Marcelo Adduru
Marcelo Adduru (June 18, 1894 – January 30, 1972)[1] was a Filipino politician and guerrilla leader. Early life and educationAdduru was born in Tuguegarao, Cagayan on June 18, 1894. He graduated from the University of the Philippines, where he studied forestry, liberal arts, and law. Before entering politics, he worked as a botanist.[1] Pre-war politicsIn 1931, Adduru was elected to the House of Representatives of the Philippines representing the 1st District of Cagayan. He served until 1934 and after a hiatus, was elected to the same seat under the Philippine Commonwealth from 1938 to 1941,[2] when he was elected governor of Cagayan as a candidate of the Nacionalista Party.[1] Wartime governorAt the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941, Adduru organized the Cagayan Force, a local defense force composed of teachers, reservists and units of the Philippine Constabulary to fight the Japanese. On January 13, 1942, he along with Captain Ralph Praeger of the Provisional Apayao Force led an attack on Tuguegarao that left 200 Japanese dead in what became the first major success by the US Army following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Adduru then led another attack on Aparri while he and his guerrilla forces operated in Cagayan and Apayao. On June 6, 1942, he was commissioned with the rank of Major in the US Army's Cagayan-Apayao Force,[1] which was formed from the merger of Adduru's Cagayan Force, the 14th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Army and Praeger's 26th Cavalry, Troop C under the Philippine Scouts.[3] At the same time, Adduru established a rebel government in Cagayan based in Tuao[4]: 112–113 [5]: 299–302 which opposed the Japanese-installed governor, Nicanor Carag.[6] Adduru worked with Praeger in establishing a functioning government that had its own judicial and monetary system.[7] In December 1942, he was subjected to an attempt by Emilio Aguinaldo to convince him and another renegade governor, Roque Ablan of Ilocos Norte, to surrender to the Japanese.[8] Adduru was captured by the Japanese twice in two separate occasions in 1943 and 1944 but managed to escape both times and participated in the liberation of northern Luzon in March 1945.[1] Post-war politicsAfter the war ended, Adduru was appointed in 1945 as Secretary of Labor, serving until 1946.[9] In 1949, he was appointed as chairman of the Cagayan Currency Board, which sought to redeem emergency circulating notes that were issued during the war.[10] He was then elected governor of Cagayan from 1955 to 1959.[1] Death and legacyAdduru died on January 30, 1972. The regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police in Cagayan Valley is named after him.[1] References
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