Per schedule, we left Bayombong for Barrio Paniqui, Bagabag to teach the Barrio Neighborhood Watch “Radyo Taisho” I arranged with the Japanese Army, early today on a convoy of two Japanes Army Vehicles, a car and a truck. Capt. Ikeda and I took the car followed by the small truck with two Japanese Taisho Instructors and a squad of my BC men under Sgt. Norberto Aquino as security. We arrived at Paniqui before 0800H with 50 Neighborhood Watch of Capt. Gullermo Aban lined up to welcome us. I introduced Aban to Capt. Ikeda as the local barrio Captain. Ikeda seems impressed at the friendly attitude of the people and without much ado, the two Japanese Instructors took over and started teaching Aban’s men Radyo Taisho at the spacious barrio school ground. Radyo Taisho is Japanese calisthenics used in their basic military training and all BC men know it. My purpose here is to get the blessings of the local Japanese military to assemble our men that will help in neighborhood watch or guard, to perform Radyo Taisho and later certain military drills during the time they are laying low. Capt. Ikeda, I and many others watched the training which went through smoothly with very favorable remarks from Capt. Ikeda. My BC men under Sgt. Aquino helped a lot. The training terminated at 0900H, Capt. Aban prepared breakfast for us which Ikeda at first hesitated to partake.
After we have eaten, I keda thanked Aban and the barrio people of Paniqui. We then proceeded to nearby Barrio Ibung, Solano arriving there at 1000H with Capt. Fernando Asuncion with his barrio watch lined up to welcome us at the school grounds. After introducing barrio captain Asuncion to Capt. Ikeda, the Japanese instructors started teaching the barrio watch Radyo Taisho which was easily learned with the help of my BC men. Capt. Ikeda was also impressed with what he witnessed at barrio Ibung, specially old man everyone call Lakay Molina. The people are peaceful and friendly. We stayed at barrio Ibung up to 1100H, after which we returned to Bayombong.
During our return trip, Capt. Ikeda said he was impressed of the neighborhood watch idea and added that the people can live happily and contented only when there is peace and hopes that more towns in Vizcaya will follow the example of the barrio people he witnessed himself. This was the first time he had visited these two outlaying barrios at the foot of Cordillera Mountain whose approaches are ideal for ambuscades. He thank me for providing security and an enlightening trip.