Governor Hilario Abellana and Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Governor Hilario "Dodong" Abellana was the substitute candidate of Cebu Governor Buenaventura Rodriguez of the December 10, 1940 election. Rodriguez died on the eve of the election and Dodong, given ten hours to campaign, won the elections (he defeated Mariano Mercado). Abellana became the Governor of Cebu when the Japanese Imperial Army invaded Cebu in 1942.
For his patriotism, Abellana was executed by the Japanese on the grounds of the U.P. Cebu Campus on January 15, 1945. After the war the reconvened Congress enacted Republic Act 344 which allocated the reward of P5,000 for whoever who could recover the remains of the Governor Hilario Abellana. His remains were never found.
The Cebu City High School also known earlier as the Cebu Provincial High School was renamed on June 22, 1957 as the Abellana Vocational School then on June 7, 1961 it was renamed as the Abellana National School.
General Douglas MacArthur who made a promise to return to the Philippines corresponded with Governor Abellana. Here is the text of the radiogram of Col. Fertig, the counterpart of Col James Cushing for the Mindanao Area Command, this is printed in the book of Cebuano war hero Col. Manuel F. Segura entitled "The Koga Papers":
UNITED STATES FORCES IN THE PHILIPPINES
HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DISTRICT
Office of the Commanding Officer
September 28, 1943
To the Honorable Hilario Abellana
Provincial Governor of Cebu
The following radiogram was received from General Douglas MacArthur, and is forwarded for your information and early compliance:
"I wish to extend you my cordial greetings and to request you to proceed to the hq of the commanding officer of the 10th Mil Dist where you can be in radio contact with me. This is necessary to work out plan for fiscal relief for the people of Cebu. I have instructed lt. Col. Cushing to report at the hq 10th Mil Dist in order that he may have the necessary information of both civil and military requirements. Col. ww Fertig co 10th Mil Dist will supervise the conferences and give the benefit of his helpful advice, and will keep me fully informed of the progress made. I am most anxious to do everything possible to remedy the cebu situation.
Signed
MacArthur"
If you will proceed to Plaridel or Baliangao, Misamis Occidental, and make contact there with local units under this Command, they will provide the necessary guide to bring you to Jimenez. At this point, the courier will bring you to this Headquarters. It is hoped that you will come as soon as possible, as the situation in Cebu is extremely critical.
Cordially yours,
(signed) WENDELL W. FERTIG
Colonel, AUS
Commanding
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