I came to know of the presence of my in-laws in Butuan several days after they arrived and would have been ignorant of their presence were it not for Abraham Alviola, who was with the Volunteer Constabulary and was able to reach our hideout in the forest of Mahay, right in no-man's land between the guerilla and the Japanese-occupied territory of Butuan.

I decided to fetch my in-laws from Butuan. Bringing along my wife and sisters, Lourdes, 12 and Perla, 10 and Bartolome, Jr., 8, who were all dressed in bright colors to show that my companions were children should the Japanese sight us with their binoculars aboard a baroto to the old hospital building where the Japanese had their outpost. Seeing the Japanese, I explained my desire to fetch my in-laws. The Japanese, instead of acceeding fo my request had all of us sequestered for investigation, believing that we were informers of the guerillas, trying to check on their defenses and movements. Not known to us, they were preparing already then to go to Cagayan de Oro, evacuating the whole town, bringing with them all the civilian residents.

I was grilled for about two hours but inspite of my unchanging story, they were all undecided on what to do with us. The investigator wanted to place me in the stockade and was contemplating of bringing us to Cagayan de Oro with them. My wife Helen, who was in the family way, became hysterical. She started crying and on bended knees, while clutching the legs of the Japanese Officer, begged for mercy. The Japanese officer was moved. With misty eyes, he even showed us his wallet with his family picture and in faltering English said, "I understand," and gave orders to bring us to the house of Mateo Tupas where Mayor Torralba was residing. Up to that moment, the Japanese did not reach any decision on what to do with us. We were under exterme stress and anxiety that the Japanese would just decide to do away with us because of our refusal to go with them to Cagayan de Oro. I pleaded that should we go with them to Cagayan de Oro, we will just become a big burden. We only had our clothes on and did not even have provisions. Secondly, all with me were my wife, my mother-in-law, two sisters-in-law and five small children and we would all be helpless strangers in Cagayan de Oro.

According to a Volunteer Constabulary, the investigator must have been moved by my wife's tears and pleading because he was also a family man in Japan and finally relented to my persistent request, seeing the small children who were then also crying. Still they hesitated to let us go. We were instead brought to the pier and made to line up facing the boat, together now with my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and five children, and a machine gun on deck of the M/V Titu, menacingly pointed at our direction. We stood at the pier, while the Japanese and the remaining civilians of Butuan boarded the boat. While the vessel was negotiating to turn and leave, we stood, silently praying that the Japanese would not fire the machine gun pointed at us. Almost breathless, we watched the vessel, which would carry the Japanese to Cagayan, moving slowly from the pier and could only stare at the civilians who I suppose worried and fearful for our lives that at any moment, the Japanese machine gunner may start firing at us, lined up at the pier. While standing, I instructed all who were lined up that should the Japanese decide to open fire and liquidate us, they should immediately drop and lie flat on the ground.

We watched the M/V Titu move out of the pier and turn until it assumed a position where the range of the machine gun would no longer be effective. Breathing a sigh of relief, I ordered everyone to start running as fast as their legs could carry them towards the old hospital and from there to the bank of the river where we crossed by baroto for Buhangin. After reaching Buhangin, I brought my family and in-laws to our evacuation place at Mahay. From Mahay, I proceeded to Amparo to inform the guerillas that the Japanese had left Butuan.

Upon reaching the Regimental Headquarters at Amparo, I was ushered into the office of Major Khalil Khodr and Capt. Sacarias Pizzaro and there, informed both about the departure of the Japanese from Butuan. Both would not believe me and instead thought that I was sent by the Japanese to spy. Finally, in exasperation, I told them that my family would stand hostage If I was not telling the truth. They eventually sent out their motor launch and had me standing at the prow of the vessel. Upon reaching Butuan, we saw that the town was already filled with people, they were looting the different remaining houses, including the old hospital. The things of my in-laws were not spared and only the piano of Luz, my sister-in-law, was left behind, perhaps because it was too heavy for the looters to carry away.

After the Japanese left Butuan, the guerillas started occupying the town and as a climax, they celebrated the Japanese withdrawal with a "Victory Ball" at the old hospital building. May sister-in-law, Luz, was made to do a number and she sang "God Bless America" which brought tears to everyone's eyes, especially Col. Ernest Mclish and the few Americans present.

It was during the party that Col. Mclish invited me to join the guerilla by offering me a commission as a First Lieutenant in the Judge Advocate General's service.

Peace reigned again in Butuan and the Province of Agusan with the absence of Japanese. It was also at this time when the guerillas suceeded in having radio contact with Australia and on May 17, 1943, the first US submarine surfaced at Cabinet, Cabadbaran. From the submarine were tons of ammunitions and firearms and for the first time, the guerillas were issued carbines and garand rifles with lots of ammunitions. The four bullets per soldier became a thing of the past. Also unloaded were Recoiless rifles. Thompson Sub-machine guns, .30 and .50 Caliber aircold machine guns, bazookas, 60 and 80 millimeter mortars, 37 millimeter cannons and other weapons, circa 1943.

The firepower of the guerilla became very strong and guerillas from Cebu and Leyte arrived for their share of the armaments.

Two more submarine cargo were unloaded at Magallanes and Nasipit and two landings at Medina, Misamis Oriental where General Wendell Fertig Military District Commander for Mindanao had his headquiarters. From reports filtering through, Agusan was now marked by the Japanese as "Little Australia."