Hinandugan ng pagkilala at pagpupugay ang mga beterano ng San Pedro City at si Abelardo Remoquillo, na kilala sa tawag na Capt. Remo, sa city plaza, March 8, sa pagdiriwang ng “Araw ng mga Beterano.”
Kasabay ng pagdiriwang ang paggunita sa ika-72 taong kamatayan at kabayanihan ni Capt. Remo na nakipaglaban sa mga Hapon sa Bay, Laguna noong ika-8 ng Marso, taong 1945.
Pinangunahan ni Kon. Edgardo Berroya ang opening prayer at nagbigay naman ng pambungad na pananalita ang dating pangulo ng VFP San Pedro post na si Mr. Pablo De Silva.
Nakiisa rin sina Col. Bonifacio G. De Gracia, AFP Ret. National President VFP; Major Gen. Alfredo Cayton, Jr, Chief of Veterans Affairs Mgt. Div. (VAM-D); Gen. Ernesto Carolina, AFP Ret. – PVAO; city employees, mga konsehal at mga miyembro ng pamilya Remoquillo.
Pinangunahan naman ni City Mayor Lourdes S. Cataquiz ang wreath laying ceremony kung saan nagpakawala ng mga kalapati at lobo sa kalangitan bilang pagpapakita ng pagkilala, pagpapahalaga, at paggalang sa lahat ng mga beteranong nagbuwis ng kanilang mga buhay noong panahon ng digmaan.
Samantala, isinunod naman ang “book launching and signing” ng “Capt. Remo” na pinangunahan din ni Mayor Cataquiz at ilang miyembro ng pamilya Remoquillo. Ito ay dinaluhan at nasaksihan mismo ng may-akda na sina Pepe Alas at Linda Sietereales.
Si Abelardo Remoquillo o Capt. Remo, anak ng dating municipal treasurer Jose O. Remoquillo at Valeriana Hermosilla, ay may rebultong matatagpuan sa kanang bahagi ng city plaza at Central Elementary School.
Isinilang noong ika-27 ng Disyembre, sa taong 1922 sa San Pedro, Laguna, si Capt. Remo ay nag-aral sa San Pedro Central Elementary School kung saan sya ay naging outstanding boy scout. Nagtapos naman siya sa kanyang secondary course sa Arellano High School sa Manila at nag-aral ng abogasya sa University of the Philippines. Sa kasamaang palad ay hindi nakapagtapos si Capt. Remo sa kanyang kurso dahil sa pagsiklab ng World War II noong December 8, 1941.
Narito ang ilang mahahalagang pangyayari sa buhay ni Capt. Remo:
When world war II broke out on December 8, 1941, he was drafted in the military his first assignment was to intercept enemy troops in Quezon province, but the military high command would order their retreat due to the enemy’s superior strength. His unit was later disbanded.
Capt.Remo’s guerilla activity during the Japanese occupation was kept in utmost secrecy. He went as far as Malabon and Morong in Rizal province, to meet guerillas and others freedom fighters in the resistance movement. He formally joined the hunter’s guerillas under the command of Colonel Terry”Magtanggol” Adevoso. It was in this unit that is performed secret military intelligence missions including his employment at the new bilibid prison as a prison guard. On June 24, 1944 he was instrumental in liberating several political prisoners. The Guerilla hunters took several fire arms from prisons armory as they made their great escape to Cavite and Rizal. From that time on, he was listed as the most wanted resident of San Pedro, Laguna
There are lot more tales of heroism about Capt. Remo. He led his battalion to free internees from countries belonging to the allied forces, which were held captive at the Los Banos interment camp. His bravery, heroism, love of country and devotion to duty spoke of his noble aspirations. He renounced oppression and put his life on the line in defense of freedom. On the fateful day of March 8, 1945, he showed this to his men and to the world as he died with his boots on during the battle to liberate Bay, Laguna from the hands of the enemy. It was a glorious and heroic death.
