Ni: Jes B. Tirol
Kangurulsol 4, 2022
Mga Mahinungdánong Panagsángkà Sa Bohol, Pilipinas
(Important Battles in Bohol, Philippines)
Bahin Ika-26 (Part 26): Ang Pagbómba sa Tagbilaran
Pasiuna
Sa naghinapos na ang tuig 1944 diyotay na lang ang mga sundalong Hapon dinhi sa Bohol tungod kay gidala sila didto sa Leyte aron pagpakigsangkà sa mga Amerikano.
Dinhi sa Bohol ang mga girélya makugihon na kaayo aron sa pagpakigsangka sa mga Hapon ug sa mga Bol-anon nga midapig sa mga Hapon. Daghan na ang mga nakigkurambos (collaborators) sa Hapon ang nadákpan sa mga girélya. Ang mga Hapon igò na lang nga nagtágò sa ilang hulonán (camp) sa Bohol High School ug Bohol Trade School.
Pagbómba sa Tagbilaran
Sa ika-24 sa Ulalong (January) 1945, unom (6) ka mga barko sa Hapon milayas gikan sa Sugbo paingon dinhi sa Tagbilaran ug mitipon sa mga barko sa Hapon nga dinhi magpundo sa pantalan sa Tagbilaran. Gisunod ug gipangità sa mga ayroplano sa Amerikano ang maong mga barko ug gibombahan ug gimasinggan. Giapil usab pagbomba ang hulonan sa mga Hapon.
Atong ipatik dinhi ang nahasulat sa talaadlawan (diary) ni Sister Ferdinandina kabahin sa nahitabo tungod kay silingan ra ang Holy Spirit School nga gipúy-an sa mga madre ug ang Bohol Trade School nga gipuy-an sa mga Hapon.
Dili na natò hubaron sa Binisayâ ang maong talaadlawán ug atò nang ipatik ang gisulat nga Ininglis:
January 25, 1945
On this memorable day Tagbilaran experienced the first bombing. Before noon one airplane destroyed a boat by machinegun. There were 8 boats, some in the wharf and some farther off. We guessed that the plane would come back to destroy also the other boats. About 3:00 P.M. four planes hovered above us with great noise. We were down in our refuge-corner. All at once heavy machine-gunning set in, but we could hear that it was not only in the sea but also in Tagbilaran itself. Suddenly — hum! crack – a bomb. Again machine-gunning, heavy caliber, and then once more a bomb! The machine-gunning continued at least for half an hour. And all the while the iron birds were flying straight over our house. Oh! How we trembled and prayed during this horrible hour.
When it was finally over, Sr. Eligia resolved to evacuate to Dauis, for she cannot endure such an agony a second time. She is really the most nervous among us concerning aeroplanes. We all were now afraid; for we supposed that this would be the first of a series of air-raids in Tagbilaran. The girls, too, did not like to stay any longer in the house. So, all made ready to leave for Dauis except Sr. Elisabetha and Sister Ferdinandina. While they were packing their belongings, Sr. Superior arrived from Dauis with Sr. Theofride. They had seen the air-raid from Dauis, and now they came to look for us. From them we learned about the casualties. One bomb had destroyed a part of the government building. It was probably aimed at the library, in which the Japanese are stationed. The other bomb destroyed a boat. The Graham Mission Hospital was hit by machinegun. The planes had machine-gunned the whole seashore. Probably they suspected the soldiers from the boats to hide along the shore. Nobody died in Tagbilaran except perhaps some soldiers in the boats. We do not know.
Sr. Superior took Sr. Eligia and Sr. Natividad along, also the girls and the Rocha sisters. The two families that had lived in our house left, too. Captain Basconsilio prefers to stay in his house nearby where he had built a strong air-raid shelter, for our house is safe against machine-gunning but not against bombs, and our air-raid shelter is not a good one.
January 26, 1945
Sr. Superior wanted to consume the Host in the tabernacle, but we entreated her not to do it. Therefore, she went this morning early with Sr. Eligia to Panglao to ask permission from Father Tabotabo evening. whether she may transfer the Sanctissimum to Dauis. She promised to be back in Tagbilaran on the same.
We two were alone in the house with Mr. and Mrs. Rocha, who cooked for us. The whole morning we were occupied removing the crib from the chapel, because it was the Friday before Septuangesima Sunday. This work helped us a little to overcome our sad thoughts; for first of all, we had to expect another air-raid, secondly, we know that our Lord would leave us in the evening.
Before Morning Prayer we had to run down already and during meditation again. Every time we hear a plane, we are frightened and run as quickly as we can. That noon we did not take siesta, because that is usually the time when the machine-gunners come.
A quarter to three the terrific noise approached again. In a moment we were down. Mrs. Rocha and Mrs. Calibo with her two children were with us in the corner. First the horrifying birds, eight this time, flew several times around their prey. Then we heard two bombs far away. After some moments an intensive machine-gunning began; we crept near each other in our agony and prayed aloud, everyone in her mother- tongue: we two in German, Mrs. Rocha in Spanish, and Mrs. Calibo in English. And when the planes swept over our house, we howed our heads as if to receive the death-blow. The machine-gunning continued uninterruptedly, we could hardly breathe because of the violent beating of our hearts: “Holy Mary, Mother of God…” Pack, pack, pack, boom! “Almighty helper in need”, “you must help, most faithful one”… pack, pack, pack, boom!… Zzzzst, boom! Crack a bomb! Very near, it seemed. Another bomb followed with a terrific crash. How we thought this was our end. We expected nothing else but not so near, the ceiling to fall and bury us alive, Still two bombs more fell, but not so near anymore. When we believed the airplanes had flown away, one came back, perhaps to view once more the destruction they had created; it did not bomb anymore. Mrs. Rocha went out to see the road near the Mission Hospital: one house was entirely crushed and the others in the vicinity damaged. One old lady, the pious Mrs. Borja, was kneeling in one damaged house, praying. Stones and debris fell over her, but she was not hurt. God had protected her. Another bomb destroyed part of the Bohol High School: that was the one nearest to us. The other two bombs must have been aimed at boats. As far as we know, no person has been killed. The two bombs that we heard first were dropped in Panglao. Poor Sister Eligia had escaped one danger to run into another. During the bombing she was in the church. She pressed herself close to the altar, directly under the tabernacle. So she was literally under the protection of the Almighty. The two bombs fell on the airport. Nobody was hit.
Sr. Theofride and Sr. Florencia came soon after the air-raid to Tagbilaran to see whether something had happened to us. Towards evening Sister Theofride left again together with the family of Calibo, while Sister Florencia stayed with us. Late in the evening Sr. Superior arrived by boat with one of our girls. Father Tabotabo had permitted that our Lord should be taken to the church of Dauis. Though we were sad to see Him depart from our chapel, we had at least the consolation that our prayers were heard in so far as the Sacred Host was not yet to be consumed.
Sr. Elisabetha and Sr. Ferdinandina accompanied Sr. Superior to the wharf, where the King of heaven and earth entered a very small baroto, which was rowed by our girl. The sea was solemnly calm, as if it were conscious of the great honor to carry its Creator. The moon had shed her bright light on the waves. We were struck at the humility of Our Lord and were reminded of the days of old, when our Savior passed over the Lake in the boat of Peter.