Makapili | |
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Makabayang Katipunan ng mga Pilipino | |
![]() | |
Country | ![]() |
Foundation | November 1944 |
Dissolved | 1945 |
Preceded by | Ganap Party |
Motives | Support for Japanese occupiers in the Philippines |
Size | 4,000–6,000 |
The Makabayang Katipunan ng mga Pilipino (Patriotic Association of Filipinos), better known as the Makapili, was a militant group formed in the Philippines in 1944 during World War II to give military aid to the Imperial Japanese Army.[1] The group was meant to be on equal basis with the Japanese Army and its leaders were appointed with ranks that are equal to their Japanese counterparts.[2]
Contents
Background
The Japanese decreed that the group be founded in November 1944 when they brought together many of the supporters of the defunct Ganap Party,[3] which was an offshoot of the Sakdalistas or those who helped the Japanese in the recruitment of manpower as well as in the construction and maintenance of infrastructure.[4] Organized by Benigno Ramos and Artemio Ricarte, it was borne out of José P. Laurel's refusal to conscript Filipinos for Japan.[5] An account cited that Laurel's objection was due to the way Makapili did not owe its allegiance to him or the republic.[6] During its inauguration, Ramos described it as nonpolitical, nonpartisan, and nonsectarian organization that aims to destroy the nation's enemies.[6] Members were given Japanese military training and became soldiers, spies, and saboteurs.[2]
Operations
Like Ganap, the Makapili's main area of support was Metro Manila, although it established chapters across the islands, attracting some support.[7] In all it attracted 4 to 6,000 members, many of them poor or landless farmers who came to the group due to vague promises of land reform after the war.[8] Makapili was not used to fight the American forces[6] and was merely deployed to counter the recognized guerrilla and the Philippine Commonwealth military activity by anti-Japanese forces in rural areas.[8]
After the war ended in 1945, the group was disbanded and vilified for its involvement in some Japanese atrocities in the islands and individual members faced trials for treason as a result.[9]
A 1951 film of the same name was made starring Justina David.[10]
See also
References
- ^ "G.R. No. L-943". Retrieved 20 March 2015.
- ^ a b Edwards, Duval A. (2008). Jungle and Other Tales: True Stories of Historic Counterintelligence Operations. Tuczon, AZ: Wheatmark, Inc. p. 92. ISBN 9781587369452.
- ^ William J. Pomeroy, The Philippines: Colonialism, Collaboration, and Resistance, p. 114
- ^ Matthiessen, Sven (2015-11-06). Japanese Pan-Asianism and the Philippines from the Late Nineteenth Century to the End of World War II: Going to the Philippines Is Like Coming Home?. Leiden: BRILL. p. 190. ISBN 9789004305533.
- ^ Jovito Salonga, 'A tribute to Dr. Jose P. Laurel'
- ^ a b c Friend, Theodore (1988). The Blue-Eyed Enemy: Japan against the West in Java and Luzon, 1942-1945. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 174. ISBN 0691055246.
- ^ "ASIAN JOURNAL a San Diego original. The 1st Asian Journal in Ca,USA. A Filipino American weekly. Online - Digital - Print Editions". Retrieved 20 March 2015.
- ^ a b Stein Ugelvik Larsen, Fascism Outside Europe, Columbia University Press, 2001, p. 785
- ^ "G.R. No. L-885". Retrieved 20 March 2015.
- ^ "Makapili (1951)". IMDb. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015.