GENERAL SANTOS ARCHIVE
biography
district of mindanao and sulu
- He was sent to Mati, Davao as junior officer of the 4th Davao
Company under Lt. B.D. Valeriano.
From Mati, he was transferred to the 4th Moro Company under - Lt. W.A. Sirmon and sent to take part in the field operation
against numerous bands of outlaws harassing the entire
province of Lanao. The campaign lasted until the latter part
of 1916, after which Lt. Santos returned to Sta. Cruz, Davao
with the Company. - In the Lanao campaign, he received a spear wound in the left
hand during a spirited skirmish with the Muslim outlaws.
- In March 1917, 2nd Lt. Santos was transferred to Ganassi,
Lanao hotbed of vicious Muslim killings. After demonstrating
his ability to cope with the so-called Muslim problem, he was
named station commander and deputy governor of the
Ganassi District, relieving Capt. F. A. Williams, the last
American officer to command that station. - Since the station had always been in the hands of American
officers, the appointment of Lt. Santos naturally drew a lot of
speculations. Questioning how well prepared was he to be
commander of the station as well as ex-officio justice of the
peace? He accepted the challenge and set out to
demonstrate what he could do.
