Sgt. Julian Lao, Cebu guerrillas’ secret weapon

The Cebuano guerillas had a secret weapon against the Japanese Imperial Army, he was a spy imbedded by the Cebu Area Command. Julian Lao in April 1942 was a sergeant with the 81st Motor Transport Co., 81st Division in Mindanao. The unit was disbanded when the Filipino and Americano forces surrendered to the invading Japanese Imperial Army in 1942. Sgt. Lao posed himself as a Japanese Mestizo (he learned Nippongo from his neighbors behind the Cebu Provincial Jail, now the Museu de Sugbo, where Japanese fishermen lived before the war.

Sgt. Lao became the interpreter of General Tanaka, the highest Japanese official in Cebu. Among the many espionage works of Sgt. Lao was the one that led to the death of Gen. Tanaka. In the book “Tabunan” written by Col. Manuel Segura, Miss Long Abadiano, who was an operative of Major Jesus Ybañez, intelligence officer of the Cebu Area Command, informed about the trip to the Cement Plant in Naga. The convoy of Gen. Tanaka, composed of 30 cars and truck loaded with troops. Sgt. Lao was on the last truck of the convoy. When the column passed through Mambaling, it was ambushed. A machinegun concentrated its fire on the red flag bearing car onboard was General Tanaka who died first.

Sgt. Lao kept sending information through the operatives of Major Ybañez during the duration of the war. Sgt. Lao was arrested by the American forces in Cebu and was taken to the pier area. This was how Col Segura narrated the event: “Again luck smiled at Julian, for observing the proceedings were Col. Cushing, Lt. Col Sanchez and Maj. Ybañez. The last two officers knew him well. As he passed in front of them dejectedly, he heard Major Ybañez say “Si Julian Lao man na” and Col. Sanchez called his name. ..When they asked him to pull out of the line, the American MP raised his gun and was about to shoot him-after all he was dressed in Japanese uniform and being part Chinese he looked like a Japanese. Col. Sanchez shouted, “Joe, don’t shoot. That is Sgt. Lao of the USAFFE, a Filipino. We planted him in the enemy ranks.”

Sgt. Lao was the son of Felix Mira Lao and Dionesia. He was the grandson of Lao Singto (Sampaguita St. had been renamed after him). Julian married Carmen Ceniza and had 11 children: Visitacion, Dr. Peregrino, Penny (Laguda), Lonie, Tony, Emee, Irene (Gomez), Julius, Frank, Edyll (Vasquez) and Val.