Luis Taruc: A biographical sketch of a revolutionary

by Luis Taruc

38 pages, Unknown Binding

Published January 1, 1977

About the author

Luis Taruc was a Filipino political figure and insurgent during the agrarian unrest of the 1930s until the end of the Cold War. He was the leader of the Hukbalahap or Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon group between 1942 and 1954. His involvement with the movement came after his initiation to the problems of agrarian Filipinos when he was a student in the early 1930s. During World War II, Taruc led the Hukbalahap in guerrilla operations against the Japanese occupiers of the Philippines.
After helping the win the war against Japan, the Hukbalahap continued their pre-war activities of seeking agrarian reform. They wanted "justice from the landowners". The government of Manuel Roxas failed to understand their history and plight fully, and although Taruc along with seven of his colleagues, was elected to the House of Representatives, they were not allowed to take their seats in Congress. They were victimized not only by the USAFFE but unfortunately also the Philippine government which drove them back to the hills. The Taruc faction opposed the parity rights that the U.S. wanted to enjoy from post-independence Philippines. In the next five years, Taruc would give up on the parliamentary struggle and once more take up arms. At the height of its popularity, the Hukbalahap reached a fighting strength of 10,000 to 15,000.