Testimony of Magno Sandoval of Rosario, Batangas on Japanese Atrocities He Witnessed in 1945 - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore Testimony of Magno Sandoval of Rosario, Batangas on Japanese Atrocities He Witnessed in 1945 - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore

Testimony of Magno Sandoval of Rosario, Batangas on Japanese Atrocities He Witnessed in 1945

Batangas History
1 Dec, 2017
This page contains the testimony of one Magno Sandoval on Japanese atrocities he witnessed in Rosario, Batangas in 1945. The pages contained herein are now declassified and were part of compiled documentation1 of war crimes trials conducted by the United States Military Commission after the conclusion of World War II. This transcription has been corrected for grammar where necessary by Batangas History, Culture and Folklore. The pagination is as it was contained in the original document for citation purposes.

War Crimes Trial in Manila
Photo taken during the war crimes trials in Manila.  Image credit:  U.S. National Archives.

[p. 1]

R E S T R I C T E D

MAGNO SANDOVAL, after having been duly sworn, testified at the Municipal Building, Rosario, Batangas, P.I., on 26 September 1945, as follows:

Q What is your name, age, address and nationality?
A Magno Sandoval, 35 years old, and I live at Barrio Namuko, Rosario, Batangas, P. I. I am Filipino.

Q What is your occupation?
A Farmer.

Q If you move from your present address, where can you be reached?
A I will not move.

Q Did you suffer any mistreatment at the hands of the Japanese on March 13, 1945?
A No.

Q Did you witness any acts of mistreatment by the Japanese on March 13, 1945?
A Yes. At about 8 o’clock in the morning of March 13, I was hiding in the bushes between Namuko Barrio and Itlugan Barrio, which adjoins each other. There were about one thousand Filipino men, women, and children in the area between the two Barrios, and they were running in all directions to escape the Japanese. There were about 15 Japanese present, and I could see them shooting at the Filipinos. Practically all of the Filipinos managed to escape but, after the Japs left, I saw 10 dead Filipinos. Some of the bodies that I saw were those of Lorenzo Masilungan, Sakeo Tolentino, his wife Marcela, and their children; one old woman named Tanang; and Ilias Garcia.

Q Did you know any of the Japanese who were present on this occasion?
A I did not know any of them.

Q Did you know whether any of them were officers?
A There were about 15 Japanese soldiers but I cannot describe them. I believe that they were from the Japanese Military Police stationed in Lipa.

Q Is there anything further that you can add to your statement?
A No.

/s/ Magno Sandoval
/t/ MAGNO SANDOVAL



COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES

PROVINCE OF BATANGAS

TOWN OF ROSARIO

I, MAGNO SANDOVAL, being of lawful age, being duly sworn on oath, state that I had read to me and understood the translation of the foregoing transcription of my interrogation and all answers contained therein, consisting of one (1) page.

[p. 2]

R E S T R I C T E D

are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

/s/ Magno Sandoval
/t/ MAGNO SANDOVAL

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 29th day of September 1945.

/s/ James P. Healey, Jr., 1st Lt., JAGD
/t/ JAMES P. HEALEY, JR. 1ST LT., JAGD



COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES

PROVINCE OF BATANGAS

TOWN OF ROSARIO

I, JOSE B. ZUÑO, residing at Rosario, Batangas, P. I., being of lawful age, being sworn on oath, state that I truly translated the questions and answers given from English to Tagalog and from Tagalog to English, respectively, and that after being transcribed, I truly translated the foregoing deposition containing two (2) pages, to the witness; that the witness thereupon in my presence affixed his signature thereto.

/s/ Jose B. Zuño
/t/ JOSE B ZUÑO

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 29th day of September 1945.

/s/ James P. Healey, Jr., 1st Lt., JAGD
/t/ JAMES P. HEALEY, JR. 1ST LT., JAGD

C E R T I F I C A T E

I, JAMES P. HEALEY, Jr., 1st Lt., 0-2052588, JAGD, certify that on the 26th day of September, 1945, personally appeared before me MAGNO SANDOVAL, and according to JOSE B. ZUÑO, gave the foregoing answers to the several questions set forth therein; that after his testimony has been transcribed, the said MAGNO SANDOVAL had read to him by the said interpreter the same and affixed his signature thereto in my presence.

Municipal Bldg., Rosario,
Batangas Province, P.I.
29 September 1945 		/s/ James P. Healey, Jr., 1st Lt. JAGD
/t/ JAMES P. HEALEY, JR., 1st Lt., JAGD

29 September 1945

The following witness, having been interrogated by the Investigator-Examiner, possesses knowledge of the facts set forth in the above statement:

NAME

Juana Garcia 		AGE

20 		ADDRESS

Namuko Barrio, Rosario,
Batangas, P.I. 		NATIONALITY

Filipino

Notes and references:
1 “Excerpts from the Testimony of Magno Sandoval in U.S.A. v Tomoyuki Yamashita,” part of the U.S. Military Commission compilation of war crimes documentation, online at the Internet Archive.
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