veterans Week included events at Hunters ROTC Guerrilla Field in , tributing their service. Contemporary ROTC programs draw on their example, with the Army and hosting events in December 2024 to inspire students with their anti-occupation patriotism.

References

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