Testimony of Juan Vergara on Japanese Atrocities Committed in Taal, Batangas in 1945

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

Q (By Captain Pace) Give your name, please.
A (Through the Interpreter) Juan Vergara.
Q Where do you live?
A Cubamba.
Q Did you live in Cubamba on the 16^th of February, 1945?
A I lived in Cubamba on February 16.
Q And what happened on that morning?
A 8 o’clock in the morning, we heard firing and we hid, with my family.
Q Where did you hide?
A We hid in lagnas?
Q Where?

THE INTERPRETER: “Lagnas.”

CAPTAIN PACE: What is “lagnas?”

THE WITNESS: Ravine.

THE INTERPRETER: “Ravine.”

CAPTAIN PACE: Will you ask the witness again where he and his family hid?

(Translated to the witness.)

THE WITNESS: (Through the Interpreter) With my family, I went to the ravine.

Q (By Captain Pace) Where is this ravine located?
A (Through the Interpreter) The ravine is located on

the east side of our house.
Q How many people went there?
A We were 15 who went to the ravine.
Q What happened to you there?
A Four Japanese saw us and they shot us.
Q How many people did they shoot?
A All 15 were shot, but only 12 were killed. Two were wounded and one was not wounded.

(A photograph was marked
Prosecution Exhibit No. 270
for identification.)

Q (By Captain Pace) Will you look at Exhibit 270 for identification and tell what it shows?
A This picture shows the scar of my wound.

CAPTAIN PACE: I offer it in evidence.

GENERAL REYNOLDS: There being no objection, it is accepted in evidence.

(Prosecution Exhibit No. 270
for identification was
received in evidence.)

Q (By Captain Pace) After the 12 people were killed in the ravine and the two people wounded, at about 4 o’clock that afternoon, did you go back to your house?
A Yes, 4 o’clock, I went back.
Q What did you find there?
A I saw that my house was burned; my father, mother, one aunt and two sisters were dead.
Q How did your father, mother, aunt, and two sisters meet their deaths?
A My father had wounds; my mother, aunt and two sisters were burned.

Q All of them were dead?
A All of them were dead.

CAPTAIN PACE: You may inquire.

Q (By Captain Reel) Now, as I understand it, at 8 o’clock in the morning of the 16^th of February, you heard some firing, is that correct?
A Yes. I heard firing at 8 o’clock in the morning of February 16.
Q And where did you hear this firing coming from?
A I just heard the firing; that is all.
Q Do you know what kind of firing it was?
A I just heard firing; that is all.
Q Do you know what kind of firing it was; whether it was rifle, machine gun, artillery, or what?
A I just heard firing; that is all.
Q Had you ever heard firing before?
A Since the beginning, I had heard firing.
Q Since the beginning of what?
A Since I lived in my house, I had heard firing.
Q Well, did you hear any firing out there during the year 1943?
A I heard, but few firing.
Q Did you hear any firing there during the year 1944?
A I heard nothing.
Q Well, now, when after that, when after 1944 did you first hear firing out there?
A I heard again on February 16.
Q And prior to February 16, for at least one year, you

hadn’t heard any firing, is that right?
A No.
Q Do you know who was firing?
A I know who was firing on February 16, because [the] Japanese fired at us.
Q But when you heard this firing, you didn’t see who was doing the firing, did you?
A I knew and saw who fired when we were fired upon.
Q Well, didn’t you tell us on direct examination that at 8 o’clock in the morning, before you went to the ravine, you heard some firing?
A I heard firing before we went to the ravine, but I did not see who were firing.
Q Yes. Now, do you know whether there were active guerrilla bands in that area on the 16^th of February who might have been firing or fighting with the Japanese?

(Translated to the witness.)

CAPTAIN PACE: I object to the question, if the Commission please, because he has already testified that he doesn’t know who was doing the firing in the neighboring barrio.

GENERAL REYNOLDS: Is there some particular point you are trying to reach with the question?

CAPTAIN REEL: There is, sir. I don’t believe the question was directed to the firing; this question was directed to activity in the area. If the reporter will please read the question back, I think the Prosecution will realize that it has misunderstood the question.

GENERAL REYNOLDS: The Reporter will read back the

question.

(Question read.)

CAPTAIN PACE: The witness has already testified, sir, that he doesn’t know who was doing the firing; he didn’t see it.

GENERAL REYNOLDS: So it seems also to the Commission. Would Counsel like to have any specific answer read back?

CAPTAIN REEL: I will withdraw the question and rephrase it, so there will be no question about it, sir.

Q (By Captain Reel) Do you know that on the 16^th of February, 1945, there were active guerrilla bands in the area where you lived?
A (Through the Interpreter) I knew nothing about it.
Q As I understand it, it was you heard firing that you ran to the ravine, is that the reason?

GENERAL REYNOLDS: He so testified. I wonder if you ought to pursue the question further?

CAPTAIN REEL: If the Commission understands that that was the reason, I don’t wish to pursue it any further.

GENERAL REYNOLDS: Yes, we do so understand.

Q (By Captain Reel) When you were in the ravine, did you hear some more firing on the opposite side of the ravine?
A When I was in the ravine, I heard much firing.

CAPTAIN REEL: That is all.

(Witness excused.)