Testimony of Gabriela M. Luz on Japanese Atrocities Committed in Bo. Sulok, Sto. Tomas, Batangas in 1945

called as witness on behalf of the Prosecution, being first duly sworn through Interpreter Rodas, was examined and testified as follows:

Q (By Captain Pace) Give your name, please.
A Gabriela M. Luz.
Q Where do you live?
A Lipa, Batangas.
Q Now, in March 1945, did you go to Suluc [more correctly, Sulok]?
A Yes, sir.
Q Now, on the 12^th of March, 1945, did anything unusual happen there?
A Yes, sir.
Q Will you describe what happened there, please? Go ahead, do it in English.
A On March 12, about 11 o’clock in the morning, we were told to line up in the —
Q Who told you that?
A The makapili, by order of the Japanese.
Q Alright. How many of you lined up?
A About 500 people, men, women and children, were lined up.
Q Where did these 500 people go?
A About 300 people went near the bank of the river, because they were killed, and 150 went inside in the barrio of Suluc.
Q Who separated the 150 from the 350?
A The Japanese soldiers.

Q Did you go with the group of 350 to the bank of the river?
A Yes, sir.
Q What happened after you got to the bank of the river?
A Before we proceeded to the bank of the river, we were searched, an 1,517 pesos coin was taken from me, and the jewels that they took from me was 1,500 also.

THE REPORTER: Will you repeat that, please?

THE WITNESS: Before we proceeded to the bank of the river, we were first searched by the Japanese soldiers, and the money that was taken from me was 1,517 pesos coin, and the jewels that they took from me was 1,500 also. When we were near the river, I saw a man, hand-tied at the back, and when I saw my son was already tied, I said, “My God! We will be killed, and — (weeping) — I cannot but have tears.”

Q Were the men taken to the bank of the river ahead of the women?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did you see or hear what happened to them?
A I didn’t see them exactly, but I heard their cries.
Q And then were the women and children led to the bank of the river? Were the women and children led to the bank of the river?
A Yes, sir.
Q Were you able to see what happened to them?
A I did not see exactly what happened to them, because they were covered with grasses.
Q How many were taken at at time?

A I don’t know, because they were taken there in families.
Q One family at a time?
A Yes, sir, a family at a time.
Q Was your family the last family to be taken?
A Yes, sir, the last one.
Q What happened just before your family was taken? Did an airplane come?
A Before my family was taken, all the people there were killed.
Q Yes, and then what happened when it was your family’s turn?
A When it came to our family, I saw my son, my brother, my brother-in-law, my uncle and my nephew hand-tied.
Q Were they taken to the river?
A They were taken very near the river. I told my son, Julio, to tell the Japanese that he was a nephew of Mayor Luz, who was the president at that time of Lipa.
Q Mayor Luz was a very close friend of the Japanese, is that right?
A Yes, sir.
Q He was one of the leading collaborationists down there?
A Yes, sir.
Q And you were married to his brother?
A Yes, sir.
Q Is that what you had your son go and tell the Japanese?
A I told my older son, Julio, to tell the Japanese

that he was a nephew of Mayor Luz, but the Japanese didn’t mind him, and he said to him, “Kora!” which I didn’t understand what was the meaning of that “Kora!” Then, the Japanese soldier took him and led him to the very bank of the river. At that time, there were two American planes passing by, so the Japanese were very afraid of the airplanes. The Japanese told us to hide under the trees, so we went there; we were waiting for the American planes to pass by. I took my small boy, Maximo Luz, Jr., to tell the Japanese that he was a relative of Mayor Luz. Then, my boy, Maximo Luz, told the Japanese that he was a nephew of the Mayor Luz, and as I remember, he said, “Watash ojisan riba —”
Q What does that mean?
A I don’t know. He just told [it] that way. He pointed out I was the mother and 11 of us were his relatives. So, he took the boy from me, about a meter away from me, and he conversed with him, and in the meantime, my son and my brother-in-law and my brother and the rest of the family were taken to the bank of the river, and they were being killed there, and the Japanese then again took the boy, and told me (making slapping motions) “Bakayaro! O.K. Go back.” And then, we went back to the barrio Sulac. When we walked — after we had walked about half again a meter, the Japanese stopped us and he told me, “Why, you have American money? You must be supporting the guerrillas; you must be rich,” the Japanese soldier told me. I didn’t give him any answer, because I was very lonely; I told him, “What is my life for me now, my son being killed? Whether you

kill me or not, that doesn’t matter.”
Q You were able to save 11 people and yourself by finally getting the Japanese to understand that you were the sister-in-law of Mayor Luz, is that right?
A Yes, sir.
Q And you told the Japanese that these other 11 people were also related to him?
A Yes, sir.
Q And they were all saved?
A Yes, sir.

CAPTAIN SANDBERG: We weren’t able to understand the last long statement of the witness. May we have it read?

(The answer referred to was read by the reporter as follows: “I don’t know. He just told [it] that way. He pointed out I was the mother and 11 of us were his relatives. So, he took the boy from me about a meter away from me, and he conversed with him, and in the meantime, my son and my brother-in-law and my brother and the rest of the family were taken to the bank of the river, and they were being killed there, and the Japanese then again took the boy, and told me (making slapping motions), “Bakayaro! O.K. Go back.” And then, we went to the barrio Sulac. When we talked — after we had walked about half again a meter, the Japanese stopped us and he told me, “Why, you have American money? You must be supporting the guerrillas; you must be rich,” the Japanese soldier told me. I didn’t give him any answer, but I was very lonely; I told him, “What is life for me now, my son being killed?

Whether you kill me or not, that doesn’t matter.”)
Q (By Captain Pace) There is one statement there, Mrs. Luz — did you say that your son and your brother-in-law —
A My brother, my brother-in-law, my nephew and my uncle were being killed there at the bank of the river.
Q They were being killed there, not held?
A They were killed there.
Q Now, out of the 350 people that were taken to the river, were the only people who survived you and the 11 people who you talked the Japanese into letting leave?
A Yes, sir.
Q Were all these 350 people civilians?
A Yes, sir. They were men, women and children.

CAPTAIN PACE: You may inquire.

Q (By Captain Sandberg) Now, you say you were taken to the river by the makapili, is that correct?
A No, sir, we were taken there by the Japanese.
Q Well, what part did the makapili play there?
A The makapili was the one who made the list of the ones to be saved and the ones to be killed.
Q And the Japanese simply followed the list made by the makapili?
A Yes, sir.
Q And whoever the makapili told them to kill, the Japanese killed?
A Beg pardon?
Q I say that whoever the Japanese — whoever the makapili

told the Japanese to kill, they killed?
A Yes, sir.
Q Now, is that makapili the same organization that is headed by General Artemio Ricarte? Did you ever hear of him?
A I didn’t get that. I didn’t get your question.
Q I say, is this makapili that you are talking about the same organization that is headed by General Artemio Ricarte?
A No. He is just the leader of the labor battalion.
Q Did you ever hear of Benigno Ramos?
A Yes, sir.
Q Is he also with General Ricarte in the makapili?
A But he was not there. I just heard his name.
Q They weren’t there at that particular time?
A No, they were not there, and if they were there, I had not seen them.
Q But they were leaders in the makapili?
A I don’t know.
Q Now, the makapili was an organization consisting solely of Filipinos, wasn’t it?
A I don’t know exactly about the makapili organization, because we are not enlisted in that organization.
Q But your brother-in-law was one of the leaders of the makapili?
A No, he is not. And we were about to be killed, had it not been for my son, because he can speak Japanese and he can write a little Kata Kana. But we have no makapili soldiers.
Q Well, didn’t you testify here on direct examination

that your brother-in-law was one of the leaders of the Makapili?
A He was not on the list, but he was on the list to be killed.

CAPTAIN PACE: If the Commission please —

GENERAL REYNOLDS: The Prosecution will be heard.

CAPTAIN PACE: If the Commission please, I know the record will show that she testified he was one of the leading collaborationists.

GENERAL REYNOLDS: That is our recollection. Would you like to have it read back?

CAPTAIN SANDBERG: Well, I would rather do that, sir — I will put the direct question to the witness.

GENERAL REYNOLDS: Will the reporter please find it? It seemed quite clear to the Commission that the word is “collaborationist.”

CAPTAIN SANDBERG: If the Commission please, that the Makapili was the leading collaborationists is the line of questioning we are following.

CAPTAIN PACE: Surely, there is no testimony about that, sir.

(The questions and answers referred to were read by the reporter, as follows:

“Q Mayor Luz was the very close friend of the Japanese, is that right?

“A Yes, sir.

“Q He was one of the leading collaborationists down there?

“Yes, sir.

“And you were married to his brother-in-law?

“Yes, sir.”

CAPTAIN SANDBERG: And now, sir, I would like to ask the witness whether her brother-in-law, who was one of the leading collaborationists, was also in the Makapili.

GENERAL REYNOLDS: There is no objection to the question.

Q (By Captain Sandberg) Was your brother-in-law a member of the Makapili?
A I don’t get your question.
Q Was your brother-in-law a member of the Makapili?
A I don’t know whether he was a member of the Makapili or not, but I know that he was a collaborationist.
Q Were most of the members of the Makapili collaborators?
A I don’t know the membership.
Q What did your brother-in-law’s collaborations with the Japanese consist of? What did he do to help the Japanese?
A I don’t know anything about that. I only know he, being the president of Lipa and he was the only man who accepted the presidency, he must be a collaborator. That’s

the only way I know. I don’t know anything about his membership in [the] Makapili. I don’t know anything about those.
Q Your brother-in-law was mayor of Lipa?
A Yes, sir.
Q Isn’t it a fact that your brother-in-law, the mayor of Lipa, made a list which he gave the Japanese of people who were guerrillas?
A I don’t know.
Q Do you remember your brother-in-law being kidnapped between October and November 1944 by the guerrillas?
A I don’t know, sir.

GENERAL REYNOLDS: The Commission interrupts. The line of questioning does not appear to be relevant. Is there some specific motive you have in mind with the questions?

CAPTAIN SANDBERG: If you please, sir, our purpose is to illustrate the exact circumstances surrounding this episode to indicate the morale of the Japanese troops as bearing upon the control of the Accused.

MAJOR KERR: Sir, that is precisely the question which the Commission excluded yesterday — exactly the same question.

CAPTAIN SANDBERG: And I may also add, sir, that the specific Particular in this case describes the persons killed as “non-combatant civilians,” and the purpose of this line of questioning is to ascertain whether or not they were, in fact, non-combatant civilians or combatant civilians.

GENERAL REYNOLDS: The Commission will permit a short continuation of this approach.

Q (By Captain Sandberg) Now, do you know who in the Makapili made up the list of people that were to be taken to the river?
A Yes, sir.
Q Who was it?
A Sergio Pasajol was the one who made the list of the people of those who would be killed and those who would be saved.
Q And he was a Filipino?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did you give any assistance to the guerrillas?
A No.
Q Did any of these three hundred people give any assistance to the guerrillas?
A No.
Q Did anyone in the Town of Lipa give any assistance to the guerrillas?
A I don’t know. There are too many of them. How can I tell?
Q Do you know anything at all about any guerrilla activity in Lipa?
A I don’t know.
Q You don’t remember the incident in which your brother-in-law was kidnapped by the guerrillas?
A I don’t know.

CAPTAIN SANDBERG: That’s all

Q (By Captain Pace) Mrs. Luz, how old was your boy who was killed?

A 13 years old.
Q Was he a guerrilla?
A No. He was not a guerrilla. He was very small.
Q Were there babies in that group of people?
A I beg your pardon?
Q Were there babies in that group of people carried by their mothers?
A Yes, sir.
Q Were they guerrillas?
A No.

CAPTAIN PACE: Thank you.

(Witness excused.)