The Huks

*Image borrowed from watawat.net

Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa mga Hap, the “People’s Army Against the Japanese” was a Communist-led guerrilla group formed during World War II to fight Japanese soldiers. The Huks, as they are most commonly known, consisted of countryside peasants mainly from central Luzon. The group of peasants formed not just a result of the Japanese occupation-- the peasants were descendants from lines of farmers who have had their lands taken from the Spanish. Now that they were suffering the same treatment from the Japanese, they have finally organized into a collective group. Their leaders educated and enlightened their followers and supporters, and the Huks grew to be an educated and aware group.

During the war it is estimated the Huks had 70,000 men and women fighters and supporters. They stole weapons and supplies to fight the Japanese troops, intercepted supplies enroute to the Japanese, and continued to educate their fighters not only on Marxist-based warfare and military tactics, but social issues. Their guerilla tactics proved successful against the Japanese.

After the war the Huks continued to grow in number and power, now recognized as an anti-government rebel group. Their focus remained on land reform, an issue they felt the Filipino government was failing poor Filipinos on, especially after the government had basically signed over plenty of their resources to the United States government. Throughout the Philippines the Huks acted as a Robin Hood group, often killing powerful landlords and dividing large pieces of land amongst the poor.

The Huks began to post members in political positions of power. However they were unseated by members of the Liberal Party. The Huks then began the Huk Rebellion, which lasted from 1946-1954, an attempt at overturning the Filipino government. As President Manuel Roxas took office and signed over many Filipino freedoms and power to the US government, political unrest stirred more Filipinos towards the Huks. They especially targeted his leadership, as his prior involvement with the Japanese puppet government painted him a possible traitor to the Filipinos. They changed their name in 1948 to Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan (Liberation Army Movement) shifting their focus from the Japanese.

As the popularity of the Filipino government began to falter, the Huks continued to gain supporters, and they began making their way to Manila. However, their headquarters were raided and their most important leaders were taken in that single raid. At this time, the Second Red Scare (a period of strong anti-communism) had taken over the world, and President S. Truman sent over large amounts of weapons in order for the Filipino government to fight the Huks.




*Image borrowed from asiaobserver.com

The election of Ramon Magsaysay in 1953 brought back the trust of the Filipino people. The power of the Huks further faltered, and a year later Huk leader Luis Taruc surrendered. The end of the Rebellion had come, and soon afterwards remaining Huks had been reduced to bandits.

Today some Huk followers have joined other anti-government groups, others still remain in hopes to push for land reform. All in all, the Huks no longer pose as a threat to the Filipino government.

-c simpliciano