Testimony of Milagros Barrion on Japanese Atrocities Committed in Taal, Batangas in 1945
This page contains the testimony of Milagros Barrion on Japanese atrocities committed in the town of Taal, 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.
MILIGROS BARRION
DIRECT EXAMINATION
Notes and references:
1 “Excerpts from the Testimony of Milagros Barrion in U.S.A. v Tomoyuki Yamashita,” part of the U.S. Military Commission compilation of war crimes documentation, online at the Internet Archive.
[p. 1641]
[The above name is obviously MILAGROS Barrion and will be referred to as such in the rest of this transcription. – Batangas History, Culture & Folklore.]
called as witness on behalf of the Prosecution, being first duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows:
THE WITNESS: Just as my sister testified this morning —
Q (By Captain Pace) Just a minute. I will ask you some questions. Give your name, please.
A Milagros Barrion.
Q Where do you live?
A 1125 Washington Street, Sampaloc, Manila.
Q Early in 1945, where did you live?
A Taal, Batangas.
Q And did you evacuate to a barrio in Taal earlier this year?
A Yes, February; about February.
Q What barrio did you evacuate to?
A Milagros Barrion.
Q Where do you live?
A 1125 Washington Street, Sampaloc, Manila.
Q Early in 1945, where did you live?
A Taal, Batangas.
Q And did you evacuate to a barrio in Taal earlier this year?
A Yes, February; about February.
Q What barrio did you evacuate to?
[p. 1642]
A Maabud.
Q On the 16th of February, did you go with your sister who testified this morning and with the rest of your family to the ravine?
A Yes.
Q You did?
A (Nodding affirmatively.)
Q “Yes?”
A Yes.
Q You will have to speak louder. And did the Japs come to the ravine there?
A Yes.
Q What happened when they came?
A They threw hand grenades, they set machine guns, and they began killing people.
Q And how many of you escaped from the ravine?
A About 17.
Q Where did you go, then?
A We went near the lake under the mango tree.
Q You went to the mango tree near the lake?
A Yes.
Q And the next day, did your sister Juanita and the baby leave?
A Yes.
Q And what happened the following day?
A After my sister left, we prayed that she would be saved from disaster.
Q I beg your pardon?
A We prayed she would be saved from disaster. We
Q On the 16th of February, did you go with your sister who testified this morning and with the rest of your family to the ravine?
A Yes.
Q You did?
A (Nodding affirmatively.)
Q “Yes?”
A Yes.
Q You will have to speak louder. And did the Japs come to the ravine there?
A Yes.
Q What happened when they came?
A They threw hand grenades, they set machine guns, and they began killing people.
Q And how many of you escaped from the ravine?
A About 17.
Q Where did you go, then?
A We went near the lake under the mango tree.
Q You went to the mango tree near the lake?
A Yes.
Q And the next day, did your sister Juanita and the baby leave?
A Yes.
Q And what happened the following day?
A After my sister left, we prayed that she would be saved from disaster.
Q I beg your pardon?
A We prayed she would be saved from disaster. We
[p. 1643]
waited for her return, but in vain. Nothing unusual happened that day. Still another day dawned. It was the 18th of February when after breakfast, we heard marching soldiers.
Q How many Japs came to the mango tree?
A About 25.
Q What did they do to you?
A Well, I moved the wounded inside the sugarcane [plantation] and we laid still, but in spite of [our] caution, we were discovered.
Q What did they do after they found you?
A They took ropes and tied us all around the mango tree. At first, I didn’t want myself to be tied up, but my father chided me to go in because there was no hope.
Q Did they tie all of you?
A Yes.
Q How many of you were there?
A We were 16 tied.
Q And how did they tie you?
A Tied us in our hands.
Q Did they tie you together, then?
A Yes.
Q And where did they tie the group of you?
A Tied us under the mango tree.
Q To the tree?
A Yes.
Q What happened after they tied the 16 of you to the mango tree? A I was the first one bayoneted. Then, they started firing. We heard the crying of my brothers. Then, I could feel the heat of the fire, for they set it. Then
Q How many Japs came to the mango tree?
A About 25.
Q What did they do to you?
A Well, I moved the wounded inside the sugarcane [plantation] and we laid still, but in spite of [our] caution, we were discovered.
Q What did they do after they found you?
A They took ropes and tied us all around the mango tree. At first, I didn’t want myself to be tied up, but my father chided me to go in because there was no hope.
Q Did they tie all of you?
A Yes.
Q How many of you were there?
A We were 16 tied.
Q And how did they tie you?
A Tied us in our hands.
Q Did they tie you together, then?
A Yes.
Q And where did they tie the group of you?
A Tied us under the mango tree.
Q To the tree?
A Yes.
Q What happened after they tied the 16 of you to the mango tree? A I was the first one bayoneted. Then, they started firing. We heard the crying of my brothers. Then, I could feel the heat of the fire, for they set it. Then
[p. 1644]
all blackness.
Q How many times were you bayoneted?
A Two times.
Q Did you also suffer other wounds?
A Yes.
Q What were they from?
A 15 wounds from fragments of hand grenades.
Q Where are those 15 wounds from hand grenades on your body?
A I have six on the back, I have three here (indicating left shoulder), I have three here (indicating left breast), and I have three here in the abdomen (indicating).
Q How many times were you bayoneted?
A Two times.
Q Did you also suffer other wounds?
A Yes.
Q What were they from?
A 15 wounds from fragments of hand grenades.
Q Where are those 15 wounds from hand grenades on your body?
A I have six on the back, I have three here (indicating left shoulder), I have three here (indicating left breast), and I have three here in the abdomen (indicating).
CAPTAIN PACE: Will the record show that the witness indicated three on the left shoulder, three on the left breast and three on the left side of the abdomen.
Mark this for identification, please.
(Photograph of seven wounds
on body of witness was marked
Prosecution Exhibit No. 269
for identification.)
on body of witness was marked
Prosecution Exhibit No. 269
for identification.)
 |
| Actual photograph of Milagros Barrion showing wounds. Image credit: U.S. National Archives. |
Q (By Captain Pace) Where were the two bayonet wounds?
A One here (indicating left side of chest) and the other here (indicating left elbow).
Q Indicating the left side of your chest?
A Yes.
Q And your left elbow; is that right?
A Yes.
Q Will you show the Commission the wound on your left elbow?
A It is here.
Q Will you look at Exhibit No. 269 for identification
A One here (indicating left side of chest) and the other here (indicating left elbow).
Q Indicating the left side of your chest?
A Yes.
Q And your left elbow; is that right?
A Yes.
Q Will you show the Commission the wound on your left elbow?
A It is here.
Q Will you look at Exhibit No. 269 for identification
[p. 1645]
and tell what it is?
A These six are from fragments of hand grenades and the other one bayonet wound.
Q They show six hand grenade wounds on your back and the bayonet wound on your elbow; is that right?
A Yes.
A These six are from fragments of hand grenades and the other one bayonet wound.
Q They show six hand grenade wounds on your back and the bayonet wound on your elbow; is that right?
A Yes.
CAPTAIN PACE: I offer it in evidence.
GENERAL REYNOLDS: There being no objection, it is accepted in evidence.
(Prosecution Exhibit No. 269 for
identification was received in
evidence.)
identification was received in
evidence.)
Q (By Captain Pace) After you were wounded, did you become unconscious?
A Yes.
Q When did you regain consciousness?
A It was the first week of March when I regained complete consciousness. My left arm had been bandaged and I had scars all over.
Q Of the 16 people who were at the mango tree, did anybody survive except yourself?
A No. I was the only one who survived.
Q How many members of your family were killed on the 16th and the 18th of February?
A Sixteen. Five were killed on the 18th of February.
Q Those are members of your immediate family?
A Yes.
Q How many members of your family were killed other than your immediate family?
A What do you mean?
A Yes.
Q When did you regain consciousness?
A It was the first week of March when I regained complete consciousness. My left arm had been bandaged and I had scars all over.
Q Of the 16 people who were at the mango tree, did anybody survive except yourself?
A No. I was the only one who survived.
Q How many members of your family were killed on the 16th and the 18th of February?
A Sixteen. Five were killed on the 18th of February.
Q Those are members of your immediate family?
A Yes.
Q How many members of your family were killed other than your immediate family?
A What do you mean?
[p. 1646]
Q More distant relatives; were some of them killed?
A All of them were our distant relatives except two servants.
Q How many relatives altogether were killed on those two days?
A 30 were killed in the ravine and 16 were killed under the mango tree.
Q Those were friends and relatives?
A Relatives and friends.
A All of them were our distant relatives except two servants.
Q How many relatives altogether were killed on those two days?
A 30 were killed in the ravine and 16 were killed under the mango tree.
Q Those were friends and relatives?
A Relatives and friends.
CAPTAIN PACE: You may inquire.
CAPTAIN REEL: No questions.
CAPTAIN PACE: Thank you very much.
(Witness excused.)
 |
| Photo taken during the war crimes trials in Manila. Image credit: U.S. National Archives. |
1 “Excerpts from the Testimony of Milagros Barrion in U.S.A. v Tomoyuki Yamashita,” part of the U.S. Military Commission compilation of war crimes documentation, online at the Internet Archive.