The Makapili, Other Paramilitary Groups, and Filipino Informers During the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines

The existing historiography on the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines is replete with studies on the resistance movements, both the organized forces and the guerrilla units who fought the Japanese. Written by Filipino and foreign scholars alike, these studies have underscored the heroism of countless military men and
guerrillas who came from all walks of life. What has been often overlooked and has yet to receive the same scholarly attention is the underside of the war: Filipino collaboration. While political collaborators-figures in the government such as Jose P. Laurel and Jorge Vargas-have been well documented (see Steinberg 1967; Agoncillo 1984; De Viana 2016; Satoshi 2012), paramilitary collaborators, or those who not only took the Japanese's side but also took up arms against pro-American Filipinos and Filipino guerrillas, remain obscure. It is imperative that these narratives be also brought to light to uncover the disturbing truths and realities of the war. Without an adequate understanding of these paramilitary groups and informers, our purview of the Japanese occupation period remains myopic.