The Heroes Among Us

IKANG, 15: RUNNER

by: Jehu O. Raymundo

I never expected that a fierce storm and rampaging flood would be the way to unearth my Lola’s untold tale about the Second World War…

            My cousins and I were huddled on several preschool classroom tables put together that served as our bed.

            Our house was already submerged in almost three feet of flood water we had to evacuate to a school room just nearby. Though the rain kept pouring and the flood water still rising my grandfather entertained us with his rehashed but still very effective jokes of old. But it was Lola Ikang who enthralled us with her story — a story that was never told in as much detail to her eight sons and daughters! Six of us cousins listened in amazement and admiration like little children at the feet of Lola Basyang.

            She was only fifteen years old then.

            Japanese soldiers had already occupied Obando and were going around the town in small groups of twelve. They were searching for guerillas and for anyone against the Japanese and were ready to shoot and kill anytime. Lola Ikang knew of such guerillas that resisted and fought the Japanese. Four of them were her uncles who were part of a guerilla force that held their headquarters in her grandfather’s house in Bilog, a barrio in Valenzuela, Agapito Candido, Ramon Candido, Francisco Candido and Esteban Candido banded together with other men to fight the Japanese invaders. Knowing that their live were at stake, Lola Ikang set herself on a mission to help the guerillas by being a watchman or a watchgirl or a runner, she would say. Whenever she saw Japanese soldiers marching towards the direction of her uncle’s hideout, she would walk briskly but to where her Uncles and their companions were stationed. As quickly as she can, she would whisper to her uncles “Umalis n kayo diyan, at may hapon na parating” (Leave immediately. The Japanese are coming!)

            Lola Ikang volunteered herself and acted “independently as a runner for this band of men”. She was never requested by any of them and or by anyone to report about the activities of Japanese soldiers prowling around for men they could kill. Who wanted a girl for a runner in time of war? Interestingly, not even her parents and sisters knew that they had a family member who was a self-commissioned runner! Lola Ikang wanted to protect her uncles at all costs that a request from the guerillas or even just informing her family was not necessary. For countless times, her whispered warnings saved the lives of these men and their companions.

            Just as keen and active was a woman Lola Ikang knew named Sima, one of the women of Obando. Unfortunately, she was a spy for the Japanese. A native Bayong with two holes small enough to see through covered her head as she helped Japanese soldiers hunt for Filipino males. Together with her family, Sima, pointed to the men who were working as guerillas, and whoever was pointed to, met their short but brutal demise. The hunted and handpicked were ordered to march to the playground of the Obando Central School. Then they were all gathered together and shot repeatedly with machine guns. The playground was filled with piles and piles of dead bodies. This was Sima’s horrible accomplishment. Obando townsfolk were enraged by a woman traitor and her family! To this day, Lola Ikang utters her name with memories of massacre.

            Despite the killings, she saw with her own eyes, Lola Ikang bravely walked through the piles of dead bodies looking for her uncles in case they were part of the hunted and killed. They were not there. All the more, the runner in her was vigilant. She did not stop walking through the stretches of fields of rice and singkamas (turnips) just to warn her uncles and their guerilla force so they could escape safely. All the more, the runner in her was passionate.

            Guerillas. Machine guns. Bombs. Japanese soldiers. The cold-blooded annihilation of men. Lola Ikang saw them all but she had no fear to speak of. Her childhood must have molded the brave heart that she had.

            Being a second born with two other sisters in her family, she was not the usual kind of girl busy helping with the chores at home. Alone, she was out in the rice fields teaching herself to plow later on her own, or riding the carabao which was her constant companion and sometimes standing on it to entertain herself! She frequented fishponds and the river in fatigue clothes hunting for crabs and shrimps for the family’s dinner. Lola Ikang gathered wood regularly to be used for fuel in cooking meals. She even made business with other people by selling sacks of grass for animals at ten pesos per sack. This was her routine until the Japanese came. The grit and independence proved useful during the war.

            Once while walking along the river dike, Lola Ikang knew she was passing through enemy territory. She felt there were Japanese soldiers hiding around the area. She did not see any, though. Just as she thought stepped on to safe ground , she heard a familiar sound “Pak! Bum!” “Pak! Bum!” It was a Japanese soldier’s gun being fired at her! Again, several more “Pak! Bum!”. Bullets were flying by her side, in front of her, above her but not one hitting her. She realized she was the target. There was no enemy insight but the frightening thuds kept ringing. Lola Ikang recounts this without fear but with deep gratefulness. “Talagang pinupuri ko ang Panginoon at iniligtas na N’ya ako. Ngayon… ngayon pinagpapasalamat ko talaga sa Kanya na iniligtas Nya ako doon, hanggang sa makatawid ako ng tulay…”

            Then the Americans came in 1945. Lola easily remembers the year. A line of American tanks entered Obando. Still the watchgirl that she was, she ran towards the road where people witnessed the passing of many American war tanks. She asked those who were watching to stop the tanks, ask the American soldiers to accompany her to her grandfather’s house where Japanese soldiers were hiding (“parahin n’yo yung tangke…dalhin ninyo ako doon sa kubo…mayroong mga Hapon sa kubo ng lolo ko!”). After a few exchange of words with the Americans, her greatest mission was about to see victory. Two tanks turned from the main road and headed towards the Japanese hideout. With a brave and proud heart, she walked like a true soldier in the fields. Alongside her were the two tanks that plowed through fields and crushed precious large singkamas, Lola Ikang felt sorry for the fruits. (She could have sold them for a fortune per sack.) From a distance, the tank started firing at her grandfather’s house. Some Japanese soldiers flew from the window into grandfather’s well to escape. Some died instantly. The tanks moved nearer and fired repeatedly at the house and at the well. Legs flew. Soldiers’ hats flew in to the air as well. Every enemy hiding in that hut perished. Lola Ikang accomplished her final mission.

            I just thought my Lola should be rewarded for her being a runner. I thought that she should have some share with the back pays that her Uncles Pitoy, Kiko and Ramon received. But she did it alone. She did it without expecting anything in return. She simply loved her uncles.

            My conversation with her ended with a short message for today’s youth: you should care enough for your people and your country. The little help one can do is big enough to save the lives of people who sacrificed themselves for our freedom.