Tomas Abella and Nicolas Tudtud
During World War II, hundreds of Cebuanos were summarily executed by the Japanese. Unfortunately, there were those who were killed by Cebuanos who sided with the Japanese. Many patriots died without any records, others achieved justice when their relatives filed cases against their murderers.
Tomas Abella on July 28, 1944 was arrested by Filipino undercover agents (those who sided with the Japanese) for being a guerilla. Abella was brought to an uninhabited place and once there, with treachery, evident premeditation and abuse of superior strength was feloniously attacked and inhumanly killed.
Nicolas Tudtud on October 1, 1944 was arrested by agents of the Kempei Tai (Japanese military police) for being a guerilla was brought to the military camp was then tortured and maltreated, was executed with a bayonet.
A former "undercover agent" of the Japanese testified of the atrocities committed by his fellow "undercover agent" who was accused of killing Tomas Abella. Aside from Abella, there were those who were arbitrarily arrested and killed. This undercover agent said that on August 17, 1944 residents of Guadalupe, Cebu city who were suspected to be guerillas were rounded up. Antonio and Irieno Gabucan and Julian and Sergio Bacalan were arrested by the undercover agent who after the war testified against his fellow Japanese sympathizers. Sergio Bacalan was shot near the creek of Barangay Guadalupe by the "undercover agent." The guerillas whose hands were tied behind their backs were beaten with a big stick and galvanized iron pipe.
Julian Bacalan, a resident of Barangay Guadalupe who survived the war testified that Sergio Bacalan was killed by the undercover agent who was their neighbor and cousin on August 17, 1944. Julian the following morning identified the body of his brother who was shot on the head. The reason of the arrest of the guerillas in Barangay Guadalupe was that they were looking for a certain Major Villamor, an officer of the Cebu resistance movement. Aside from the Bacalan's, others who were arrested were Mariano Taguno, Tomas Fernandez, and Santos Taguno.
Irineo Gabucan who survived the war narrated his experiences with the "undercovers" or spies of the Japanese Imperial Army. Irieno said that he was arrested, his son Carpo, Julian Bacalan, Isaac Labiste, and Tomas Caballos by the "undercover agent" who was their neighbor and relative.
Timoteo Cabras, a teacher was also arrested by the "undercover agent" from Guadalupe, Cebu City. The "undercover agent" accompanied by the Japanese Kempei Tai came to his house and looked for his daughter. Cabras answered that the guerillas took her to the mountains then his house was ransacked.
Basilio Taboada of Labangon, Cebu City testified that he saw how the "undercover agent" cut the neck of Tomas Abella with the use of a sanggot (scythe). Taboada said that the neck was not fully cut as the next day he was one of those who buried the body of Tomas Abella in San Nicolas. The execution of Abella according to Taboada was done between the bridges of Tres de Abril and the rail road at 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon.
Catalina Abella, the sister of Tomas Abella testified that his brother was killed by the "undercover agent" and they buried him on July 28, 1944. Another witness, Juan Daclan, also testified of the execution of Tomas Abella.
Milagros Magalang testified that the "undercover agent," the one accused of killing Tomas Abella, was also the one who arrested the cochero or rig driver, Nicolas Tudtud. During the arrest of Tudtud, Milagros Magalang was accompanied by Aurea Pilar, who testified that it was in Sanciangko that the "undercover agent" arrested Tudtud as they were their passengers. The father of Nicolas Tudtud, Fortunato Tudtud, testified that he saw the dead body of his son in a place called Lodo. The "undercover agent" was convicted by the lower court to maximum penalty however his conviction was modified by the Supreme Court to reclusion perpetua.
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