“Hey Suseng, you look spic and span in your military uniform” observed Raul, a barrio friend when he saw the uniformed barrio lad alighted from the bus on its last trip.
“I’m now taking PMT or Preparatory Military Training course in high school, it is compulsory for all male seniors, replied Suseng as his khaki uniform had insignia and patches the barrio greeter did not have any idea as to their meaning.
“I am a cadet officer in school and hopefully I may go to the military academy in Baguio to become a real military officer. If not, I may get a college degree and also be commissioned in the reserves, or take advance training program if I am drafted upon reaching the drafting age of 20’s, explained Suseng as the two walked the dusty road towards the barrio. Suseng was carrying his week-ends canvas bag and saber on the other.
“I know you will be an officer soon, although your father wanted you to be a concert pianist or a musician, as I heard.
“The old man loves Bach and Beethoven but I admire, Napoleon Bonaparte, Alexander the Great and Pershing a great military leaders of history”, Suseng replied with the sad look.
“I really don’t know those names you mentioned but I hope you and your folks would come into an agreement as to your ambition”, the friend replied as he waved goodbye and walked in another direction along the barrio road.
In full military regalia, Suseng would visit his friends in the barrio and talk with them. In the hot summer weather, his friends could not ask him if he did not feel uncomfortable in his khaki ensemble. That might hurt Suseng pride and personage.
Suseng did most of the talking as the barrio lads listened after all Suseng would order the soft drinks. The listeners also hoped that Suseng would not go to bed wearing his uniform and holding his chrome plated saber.
Three months before Suseng’s graduation in high school, the Pacific War broke out. The school closed as well as the government offices in the provincial capital to include local and national agencies.
“Have you seen Suseng?” inquired Suseng’s parents when his classmates from the town came home when the school closed.
“We did not sir, as we were in a hurry to get home”, replied a classmate.
Not far from the capital city was a military camp. So wearing his uniform in his PMT, Suseng placed the lieutenant’s insignias in his khaki uniform and he went to the military camp to volunteer as an officer. At the camp’s gate, he was stopped and was asked by the military guards to show his Identification and Suseng did not have. So, he was accosted and investigated by intelligence. The situation was critical and the investigators suspected this young man in uniform as a possible spy of the enemy due to absence of documents to prove that he was in the military service.
During his interrogation, enemy bombers came and bombed the camp. He broke lose as everyone ran for cover in the many dugouts in the vicinity. Suseng like the rest ran for cover. At this point, a sergeant with a browning automatic rifle climbed a big tree inside the camp and waited for the aircraft to return. The sergeant fired his weapon on the low flying bombers, and he hit one which exploded in the air.
Due to the utter confusion, Suseng ran out of the camp and no one noticed him for the military population of the camp knew that the retaliatory action of the enemy would be severe as a result of the downing of one Mitsubishi bomber. From a distance, Suseng saw the return of a big formation of aircraft which plastered the camp relentlessly with bombs.
That night, the military units in the camp moved out upon orders from the higher headquarters to proceed to the Bataan Peninsula for a defensive stand. This information Suseng gathered from those who came from the vicinity of the camp.
Wanted by the USAFFE for alleged impersonation and ashamed to go home to his barrio for failing to join the USAFFE in the defense of the country, Suseng went to a friend in a far town and waited for developments.
By January of the following year, the enemy was in Manila. By April Bataan fell followed a month later by the capitulation of Corregidor, the Rock. Soon, enemy troops occupied the camp where Suseng was investigated. Events moved fast.
Months later, Suseng finally decided to return home to the barrio as his folks might be worried about him. Still wearing his PMT uniform without any insignias, he passed through the capital. An enemy sentry saw Suseng and he was accosted as a solider AWOL of the USAFFE. He was again detained brought to the same camp for investigation. Suseng denied that he was a member of the USAFFE but the interrogators did not believe him suspecting that he destroyed or threw away his documents.
“You’ll be freed if you will serve the Command”, offered the intelligence officer through an interpreter “. A Constabulary peace-keeping force with Filipino members is being organized which you can elect to join” added the officer.
So, Suseng joined the peace keeping force as an officer which he never was. He was given a uniform as he helped in the organization of this contingent force. Soon, others joined to include the released USAFFE men from the concentration camps and jails.
The military administration became stabilized and the unit Suseng joined became operational in its peace- keeping mission. At that point in time, Suseng decided to visit his home town and his folks, although he had sent letter to his folks that he was alright and in the best of health but did not mentioned about his activities in the camp.
“It’s kuya Suseng”, shouted Linda, his youngest sister as the brown coloured military vehicle stopped in front of their house.
“Tell us Suseng what happened to you. We were worried about you”, evoked Suseng’s mother while other curious neighbour listened. So, Suseng gave details of his unbelievable escapade.
“What is this uniform you are wearing now?” inquired the old man.
“This is the Occupation Constabulary and I am now an officer of the Occupation Command”, Suseng replied proudly.
“Why did you join the enemy serving therein as a stooge, a tool and surrogate”, raved his mother on the verge of tears. “Do you know how many from this town have died in Bataan and the concentration camp in Capa?” she concluded.
“But mother, you don’t understand. It’s not the service or country at all or the winds of war. It’s the uniform, the uniform, and the uniform”, Suseng vocalized as he returned to his waiting vehicle with its uniformed driver.