Ruperto Kangleon
Encyclopedia
Ruperto Cadava Kangleon was a Filipino military figure and politician. He was a native of Macrohon
in what is now the province of Southern Leyte
.
Kangleon was the acknowledged leader of the Resistance Movement in Leyte
during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II. As such, his guerrilla forces helped pave the way for the American Leyte Landings
on their return to the Philippines in 1944.
Before the war, Colonel Kangleon was replaced and re-joining the group of soldiers under the pre-war 92nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army in the General Headquarters in Leyte during the Liberation.
After the war, Ruperto Kangleon served as the Philippine Secretary of National Defense
under Presidents Manuel Roxas
and Elpidio Quirino
.
and sometimes in other islands was the dreaded Black Army.
The Black Army was the main force of Kangleon that led in the liberation of Leyte
Island during the last phase of the war. The island served as the United States Army
, the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the Philippine Constabulary
entry point into the Philippine Archipelago when the expedition of General; Douglas MacArthur
led the final invasion force that defeated the Japanese. One of the highlights of the ferocious battle against the Japanese Army was the raid on Camp Buga-Buga that was an extremely difficult objective to take. It was a huge network of camps entrenched in large caves that opened into the face of insurmountable cliffs in Southern Leyte.
landed on Leyte, Kangleon's guerillas assisted them and three days later, on Oct. 23,1944, Kangleon was appointed military governor of Leyte. Gen. MacArthur personally pinned on Kangleon the Distinguished Service Cross
of the United States of America, a decoration awarded for extraordinary heroism in combat witnessed by Philippine Commonwealth president Sergio Osmeña
as well as commanders of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and even US Armed Forces at the Leyte provincial capitol building.
. On May 28, 1946, he was appointed Secretary of National Defense by President Manuel Roxas
, the first of the Commonwealth and the Republic of the Philippines, in the same way that Kangleon was the Defense Secretary during the closing American colonial rule in our country and held the position upon the declaration of independence on July 4, 1946. But due to policy differences with the next president, Elpidio Quirino
on the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
, Kangleon resigned as Defense Secretary on August 31, 1950. Kangleon was trying to ask President Quirino to remove the generals whom he considered deadwood to which the President disagreed.
mourned his untimely death.
Macrohon, Southern Leyte
Macrohon is a 4th class municipality in the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 23,102 people in 4,684 households.-Profile:...
in what is now the province of Southern Leyte
Southern Leyte
Southern Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Maasin City is the capital of the province. Southern Leyte was once a sub-province of Leyte before it was divided from the latter...
.
Kangleon was the acknowledged leader of the Resistance Movement in Leyte
Leyte Island
Leyte is an island in the Visayas group of the Philippines.The island measures about 180 km north-south and about 65 km at its widest point. In the north it nearly joins Samar, separated by the San Juanico Strait, which becomes as narrow as 2 km in some places...
during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II. As such, his guerrilla forces helped pave the way for the American Leyte Landings
Battle of Leyte
The Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the invasion and conquest of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American and Filipino guerrilla forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines led by...
on their return to the Philippines in 1944.
Before the war, Colonel Kangleon was replaced and re-joining the group of soldiers under the pre-war 92nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army in the General Headquarters in Leyte during the Liberation.
After the war, Ruperto Kangleon served as the Philippine Secretary of National Defense
Department of National Defense (Philippines)
The Department of National Defense is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for guarding against external and internal threats to peace and security in the country...
under Presidents Manuel Roxas
Manuel Roxas
Manuel Acuña Roxas was the first president of the independent Third Republic of the Philippines and fifth president overall. He served as president from the granting of independence in 1946 until his abrupt death in 1948...
and Elpidio Quirino
Elpidio Quirino
Elpidio Rivera Quirino was a Filipino politician, and the sixth President of the Philippines.A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered politics when he became a representative of Ilocos Sur from 1919 to 1925. He was then elected as senator from 1925–1931...
.
Military service
The aftermath of becoming provincial commander of the Philippine Constabulary in Cebu and Bohol on Central Visayas during the Pre-World War II era until 1942 replaced by the Philippine Commonwealth Army. Kangleon was a former Lieutenant Colonel and they joining the commanding officer of the 81st Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFFE on 1942 at the general headquarters in Samar was found in World War II. The ordered to proceed to Davao where he and his men valiantly fought the troops of the Japanese Imperial army during the Japanese Invasion and Occupation. He was captured by the Japanese Imperial Army forces and was put to prison at the Japanese Internment Camps in Agusan. He managed to escape from prison on December 1942, returned and came back in Leyte and formed as a guerrilla movement.Kangleon's Guerrillas
Kangleon's contribution to the war was the reason for his appointment to the defense portfolio. He led a number of guerrilla organizations, among the fiercest, with the greatest reach and had undertaken numerous operations against the Japanese Imperial Army in VisayasVisayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
and sometimes in other islands was the dreaded Black Army.
The Black Army was the main force of Kangleon that led in the liberation of Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
Island during the last phase of the war. The island served as the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the Philippine Constabulary
Philippine Constabulary
The Philippine Constabulary ' was the oldest of four service commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It was a gendarmerie type para-military police force of the Philippines established in 1901 by the United States-appointed administrative authority replacing the Guardia Civil...
entry point into the Philippine Archipelago when the expedition of General; Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
led the final invasion force that defeated the Japanese. One of the highlights of the ferocious battle against the Japanese Army was the raid on Camp Buga-Buga that was an extremely difficult objective to take. It was a huge network of camps entrenched in large caves that opened into the face of insurmountable cliffs in Southern Leyte.
Leyte Landing
When the Allies led by General Douglas MacArthurDouglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
landed on Leyte, Kangleon's guerillas assisted them and three days later, on Oct. 23,1944, Kangleon was appointed military governor of Leyte. Gen. MacArthur personally pinned on Kangleon the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
of the United States of America, a decoration awarded for extraordinary heroism in combat witnessed by Philippine Commonwealth president Sergio Osmeña
Sergio Osmeña
Sergio Osmeña y Suico was a Filipino politician who served as the 4th President of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946. He was Vice President under Manuel L. Quezon, and rose to the presidency upon Quezon's death in 1944, being the oldest Philippine president to hold office at age 65...
as well as commanders of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and even US Armed Forces at the Leyte provincial capitol building.
Kangleon's Back the Military
Colonel Kangleon was given back on 1944 as a military leadership and they replaced and re-joining the group of soldiers under the pre-war 92nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was the military re-establishment and they active on 1942 to 1946 at the general headquarters and stationed in the province of Leyte during the Liberation.Secretary of National Defense
Kangleon became Leyte’s civil governor upon the re-establishment of the Philippine Commonwealth under President OsmeñaSergio Osmeña
Sergio Osmeña y Suico was a Filipino politician who served as the 4th President of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946. He was Vice President under Manuel L. Quezon, and rose to the presidency upon Quezon's death in 1944, being the oldest Philippine president to hold office at age 65...
. On May 28, 1946, he was appointed Secretary of National Defense by President Manuel Roxas
Manuel Roxas
Manuel Acuña Roxas was the first president of the independent Third Republic of the Philippines and fifth president overall. He served as president from the granting of independence in 1946 until his abrupt death in 1948...
, the first of the Commonwealth and the Republic of the Philippines, in the same way that Kangleon was the Defense Secretary during the closing American colonial rule in our country and held the position upon the declaration of independence on July 4, 1946. But due to policy differences with the next president, Elpidio Quirino
Elpidio Quirino
Elpidio Rivera Quirino was a Filipino politician, and the sixth President of the Philippines.A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered politics when he became a representative of Ilocos Sur from 1919 to 1925. He was then elected as senator from 1925–1931...
on the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines is composed of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force...
, Kangleon resigned as Defense Secretary on August 31, 1950. Kangleon was trying to ask President Quirino to remove the generals whom he considered deadwood to which the President disagreed.
Senate
Kangleon’s resignation from the Cabinet paved the way for his entry into the politics. Kangleon ran for Senate even without the endorsement of the incumbent President Quirino. He became senator and was appointed chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans and Military Pensions and vice chairman of the Committee on National Defense and Security. He championed the cause of the Filipino veterans by filing bills and resolutions for their welfare and advancement. However, even before he could finish his six-year term in the Senate, Sen. Kangleon succumbed to myocardial infraction on Feb. 27, 1958, exactly a month away from his 68th birthday. The Filipino nation led by President Carlos P. GarciaCarlos P. Garcia
Carlos Polistico García was a Filipino teacher, poet, orator, lawyer, public official, political economist and guerrilla leader...
mourned his untimely death.