Testimony of Maxima Umali of San Jose, Batangas on Japanese Atrocities in her Town in 1945
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The ruined Municipal Building in San Jose in 1945. Image credit: United States National Archives. |
[p. 7]
Q Please state your full name, age, address and nationality.
A Maxima Umali, 49 years old, Poblacion, San Jose, Batangas Province, P.I., Filipino.
Q Is this your permanent address?
A Yes sir.
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 What is your occupation?
A Housekeeper.
Q Are you the sister of Modesta Umali Remo?
A Yes, I am her sister.
Q Were you with the searching party that found the remains of three persons on 30 May 1945 at the sitio of Ambonambon in the barrio of Pinagtungulan, Batangas Province?
A Yes, I was one of the searching party that found the remains of my brother-in-law, the parish priest and the clerk of the court, all of San Jose, Batangas Province.
My sister, Modesta Umali Remo, asked me to go along with four others — my uncle, Esteban Remo; my cousin, Eugenio Remo; Paz Talag; and Eliseo de Leon to a place in barrio Pinagtungulan where one Gavino Guce said that there were some remains of dead persons which he thought were the remains of my sister’s husband, the parish priest, and the clerk of the court.
We five went to the sitio of Ambonambon in the barrio of Pinagtungulan on 30 May 1945 and at the place where we were directed by Gavino Guce, we discovered the remains of three persons.
Q Did you recognize the remains as those of your sister’s husband, the parish priest and the clerk of the court?
A Yes, we recognized the remains of the husband of my sister, Venancio REMO, by means of the large forehead which we were all familiar with and the familiar characteristics of the bridge of his nose. We recognized the remains of the parish priest, Vicente FRANDI, by means of his false teeth which his servant, Eliseo de Leon, a male about 23 years old, who was then with us, confirmed as that of his master’s. We recognized the remains of the clerk of court, Jose TALAG, by his teeth which were overlapping and protruding. We five returned the remains of all three back to my sister’s house, who buried the remains of all three in the cemetery in San Jose.
Q Do you know who killed these three persons?
A No
[p. 8]
Q Do you know the names of any of the Japanese who were in San Jose at that time, or can you describe any of them?
A No.
Q Have you anything further to add to your statement?
A No, I have nothing further to add.
/t/ MAXIMA UMALI
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES
PROVINCE OF BATANGAS
TOWN OF SAN JOSE
/t/ MAXIMA UMALI
/t/ ALLEN H. PEOPLES
Capt., CAC
Investigating Officer, War Crimes
Investigating Detachment.
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES
PROVINCE OF BATANGAS
TOWN OF SAN JOSE
/t/ GUILLERMO F. MARIANO
[p. 9]
/t/ ALLEN H. PEOPLES, Capt. CAC
Investigating Officer, War Crimes
Investigating Detachment.
Municipal Bldg., San Jose, Batangas Province, P.I. |
/s/ Allen H. Peoples /t/ ALLEN H. PEOPLES, Capt., CAC |