At 14, Reagan began researching Gulapa’s life as a guerrilla leader during the resistance to the Japanese occupation forces in World War II. Lt. Col. Mariano Villanueva, commander of the Liberators Guerrilla, and his 650 unrecognized officers and enlisted men must have all since died. From those records, Reagan also learned that a murder allegation, which triggered a dispute between Gulapa and a popular guerrilla unit, turned out to be unfounded. “I was shocked at the deteriorating condition [of the files] and wondered why these were not available in the Philippines,” Vallejo said. Francisco Licuanan III added to the funds raised by retired Gen. Renato de Villa of the Filipino War Veterans and PVAO.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer April 08, 2018 23:26 UTC