HEADQUARTERS XIV CORPS Office of the Inspector General APO #453 9 April 1945. IG 333.5 -Japanese Atrocities. SUBJECT: Report of Investigation of Alleged Atrocities by Members of the Japanese Imperial Forces in Manila and other parts of Luzon, Philippine Islands. TO : Commanding General, XIV Corps, APO 453. I. AUTHORITY. 1. This investigation was made at the direction of the Commanding General, XIV Corps, by Colonel Emil Krause, IGD, and Lieutenant Colonel R. Graham Bosworth, IGD, during the period 25 February 1945, to 9 April 1945, at Luzon, Philippine Islands. II. MATTERS INVESTIGATED. 2. This investigation was made pursuant to numerous alleged atrocities by members of the Japanese Imperial Forces as reported to the Commanding General, XIV Corps, from various sources. Witnesses were interviewed at many of the hospitals in Manila, as well as at refugee camps and private homes. In all cases where possible, the injuries and wounds of all victims were examined and verified by the Inspector General conducting the investigation and photographs taken of some in the presence and with the assistance of nurses and/or doctors. Statements were obtained from members of the military establishment and from civilians who gave accounts of atrocities and names of reliable witnesses. Some of these were not contacted as it is believed their testimony would be repetition of other testimony already taken, and it is considered that sufficient testimony has been taken to reach accurate conclusions in this investigation. 3. The procuring of evidence of alleged cases of rape was difficult to obtain, because most women or girls did not desire to testify to attacks made upon them, but testimony was taken from two witnesses on cases of rape.
4. This investigation was commenced by Colonel Emil Krause, former Corps Inspector General, and most of the testimony taken personally by him. Upon Colonel Krause’s being admitted to the hospital and evacuated from the Philippine Islands through medical channels, the investigation was completed by Lieutenant Colonel R. Graham Bosworth, Assistant Corps Inspector General. III. FACTS The testimony or exhibit which establishes each of the following facts is indicated in parentheses after each fact. 5. On 23 February 1945, Mrs. Agido Upson was brought by an American ambulance to the Psychopathic Hospital, Welfareville Manila. She had been bayoneted in the breasts by soldiers of the Japanese Army after having been tied and carried away by seven Japanese including an officer, to an open field where they wanted to assault or rape her. They had previously attempted to assault her. Upon her husband's refusal to 1et them, they were both bayoneted. They were also separated from her two sisters-in-law. The Japanese also wanted to rape, the other girls. They took rice and other food which the women possessed and took other things that they wanted from the house. The Japanese took their harvest of 900 kilos of rice and two bancas. (See Exhibits "B-l" and "C-111”.) 6. On 23 February 1945, at about 4:00 PM, Miss Genoveva Poson, age 21, while in the yard of one of her neighbors, was asked by Japanese soldiers to go with them to the house of her friend whose name was Juliana Miguel where they asked her friend for civilian clothes. When they refused to give the clothes or to go with them, the Japanese loaded a gun. She told them not to shoot. While she was going to get the civilian clothes to give to them, they shot her. Many Japanese were trying to take Filipino women along with them, because the Americans were coming at that time. She was freed and rescued by an American ambulance and taken to the Psychopathic Hospital, Welfareville, Manila. (See Exhibits "B-2" and “C-2".) 7. On or about 18 February 1945, five Filipinos were standing together when Japanese soldiers came along and began shooting at them. The Filipinos were told to move on, and when they did not do so, the Japanese shot four of them and bayoneted all five. Miss Felisa Remo was the only survivor because she was bayoneted only in the leg and then lay still as if dead. The Japanese wanted the girls to go with them, and when they
refused, the girls were bayoneted. The Japanese also wanted their food and when they refused to give it to them, they were bayoneted. Miss Remo was rescued by Americans who took her to St. Joseph and from there to another hospital (name not determined) and then taken to the Psychopathic Hospital. (See Exhibit "B-3".) 8. On or about 17 February 1945, five Filipinos, including Miss Aurora Garcia, were told to leave their houses as the Japanese said they intended to burn the houses before the Americans came. Upon the group (number not determined) leaving the University at the Philippines, the Japanese told them to turn back. When the group reached the next corner they asked permission of the sentry to go to the Philippine General Hospital, which permission was granted. After going about six yards, the sentry shot Miss Garcia in the breast and in one arm. Her brother then took her to the hospital. On the way to the hospital Japanese soldiers again tried to shoot them. She stayed in the Philippine General Hospital for eight days, and from there was taken to San Lazaro Hospital which, being overcrowded, resulted in her being taken to two, other hospitals and then to the Psychopathic Hospital. She saw the Japanese tie up some of the Filipino men and machine gun them when they did not leave their houses as they were told to do. All houses in the neighborhood were burned by the Japanese. (See Exhibit “B 9. On or about 20 February 1945, at 4:00 PM, three officers and four or five soldiers, came to the home of Mrs. Alice Stahl, a former German opera singer born in Germany, age 50, married to an American. She is now awaiting her American citizenship papers. The Japanese asked fro some newspapers of which she had none. They then took away all of her jewelry and contents of a handbag. They did the same to her brother and sister-inlaw and then said, “Come outside.” They went outside and stood in the court where other people had already assembled. There were small children from eight to nine years old, a Filipino woman, a German family, a Dr. Lurse who had a child eight years old. The Japanese tied their hands and took their small belongings and small handbags and put all of them in one room of one of the houses in the vicinity of 176 Balagtas Court, Pasay, Rizal. The Japanese, armed with grenades and guns, then brought in buckets of fuel and put it on the furniture. Mrs. Stahl’s sister-in-law was killed immediately as was her friend, Mrs. Lurse and her child. The Japanese burned the house, and many people were burned and three shot. Mrs. Stahl was able to go upstairs, but when she got up there, the flames kept her from going back so she had to jump, following her brother and doctor. Her brother cut her, and the others, loose and they went to an air raid shelter and stayed until the next morning at seven o’clock. They endeavored to get food and water, but were able to find water. They found a garden where several people were starving, thirsty, and still waiting for rescue. Everything was lost in the fire. The following persons were killed, or shot dead: Mrs. Frankel, Mrs. Stahl’s sister-in-law, and Mrs. Lurse and her child, and a Filipino family by the name of Villareal. The names of the other persons were unknown to Mrs. Stahl. (See Exhibits “B-5” and “C-3”.)
10. On or about 17 February 1945, the Japanese kept throwing rockets for about two or three days where Mrs. M. Elena Maldonado, age 22, was living. When her house was hit and was burning she and the other occupants left. Other people in the same block left with them to go to the next block, and while so leaving were fired upon by the Japanese sentinels. They went to Dr. Moreta’s house, where there were about fifty-four people, which was still standing, and found shelter and food stuffs there, remaining a few days. On the following day in the morning, a Japanese came and said he wanted a woman. Then, after leaving and returning in a few minutes, he put the men in the bathroom and the women in the kitchen. One of the Jap soldiers tried to take a woman, but she struggled and he shot her twice, killing her and hitting Mrs. Maldonado in the neck. While she was bending over, they took her in the hall and bayoneted her in the chest and twice in the back. The same was done to other ladies who were behind Mrs. Maldonado. The Japanese also shot three girls, one of whom was the sister of Mrs. Maldonado, because they struggled when the Japanese tried to rape them. About eighteen Japanese soldiers and one officer were engaged in these acts. While the men were in the bathroom of Dr. Moreta’s house, a grenade was thrown into it by the Japanese. Mr. Joseph Maldonado kicked the grenade away just as it exploded, blowing part of his foot away. The Japanese threw eight hand grenades into the bathroom. Mr. Maldonado was completely deaf from the shock of the explosion. That night the Japanese again threw two hand grenades into the house and burned it. There were about forty people burned in the house. The names of some of the people burned or killed are: Tirso Lizarraga, father of Mrs. Maldonado, Rosa Lizarraga. Carlos Garcia and wife, Mrs. Qabaljaunepe and daughter, Mrs. Prudencio Chicote and daughter, a Mrs. York and six Chinese, Vicente and Pilar Julian. (See Exhibits “B-6”, “B-7”, and C-4”.) 11. On Friday, February 9th, 1945, the Japanese burned the house belonging to Mrs. Mary Barrientos, an American Mestiza, age 36. She is a high school graduate, whose father was an American and a mother a Filipino. Mrs. Barrientos married a Filipino. The people in the house moved to another place for safety as did many people, running from house to house until they were cornered. Everybody took cover the best they could, some hiding under trucks in a garage. There were about seventy-five people in the garage. The Japanese began shooting at them with machine guns. About twenty-five men and women were killed. Mrs. Barrientos was shot in the left thigh. In the group were Indians and Chinese. The Indians wanted to surrender, but were convinced that they should remain in the shelter and told them they were safe. On the following day they were brought to San Lazaro Hospital, Manila. The following persons were killed: Dra. Paz Mendoza Guanzon; a member of German family by the name of Kummerfeld; Justice Alejandro Albert. Others not know. In the neighborhood of this woman’s home about three hundred people were killed by the dynamiting and burning of their homes. (See Exhibit “B-8”.)
12. On or about 9 February 1945, Mr. Vicente Barrientos, Paco, Manila was machine gunned by Japanese soldiers in both thighs while his house was burning and after taking shelter in an open garage. There were about three hundred Filipinos in the garage who were tied up and many shot by four Japanese soldiers and an officer. The Japanese called for the men for forced labor. About fifty of this group survived. Mr. Barrientos, a survivor, was a former city detective. (See Exhibit “B-9”.) 13. Dr. Gregorio D. Dizon is a Filipino citizen who took post graduate work in public health at the University of the Philippines and who made a tour of inspection of public health centers in the United States and Europe, as well as a visit to the Imperial University of Tokyo in 1939. In Ward #4 of San Lazaro Hospital there were about three hundred patients, three or four of whom had been stabbed or wounded with a bayonet. He was unable to locate these patients due to transfers and confusion. In Ward #15 there were about one hundred sixty patients, about six or seven of whom were starved or bayoneted by the Japanese. (See Exhibit “B-10”.) 14. Early in the morning of 10 February l945, a Japanese sentry came to the house of Dr. Jose Guidote, 1568 General Luna, Manila, a physician of epidemiology, Bureau of Health, and told the inhabitants to leave the house. The members of his family, consisting of his wife, son, two maids, Dr. Manuel Navarro and his wife, father and nephew, who were all living with him at the time, left the house. They intended to go to the Philippine General Hospital, but the streets around his house were blocked with land mines, thus preventing going to that destination. After searching around, they were able to find a place for safety, several blocks away. In that place were approximately eight people; men, women, and children, all Filipinos. Several people were injured by shelling, one of whom was the father of Dr. Navarro who lived for only about half an hour after being struck by shrapnel on the side of the head. While he was attending wounded relatives and other people, Dr. Guidote was wounded in the left wrist by a bullet which went all the way through. During the shelling, three Japanese soldiers, one a sergeant, with pistols, bayonets and band grenades, came to the place and asked all of the men to go from that place. At that time there were about twenty-five men. The Japs tied their hands, including those of. Dr. Guidote, and they were about to be shot when two Japanese officers suddenly came and spoke to the soldiers. The people were then untied and sent back to their hiding place. After they were inside, the Japanese threw hand grenades at the building, shooting men, women, and children indiscriminately. About twenty people were killed during that time, including two of Dr. Guidote's relatives. One, whose name was Milagros Alvarez de Navarro, was pregnant and hit in the abdomen. The other was Benedicto Navarro who was hit in the head and killed
immediately. After this last shooting the Japanese soldiers disappeared from the place. They left because the American soldiers were about to liberate them as they (the Americans) were just on the other side of the street. Dr. Guidote stated that he thought the Japanese untied them so that the Americans could not see that they had been tied. All were liberated on the following day, 12 February, at about 2:00 PM by American soldiers (See exhibit “B-11”.) 15. 0n 12 February 1945, at noon, twelve Japanese came to the home of Mr. Florencio Homol, a calesa driver, at 150 V. Cruz, Manila. The Japanese soldiers closed the doors and windows and told the people to stop eating their meal and raise their hands. They then took their watches and all their belongings and carried them away. The people, twenty-two in all, taken upstairs into the bedroom. The Japanese then gathered bed sheets and poured gasoline on them and ignited it. The Japanese watched for every person passing by the house and began shooting at them. While the house was burning, the people began breaking down the doors to escape into the streets. The soldiers began shooting at them and striking them with bayonets. Only four out of the twenty-two survived. Mr. Homol was bayoneted. He was brought by Americans to a first aid station and then to San Lazaro Hospital. The names of some of the persons killed were: Mr. and Mrs. Perez Rubio, the owner of the business firm in Escolta, Mr. and Mrs. Fox, British and all of their thirteen servants. (See Exhibit “B-12”.) 16. On 7 February 1945, about midnight, the Japanese began burning homes of people near the home of Mr. Alberto Manansala, 219 Guadaleyse, Makati, Rizal. The people gathered all women and small children together. They were taken to a building, while Mr. Manansala and his brother were left in the house. The soldiers came back and for no reason thrust a bayonet in his side and arm. He pretended that he was dead and they left. Their house was burning at that time, causing his face and neck to be burned. They then crawled to a ditch twenty-five meters away from the house where a neighbor found them on the following morning and brought them to the nearest first aid station. The youngest brother who was thirteen is now missing. Other people (number not determined) who were killed are: A Chinese couple; Yo, Chan; and Alipio Augustin, Jr.; and, Mr. and Mrs. Feliciano Lozaro. (Exhibit “B-13”.) 17. On 6, February 1945, Mrs. Helen Drinidad, 186 Ruby street St. Andrew Extension, Manila, had her two daughters behind her house after the American soldiers were in the neighborhood. While crossing a street they heard a machine gun being fired by two or three Japanese from a house.
The thirteen year old daughter was hit by a bullet. Another child who was with them was Renesus Perez. The bullet hit her and Mrs. Drinidad’s child. The next morning an American soldier took them to the San Lazaro Hospital. (See Exhibit "B-14".) 18. On Saturday, 10 February 1945, at 3:00 PM, Mr. Jose Cabanero, 1404 Remy, Singalong Subdivision, Manila, Acting superintendent of Postal Savings Bank, and his brother Felicisimo Cabanero, his cousin ,Jose Disini, were accosted by a Japanese officer and three soldiers with fixed bayonets in the vicinity of his house. They were requested to, came along to be used for forced labor, and taken to an area not far from his house. There they found some two hundred persons, all residents of the vicin1ty. They were not suspicious of the Japanese actions for they were given cigarettes and promises of rice rations after a few hours of labor. Later, all were lined up and hands tied. Simultaneously ten of them were pulled out of the row and herded to a place known as a paper factory where the people were being beheaded. Later, five of the group from the other end of the row were marched out and taken before a group of Japanese soldiers and shot one by one by rifle fire. Among those were Felicisimo Cabanero, Jose Disini, Miguel Bonifacio H. Polard, and others. All were shot. There were no women in the group. Mr. Jose Cabanero had no chance for escape as he would have been a target, but he managed to loosen his bonds and took a chance of running for his life. While running to an intersection of streets, a Japanese officer overtook him and hit him with a sabre which brought him down. Then he kicked him and gave him another blow on the face with the sabre. Before he left Mr. Cabanero, who was still moving, the Japanese officer gave him another blow on the back of the neck and then gave him two other final blows. Believing him dead, the Japanese left. Mr. Cabanero was bleeding and lost his senses, but before everything became obscure he treated his wounds to prevent the flow of blood. After an hour, his consciousness returned and he made a final effort to crawl to a hut where he was assisted and his wounds treated. For a long time in that condition he was unable to get medical treatment because no men were allowed on the streets. The doctors would not risk their lives attending to patients. After two days the Americans rescued him and took him to Santa Ana aid station and then to San Lazaro Hospital. (See Exhibits “B-15” and C-5”.) 19. On 10 February 1945, about 10:00 AM, Japanese told Mr. Remedios Entao, 1382 San Andres, Manila, that his place might soon be burned because some of the surrounding houses had already been burned. The in habitants of the house carried their belongings about thirty meters away from the house. That morning the Japanese gathered the men together for forced labor and carried them away to a place unknown. While Mr. Eantao was in his house, his sister was in an open court where they had laid their things. The Japanese soldiers saw her and others there and threw hand grenades at them. Another sister, Francisca, died after being hit in the back. The sister, Lourdes, was hit in the lower lip and jaw by the grenade
explosion. She is eighteen. The lower part of her lip and her jaw were blown away (See Exhibit “C-6”). The girls hid an air raid shelter which was filled with dead bodies. At three the next afternoon the United States troops rescued them. Another girl named Armando Estacio was also killed. (See Exhibits “B-16” and “C-6”.) 20. On February 1945, at 6:00 PM, Mr. Ricardo J. Macale, 100 San Marcelina, Manila, his uncle and his sister tried to go to a place where their house was burning, to assist in getting some food which they had left there. When they were about two hundred yards from the place, they met about forty Japanese soldiers. Mr. Macale tried to speak to them to tell them that he wanted to get some food left in the burning house. They pointed a pistol at him, and one of them gave Mr. Macale a blow on the head, making him somewhat dizzy. After telling his uncle and sister that they had better go back, all tried to run. Mr. Macale's sister was left behind. She tried to hide behind the vines. He was shot in the foot as he ran. He fell flat on the ground, pretending to be dead. He tried to get up, but was unable to walk. He was then carried away to another place and was brought to San Lazaro Hospital on 12 February by Americans. There were three men shot, names not known. (See Exhibit "B-17".) 21. On Saturday, 9 February 1945, in the afternoon, the Japanese approached various houses in the neighborhood of 684 Extremudra, Manila, the home of Mr. Godofredo G. Rivera, an employee of the Asiatic Petroleum Company, asking for men for labor. The Japanese checked every house as a possible hiding place. About two hundred fifty people were assembled. The Japanese tied the men’s hands behind their backs. They were then taken to an open field a short distance from the house where they were to be executed. Mr. Rivera believes the Japanese were afraid American planes would see them, so they were brought, to a hiding place. About 5:00 PM, the Japanese started taking groups of ten to another place where they were to be cut with a sabre and annihilated. Where Mr. Rivera was, the men were shot one by, one while knee1ing down. His brother and brother-in-law were such victims. Mr. Rivera pretended that he was dead, and when it was dark he crawled and went back to the house for treatment. In the afternoon their houses were burned. They could not find any place to stay. The next morning the Americans came and took them to the San Lazaro Hospital. During this action there were five Japanese officers with machine guns, and others had pistols and rifles. Mr. Rivera was shot intentionally. (See Exhibits “B-19” and "C-17”.) 22. a. In March, 1943, upon being released from Santo Tomas as an internee, Mr. H. Ford Wilkins, a formerly employed by the Manila Daily Bulletin, University Apartments, Manila, lived in a refugee community with the Jesuit Fathers at the Ateneo de Manila. He had a pass which permitted him to go about the city in a limited way. On the eighth of March while going to a doctor’s office near the Escolta for treatment, he was arrested by Japanese Military Police and placed in a truck, and after a two hour
wait was taken to Fort Santiago. There were about eighty others similarly arrested in a general pick up for purposes of investigation. These included young and old women, and children, and persons in all physical condition, some hardly able to walk. After many delays he was taken for individual questioning by the Japanese. He was asked questions concerning personal history, business connections, etc., and finally asked how much money he had. Upon saying he had no money, they said, “Let us see your wallet.” He showed them his wallet in which was a total sum of fourteen pesos in notes which the Japanese investigator counted out and handed back to Mr. Wilkins. The investigator was angry and asked why he had lied to him. Mr. Wilkins told him that it was not his money. He was then asked where he got the money. Mr. Wilkins told him that he had borrowed it from a friend. The Japanese insisted upon the name of the friend which Mr. Wilkins refused to give. The investigator picked up a cane which Mr. Wilkins carried, being lame, and hit him over the head with it, hard enough to raise a lump. The Japanese officer had a probable rank of first lieutenant. Mr. Wilkins still refused to give the name and the investigator then tried other tactics such as pleading and promising no mistreatment would come to his friend. He then beat him over the head several times, probably seven or eight, with words of pleading and threatening. Finally, the investigator gave up and called in a man named Ohashi from the staff of the Commandant of Santo Tomas Internment Camp. To Ohashi, Mr. Wilkins said he received the money from Fathers connected with the Jesuit Order. He was them allowed to join other interned prisoners when they were taken back to Santo Tomas after a fifty hour period of imprisonment. Mr. Wilkins was kept in the internment camp until liberation under special restrictions which allowed him no contact with any persons outside the camp, of any nature, in writing or by word of mouth. He testified that he knows of several other persons who were arrested with him and were similarly, beaten and mistreated, some being given jail sentences up to ninety days on various charges, the nature of which were not given. One of the men on whom severe atrocities were inflicted was Mr. Roy C. Bennett, former editor of the Manila Daily Bulletin, at Fort Santiago. Mr. Bennett nearly starved to death for no other offense than writing editorials and articles, prior to hostilities, which were displeasing to the Japanese Embassy and other agencies of the Imperial government. b. Mr. Wilkins has seen at various times instances of face slapping among Americans and Filipinos and other Allied Nationals who were interned. There were beatings with leather. straps, sticks and other imp1ements known to all internees as common occurrences. Mr. Wilkins has seen Filipinos tied to trees, and without food or water made to stand for many hours in the hot sun. Mr. Wilkins testified that it was a common experience to all internees to be told by the Japanese, when first picked up for internment, as in his case on 6 January 1942, to take only enough, clothes and personal belongings and a little food for two or three days.
He left behind all household possessions in an apartment on Dewey Boulevard. The Japanese asked him to place a value on this material. He gave a rough estimate in writing of 2,000 pesos. Mr. Wilkins has never seen any of these personal belonging since, in spite of repeated efforts to visit the place and salvage whatever he could find. Hundreds of other Americans were treated likewise, some of whom were allowed to repossess all, or a part of their personal property. There were others like him, however, who saved only what they could carry with them to Santo Tomas. Mr. Wilkins cited the case of Dr. L. Z. Fletcher, now at Santo Tomas but not available for interview, where the Japanese military personnel started collecting and moving out of Dr. Fletcher's house, all of his furniture, valuable Oriental rugs, and other expensive articles of household equipment collected over a long period of years, within an hour or two after the family had been taken from the house located on Taft Avenue. The Japanese had a general practice of denying sufficient food and proper medical care, etc., to internees at Santo Tomas Internment Camp, increasing the practice since 1 February 1944, when the Japanese army took over the camp. Food was allowed into the camp in diminishing quantities until their release when they had virtua1ly nothing to eat except the official Japanese ration amounting to 8 ½ ounces of cereal daily for adults, and half that ration for children under ten years of age. The experience was, common to all internees. In his case this treatment resulted in Mr. Wilkins’ loss of weight from a normal weight of 130 pounds to 99 ½ pounds. Other larger persons lost as much as one hundred pounds of flesh or more due to that treatment. He knows that charitable agencies in Manila, some connected with the Catholic Church and others with the YMCA, attempted to send relief supplies through official Japanese channels and were denied that opportunity. To Mr. Wilkins’ knowledge there were many complaints made to the Japanese authorities, both in writing and orally through various internee agencies. The internee executive committee protested many times on the inadequacy of the rations furnished the internees, with absolutely no results whatsoever. The camp doctors protested in writing and orally to the Japanese Military Prison Association, receiving no acknowledgement and no results. The Parents' Association protested in writing to the Commanding General of the Japanese Army in the Philippines on behalf, of all undernourished children in the camp. No answer was received. c. In the early days of the internment camp at Santo Tomas, there were several reported instances of Japanese soldiers entering women’s toilets in the camp building. The practice was stopped upon urgent appeal to Japanese authorities by camp administration officers. d. On the 12th of February 1942, three internees escaped over the wall of Santo Tomas Internment Camp and were later caught by the Japanese military police and returned to Santo Tomas where they were severely beaten and finally killed in the North Cemetery in Manila. These men were
Henry Edward Weeks, Blakey B. Laycock, and Thomas Fletcher, all of British or Australian nationality. Mr. Wilkins saw these men when they were brought back to Santo Tomas after their capture. Their hands were tied with rope and they were led in single file with a group of internees who stood in the hallway outside and listened to sounds issuing from the room while they were being beaten. The blows were heavy and repeated, sounding like leather or wood on flesh. Shouts and screams of pain followed. One Japanese soldier came out and filled a bucket of water, then he re-entered the room. The three men were taken kept in the room for a period of several hours before being released and removed to another location. Those who saw them go out, said their faces were horribly beaten and marked, that two of them limped badly and all were in obvious physical distress. Mr. Laycock’s shirt was splattered liberally with blood. Mr. Wilkins was further informed by reliable witnesses that the following took place in the cemetery: “The three men were allowed some sort of spiritual attention by priests or lay clergy, all very brief, and then were marched to an open pit or grave and stood beside a mound of earth blindfolded. A number of Japanese soldiers with pistols stood on the other side of the hole from then and shot at them on a given signal with small caliber pistol fire until they had crumpled or toppled into the hole. Japanese soldiers went up and put more bullets into them at close range. An explanation of the whole affair was made, upon instructions of the Japanese military, to all internees by our executive committee in the following word; ‘The Japanese Commandant has ordered that the three internees be informed that the penalty for escape from the camp is death by shooting, and that the three internees who recently attempted to escape have been tried by court martial and sentenced to death.’ The executive committee submitted a written petition to the Commandant advising the Japanese high command that the internees are deeply shocked at their decision and urgently requested that reconsideration be given to the verdict. All such petitions and requests for leniency were ignored with the results previously described.” (See Exhibits “B-20”, and “J”.) 23. On 18 February 1945, at 1000, a Japanese soldier came into the De LaSalle College on Taft Avenue where Miss Emiliana Gonzaga of Paco, Manila, a maid in the house of Don Enrique Vasquez Prada was taking refuge from fire and shelling, and asked for a glass of water. After asking for water he left. Suddenly a Japanese officer came. He kicked the Japanese soldier and afterwards called up his men, about twenty, and ordered them to inspect the rooms of the college for people who might be hiding. The people were told to file into the corridors and raise their hands. The soldiers fixed their bayonets and then cut all of the men. There were about eighty people in there. The family for whom Miss Gonzaga worked were among them, having also taken shelter in De LaSalle College. Dr. Cojuangco and family, Mr. De Carlos and famiiy, and Dr. Elchico and family were there. Miss Gonzaga was standing between two Brothers of the college when the first Brother was struck by a bayonet. He fell dead on her, and then the Japanese struck Miss Gonzaga with a bayonet on the back. After bayoneting
the whole group, the Japanese soldiers left. Miss Gonzaga was unable to give the names of other people killed. (See Exhibit “B-21”.) 24. On 5 February 1945, the Japanese were gathering the guerillas in the place near Talipapa, Caloocan, Rizal. A farmer, Pedro Herrera, thinking that the Japs would stop at his house, left the place and went to another house a short distance away. He saw Americans machine gunning the Japanese. The Japanese were not all killed, but the Americans left. He went back to his place. On the way, the Japanese saw him and started to shoot him and his companion who died. Mr. Herrera was shot twice in the body, both shots going clear through. (See Exhibits “B-22” and “C-8”.) 25. On 10 February 1945, when the Japanese began to burn the house near the home of Mr. Enrique Soriano, Guadalupe, Makati, Rizal, a watchman for the National Distributors Corp., and to machine gun civilians, he and his family took shelter. They met a group of Japanese who told them to stay in groups of went. The Japanese made them lie on the ground, and then they threw hand grenades at them one of which went over Soriano’s head. He lost consciousness, but when he regained it, he saw about him some twentythree people with their children. The names of those killed are unknown to Mr. Soriano, except his wife, Felicidad Cutaran. There were three Japanese officers present in this action. The Americans rescued Mr. Soriano about an hour after the shelling began. (Exhibit “B-23”.) 26. On 10 February 1945, at 3:00 PM Japanese took five men consisting of three uncles and one servant of Mr. Aquilino Rivera, 1177 Dart, Paco, Manila, Dart, a student, from the house at that address. They were told to stand in front of the house. When they came out there were fifteen to eighteen other Filipino men there. They were told to go forward to other houses about a block away from their house. They were to be taken for forced labor. The Japs took their jewelry and valuables and two other Japanese went to get more men. The Japanese then tied their hands behind their backs and told them to go with those who had been tied before. About three hundred were thus tied up. Guerillas were hidden in the bushes and began shooting at the Japs none were hit. Then the group was told to go into another block. About 5:00 PM that day the Japanese began to take the men in groups of ten along one line, and one by one along another line the groups of ten were shot. Mr. Rivera saw his uncle shot and killed, together with about fifty others. He saw many dead bodies of Filipinos. Those who were taken one by one had their heads cut off. Mr. Rivera was in the line of one by ones and the first to be cut by a sword. There were three performing the executions by sword while only one was doing the shooting. Mr. Rivera was cut in the neck and stabbed with a bayonet, and then pretended to be dead. He was not blindfolded, nor were any of those in the line of one by ones. Then the Japanese left and Mr. Rivera crawled over dead bodies back to his house about a block away. He saw three Japanese so he hid in a coconut grove until they went away. He later saw another Japanese who shot at him, but missed. After he got into the house by
climbing up the fire escape ladder, one of his aunts came and attended to his wounds. Her name is Filomena R. Famuaco. Americans rescued Mr. Rivera and told him and others to go to the Singalong Church. Mr. Rivera does not know the names of people who were killed. (See Exhibit "B-24".) 27. On or about the 15th of February 1945, exact date not recalled by the witness, Mr. Luis Trinidad, over 1,000 men, women, and children were brought into the San Agustin Church, Intramuros (Walled City), Manila, P. I. There were others in another church who were held there for another two days. The Japanese separated the men from the women and children. The men were taken to Fort Santiago while the women and the children remained in the church. For twelve days the men in Fort Santiago were without food or water. Some of the men had dug a small hole and the people drank water from it when the Japanese were not around. Later, some water was given to some of the people by the Japanese. Those who drank it died, so it was believed the water was poisoned. On 12 Febraury 1945, at about twelve noon, the men were put in different rooms by the Japanese and then barred the doors and windows. They then poured gasoline on the floors and set fire to the buildings. When this was done, some of the men did their best to break away and jump up the windows. When the Japanese saw the escaping, they threw hand grenades at them, shot some, and bayoneted others. Mr. Trinidad was bayoneted and burned badly. (See Exhibits “B-25” and “C-9”.) 28. On 13 February 1945, between nine and ten in the morning, Miss Consuelo Yillo was bayoneted by a Japanese soldier without cause. She was living at 1077 Celestino, Aragon, and her family consisted of her mother, a brother, a sister, a niece and nephew. There were only two who were not hurt – the brother, age 14, and a nephew, age 20. The mother and niece were killed right there. In that neighborhood it is estimated that about one hundred were killed by Japanese, as they were taking people from every house. The Pellicer family of thirteen was all killed. Many others were killed and wounded near Miss Yillo’s house with rifles, bayonets, or machine guns. Names of others are unknown to her. (See Exhibits “B-26" and “C-1O”.) 29. At about noon on 18 February 1945, Mr. Benigno Hicayen, formerly a resident of Cebu City, Cebu, age 18, a cook, was shot by a Japanese in the Philippine General Hospital on Taft Avenue, Manila. Mr. Hicayen had left his ward, #17, and two Japanese saw him in the corridor and shot him. Mr. Hicayen fell down and the Japanese went away. When they left, he managed to get back to ward #l7. Later, two Americans rescued him in the basement and took him to San Lazaro Hospital. (See Exhibit “B-27".) 30. In the early part of February 1945, at about 7:00 PM, a group of Japanese, most of them officers, came to the house, of Miss Asuncion Marvas, 239 San Marcellino, Manila. Miss Marvas, and the members of her family were taken to the German Club. There were an estimated five hundred people assembled there. When anyone attempted to leave the building they were
shot or hand grenades were thrown at them. Most of the people were killed because the place was burned. Miss Marvas wanted to go away, but the Japanese stabbed her in the buttocks. She was lying on her face or stomach at the time they stabbed her. Then, to be sure that she was dead, one of the Japanese again bayoneted her. The names of others killed were not determined. About a week later Americans took Miss Marvas to the Psychopathic Hospital, Manila. Her wounds were not attended to before that, as she hid in a dugout with others. Even though she was a nurse, she was unable to dress her wounds because of no material. On 3 March, the inspector general conducting the investigation was informed that Miss Marvas was in a serious condition and was expected to die because tetanus (lockjaw) had set in. Miss Marvas saw a one month old baby killed. Before throwing hand grenades mo the German Club and burning it, the Japanese allowed the Germans to leave the club. (See Exhibit "B-28".) 31. On 11 February 1945, at about 6:00 PM, just after Mr. Lim Kinnog Tiang, Chinese, age 23, a grocer, had closed his store, the Japanese came and brought over one hundred Fllipinos and Chinese who were all tied up. The Japanese covered the eyes of the men by taking strips of cloth and blindfolding them. The victims were then taken in groups of ten upstairs and had their heads cut off. The bodies were dumped into the basement. Mr. Tiang was one taken in a group of ten blindfolded, his neck cut with a sword, before he fell into the basement. Later, after escaping from the building he was taken to a hospital on Rizal Avenue. The men who were beheaded were tricked by the Japanese into thinking they were being taken for forced labor. (See Exhibit "B-29".) 32. a. Major Hans G. Hornbostel, San Juan, Rizal, was superintendent of Coco Grove Mining Company, at the time of the out-break of war, later commisioned a captain in the Army and then promoted to a major and finally interned as a prisoner of war at Camp Cabanatuan. He was one of the last men of the American Army who left Bataan on the forced march out, approximately twelve days after the surrender. On account of his good physical condition at the time, he was detailed by the Japanese as a member of the burial squad. In carrying out his work, he personally saw men, prisoners of war, both American and Filipino, thrown into open graves who were not dead, about fifty in number. The Japanese did not allow Americans to knock any of the men over the head. Most of them were in a coma from exhaustion of the march. The graves were then covered. Some of these were open latrines because the Japanese did not consider that there was sufficient time to dig regular graves. They removed identification tags and threw them in the bushes before burying the bodies. On the march with him, any who could not keep up with the column were shot. Americans and Filipinos endeavored to carry some of the men, but they were compelled to let them go after a while:, for their own protection and the column passed on. The canteens wetre taken from the war prisoners and on some days they were without water for six to seven hours. They received one meal of watery rice per day. They marched to the town of
San Fernando in Pampanga Province. There they were put into iron box cars normally handling about forty people. About one hundred twenty men were crowded into a single car. The doors were closed and many of the men became unconscious and very sick. When, they reached the town near Camp 0’Donnell, they were in bad shape. Filipinos died at the rate of four hundred a day, and the Americans lost about eighty per day. There were approximately three hundred fifty white men in his section, and Filipinos were strung along for miles. Accompanying them were many senior officers from II Corps. Major Hornbostel was the oldest of the group. (See Exhibit "B-30".) b. The members of the column were in Camp O’Donnell for several weeks, and then were packed into box cars again and sent to Cabanatuan, known as Camp #1. They left Camp O’Donnell in the morning and arrived early in the evening because it was necessary to got to Manila and then north again. They had no water. They were camped in a swampy location after being exhausted from the trip, and were forced to stay out in the rain, though there were buildings available in which they could have been quartered. Some died after the trip. Major Hornbostel was in that camp for three years. The prisoners received two meals a day, consisting of watery rice and some vegetables. That is all that was given to them with the exception of articles of food from two shipments of, Red Cross food the second and third Christmases. Over one-third of the entire camp died of starvation. (See Exhibit "B-30".) c. The Japanese posted orders that anyone who attempted to escape would be shot. Those who attempted to escape prior to that were tied to a barbed wire fence and tortured for forty-eight hours with no food or water. After that they were compelled to dig their own graves and then were shot. This was done close to where the prisoners were staying and it was apparently done within their sight in order to harass the prisoners. (See Exhibit “B-30".) d. The KPs (kitchen police) were lined up and made to say before every meal five or six times, “Roosevelt is a son of a bitch.” Absolutely no distinction was shown between officers and enlisted prisoners of war. The officers were often given dirtier jobs than the enlisted men and were put on KP just as enlisted men were. One of the men who had received the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Bataan campaign, after the Japanese had learned by inquiry as to who had been decorated, was immediately placed on KP duty. One of Major Hornbostel’s duties was to clean the “G strings” of the Nip guards. (See Exhibit “C-30”.) e. Major Hornbostel testified to the following opinion: “In my opinion it would be a great mistake for the internees to mention to the Press, or even to their friends, how they managed, in spite of their Jap captors, to receive food and assistance, how they managed to have radios in the camp, because if they do, they will make it very hard for the many
thousands of other Americans, both military and civilian, who are now interned in Jap hands.” (See Exhibit “B-30”.) 33. On or about the 20th of February 1945, The Japanese came to the house of Mr. Francisco Castellote, Manila age 26, married with two children (one dead), a soldier in Bataan before the war where he was cooking a meal. He, as others, was told by the Japanese to come with forced labor, and that they would be given rice rations. Mr. Castellote went with the Japanese and when he arrived, a short distance away, men were formed in a long line and separated into groups of ten. These groups were blindfolded and taken one by one to a room with a window so that it could be used for beheading. Mr. Castellote could hear the news of the spear or saber when the Japanese were ready to cut. When Mr. Castellote’s turn came, one end of the spear hit the window sill and the other struck the neck, cutting a very deep gash, but not going all the way through. In rear of him there was a Japanese who pushed those who had been beheaded out of the window where the bodies fell. Evidently, it was unobserved by the Japanese that his head was not cut off, for they pushed him through the window. He fell to the ground and remained as if dead. He was unconscious over night and he stayed there for about six days. He heard Americans coming and he shouted for help when he thought they were near enough to hear him. The Americans found him and took him to the Chinese General Hospital, Manila. He did not know the names of others killed. His house was burned, and he has not heard from members of his family since, and does not know whether they are living or dead. The inspector general conducting the investigation examined, in the presence of a nurse, the cut on Mr. Castellote’s neck. It was 3 ½ inches long, 1 ½ inches deep, and 1 ½ inches wide. (See Exhibit “B-31”.) 34. Mr. Tom Foo, houseboy for the Newland Baldwin family, was working for another family by the name of Smith in Malate while the Baldwins were interned in Santo Tomas Camp. He was intercepted by a Japanese while he was enroute to the Smith home. The Japanese did not speak English but merely spoke some words out of a book. He asked Mr. Foo where he lived. On another trip he as again asked, and then later, by three other sentries and they said, “Come with me.” He stood on the corner of Georgia and Remedios, dates not determined, where the Japanese continued stopping people and asking them the same question. When they reported that they had no family or children, the Japanese would take them. They took fifteen people in that manner, and in the group were two Chinese, three Mestizos and the rest Filipinos. They were taken to a house at the end of the block, and after a half hour, two Japanese came and then two Japanese Naval officers. All civilians were asked their address and occupation. Mr. Foo told them that he had worked for the Japanese embassy staff which was using the Baldwin house. Mr. Foo saw Japanese each day for four days, making two trips a day, taking furniture, china and glass ware away from the house. He asked the chauffeur where the things were being taken and was told to the Luneta.
Mr. Foo did not see any Japanese kill any civilians. (See Exhibit "B-32".) 35. On 14 February 1945, at about 11:00 PM, Mrs. Maria Jaledo age 44, Spanish house girl for the Manuel Pinto family, 27 Calle San Carlos, Ermita, Manila, left the house as it was burning. She took her child, age 13, going with Mr. Pinto and his two children. As shells were falling in that area, they all dropped to the ground, but Mr. Pinto was hit in the shoulder by shrapnel and killed. Mrs. Jaledo went into the house of Dr. Mareta about two blocks from the house she had left where there were about two hundred people. When the Japanese soldiers came, they asked Mrs. Jaledo if she could cook. As she could, they took her and that is the reason she was saved. More than fifty people who ran for safety died from hand grenades or being bayoneted by the Japanese. One hand grenade hit and killed her child. Others were killed by the same grenade. There were five soldiers throwing the hand grenades. They were carrying bags containing grenades. They also fired machine guns into the people in the house. The number killed was not determined by Mrs. Jaledo because there were so many. She was hit in the arm by shrapnel. ( See Exhibit "B-33".) 36. a. The home of Mr. C. Roesholm,1306 F. B. Harrison, Manila, Managing Director of Caltex Philippines, Inc., age 55, Danish, married to an American, citizen, was surrounded by Japanese for along period, during the Japanese occupation in Manila. On 31 August 1944, the members of the Roesholm family were told to get out. The Japanese took possession and gave the Roesholms instructions that they were to have no further communication with anyone, and not to show up on the premises again. b. In the beginning of 1944 the Japanese came several times and disputed Mr. Roesholm's passport and papers and insisted that he was hiding his American passport. They demanded that he produce, the passport prior to the one in his possession. He was able to do so which proved that he was not there by illegal entry. He was finally told, “If you are not an American, you are American in principle." A few days later five MPs arrived tagging at the furniture and putting signs on the house, “suspected enemy property.” They were given four days to leave the house. The Japanese left them two beds, two chairs, a small ice box, an electric stove, and told them they were not to touch anything that was tagged. Between August 1944 and January 1945, they stayed in the house, never venturing outside. At the beginning of February, 1945, the shelling began and became more intensified from the American side, so they moved to an air raid shelter and lived there most of the time as the buildings surrounding them burned. The shelter was in Calle Militaire and the other streets were heavily mined. They stayed in the shelter up to the 17th of February. The American troops arrived on the 16th and on the following day they were advised to move, but they were afraid to leave because of the shrapnel and snipers in the vicinity. Two days before the Americans came, four Japanese soldiers took charge of the premises where they were
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