A Brief History
During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, the Hukbalahap* (Huks), made up mostly of peasant farmers, formed a resistance army in Central Luzon to fight against the Japanese.
However, after the country’s liberation from Japan, the Huks broke from the government. Due to US military suspicions over the Huks’ communist leaders, they were ordered to surrender their weapons. This caused tensions between the Huks and the Philippine government to rise.
Later, Luis Taroc, the Huk leader, and 5 members won a seat in Congress, but were blocked by the government. The Huks retreated into the jungle and began their rebellion.
Any future negotiations between the Philippine government and the Huks would fail, and attacks between the Philippine government and the Huks continued. Huk members allegedly ambushed and killed Aurora Quezon, Chairwoman of the Philippine Red Cross and widow of President Manuel L. Quezon, along with others. This drew worldwide condemnation of the Huks.
The Huk Rebellion was eventually suppressed through a combination of reforms and military successes. In the end, the Huks were worn down by years of fighting, and Taroc surrendered in 1954.
American Involvement
To combat the influence and spread of communism around the world, the US provided political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from communism.
US Air Force Major General/intelligence officer Edward Lansdale arrived in the Philippines as part of the anti-communist operations. Lansdale was a pioneer of clandestine operations and psychological operations (PSYOPS).
The Alleged Asuang/Aswang Operation
In his memoir, Lansdale recounts an operation where he played on the local stories of the asuang—more than likely on the manananggal, a self-segmenting creature that fed on humans.
Lansdale spread rumors of an asuang (aswang) in the jungle. Then, days after it spread, he claims ambushers snatched the last man on patrol, punctured his neck with two holes, hung the body by its heels, drained it of blood, and planted the corpse back on the trail.
This tactic allegedly convinced the Huks to vacate the area immediately.
This particular method was only done once. Lansdale continued to work with the Philippine government promoting political reforms through propaganda and PSYOPS.
The operation was supposedly the precursor to future PSYOPS against communism, with Vietnam as Lansdale’s next stop.
Is it true?
Lansdale’s recollection of PSYOPS in Vietnam (Operation Brotherhood, Operation Passage to Freedom) and Cuba (Operation Mongoose) appear on various articles, declassified documents, and memorandums...but what about the aswang operation?
Many declassified documents and media articles that referenced Lansdale and the Philippines focused on his media manipulation and tactics against the Huks as well as his close relationship with the eventual President Magsaysay. However, any reference to an aswang operation seem to only start appearing in articles or books published after his memoir published in 1972.
Stories of the aswang terrorizing areas have been told long before Americans arrived. Some say it’s to protect children, others say it’s to explain murders and disappearances.
Lansdale claims to have learned about the folklore to use against the Huks so he could turn it against them. However, he is also the only current source of these operations.
Do you believe Lansdale, a PSYOPS officer known for public manipulation and propaganda, was a reliable narrator?
Author's Thoughts
I think there's a possibility that some sort of aswang-like operation occured, but I'm skeptical on "giving" Lansdale credit. I don't doubt that he or his team were capable of such atrocities. I just wonder how we can separate the local stories of aswang sightings from the "rumors" Lansdale claimed to have spread.
On the other hand, if we're looking for proof, would this singular small operation have been worthy to write/report on? Or, since Lansdale's team also helped establish and train Philippine Army PSYOPS teams, could this have been a Filipino soldier's plan?