The San Antonio Spurs honored Liban Brillantes for his services in the US army
By Nicole Ganglani | Lead photo from San Antonio Spurs
In last Thursday’s home game versus the Miami Heat, the San Antonio Spurs paid tribute to Liban Brillantes for his role as messenger between the US and the Philippines during World War II. Brillantes was known to be the “secret intelligence” of the Americans who directed many Japanese in the opposite direction during the war, which enabled the US to gain the upper-hand.
As part of the team’s Military Appreciation Night, Brillantes wore a barong tagalog and was honored on court with a customized Spurs number “103” jersey. The heartfelt gesture brought tears to Brillantes and his family while the crowd at the AT&T Center applauded and cheered the true warrior.
According to San Antonio Express-News, Brillantes migrated to the US at the age 85 and became a citizen seven years after. He was born and raised in the Philippines’s Northern Luzon and served the nation as early as 19 years old.
The San Antonio Spurs shared this precious moment on their Twitter and Facebook pages, which garnered many reactions and appreciation from Filipino netizens.
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