Civilian Stories of WWII, Kapangan, Benguet, Philippines August 10 –September 27, 2012
Expected Output #3: Artifacts Collected for the Kapangan War Museum
Japanese Anti-aircraft gun This artifact was dug up by Bonnie Pacalso’s pet pig. The pig was roaming in Camp Liteng and Utopia while Bonnie was clearing land for an uma (garden). Later, he would stumble on it. Bonnie says that he tried to have it smelted to make into a farm implement. However, the panday (smith) cannot pound it for its metallic strength, so Bonnie settled on keeping it until he would find a ironsmith who could work with it. Randy Arandia and I bought it off Bonnie for PhP1,000 on September 26, 2012. We figured that if it is no longer valuable and used for scrap metal, Bonnie would have made money for keeping a historical piece to prove the existence of Camp Utopia. If the price is higher, we would give back to Bonnie his due. Currently, the gun is being cleaned by Robin Conchu. He has researched it and will make sure that it could be kept for posterity (no longer a prey to rust). (Photo by Randy G. Arandia) /marie balangue for S.E.E.D.S Inc (co-organizer for Asia-Pacific International Peace Memorial)
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