Testimony of Baltazar Briones of San Jose Batangas on how the Japanese Killed his Sons
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The ruined Municipal Building in San Jose in 1945. Image credit: United States National Archives. |
[p. 13]
Q Please state your full name, age, address and nationality.
A Baltazar Briones, 55 years old, Barrio Bigain II, San Jose, Batangas Province, P.I., Filipino.
Q What is your occupation?
A Farmer.
Q Do you intend to remain at your present address, and if not, how can your whereabouts in the future be ascertained?
A I intend to remain at my present address.
Q Did you suffer any mistreatment at the hands of the Japanese?
A No, but my two sons were murdered by the Japanese.
Q Will you please relate fully how this happened?
A On February 4, 1945, at about 4 o’clock in the afternoon, my sons Simeon Briones, aged 20; Arcadio Briones, aged 30 and I went to the house of Melecio Patron in Pinagtungulan. They arrived at the house first. When I was about 12 meters south of the house, I saw my sons surrounded by five Japanese soldiers. The Japanese tied the two together with their hands behind their backs. Three of them bayoneted my sons while two stood guarding the place. I hid among the banana trees south of the house, then I crept slowly away to Bigain II.
Next day, February 5, 1945, I returned to Pinagtungulan. It was 5 o’clock in the morning then. There were no Japanese. I found the bodies of my two sons. Simeon had four bayonet wounds, one on the chest, two on his right side and one on the back; Arcadio had three bayonet wounds, two on the breast and one on the back. I buried their bodies in the place where they were killed, near the house of Melecio Patron, in the barrio of Pinagtungulan, San Jose, Batangas Province.
Q Do you know the names of any of these five Japanese who murdered your sons?
A No.
Q Can you describe any of them?
A I can remember only their clothes, trousers of pale khaki color and denim, long-sleeved shirts. They word native “balanggot” hats.
Q Can you describe their insignia?
A No.
Q Do you know to what unit they belonged?
A No.
Q Do you know the names of any Japanese who were stationed in this area in January and February 1945?
A No.
Q Do you know of any reason that might have caused these
[p. 14]
five Japanese to murder your sons?
A No, they were peaceful citizens.
Q Have you anything further to add to this statement?
A No.
/t/ BALTAZAR BRIONES
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES
PROVINCE OF BATANGAS
TOWN OF SAN JOSE
/t/ BALTAZAR BRIONES
/t/ ALLEN H. PEOPLES
Capt., CAC
Investigating Officer,
War Crimes Investigating
Department.
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES
PROVINCE OF BATANGAS
TOWN OF SAN JOSE
/t/ ALFREDO CUEVAS
/t/ ALLEN H. PEOPLES
Capt., CAC
Investigating Officer,
War Crimes Investigating
Department.
[p. 15]
Municipal Bldg., San Jose, Batangas Province, P.I. |
/s/ Allen H. Peoples /t/ ALLEN H. PEOPLES, Capt., CAC |
31st October 1945 |
/s/ Charles C. Thompson /t/ CHARLES C. THOMPSON, Capt., TC |
1 “Documents Pertaining to the Testimony of Baltazar Briones in U.S.A. v Tomoyuki Yamashita,” part of the U.S. Military Commission compilation of war crimes documentation, online at the Internet Archive.