Testimony of Leoradio Maulion on Japanese Atrocities Committed in Cuenca, Batangas in 1945
[TRANSCRIPTION]
This page contains the testimony of Leoradio Maulion on Japanese atrocities committed in the town of Cuenca, 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.
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| Photo taken during the war crimes trials in Manila. Image credit: U.S. National Archives. |
[p. 1709]
LEORADIO MAULION
called as witness on behalf of the Prosecution, being first duly sworn through Interpreter Lavengco, was examined and testified through the Interpreter as follows:
DIRECT EXAMINATION
Q (By Captain Pace) Give your name, please.
A Leoradio Maulion.
Q Where do you live?
A Barrio San Felipe in the town of Cuenca, Batangas.
Q Did you live in San Felipe on 14 February, 1945?
A Yes, sir.
Q Will you tell what happened about noon of that date, please?
A On February 14, Wednesday, at noon, I was caught by six Japanese.
Q What happened to you, then?
A I was caught in the barrio of San Felipe. My hand was tied behind me.
Q Yes?
A Afterwards, I was taken to barrio Taisan, west of the town of Cuenca.
Q How far west?
A One-half kilometer.
Q What happened to you when you got to that barrio?
A When I was there, I saw 24 civilians tied. I was the 25th.
Q What happened to the 20 people?
A At 8 o’clock in the evening, we were taken to barrio
A Leoradio Maulion.
Q Where do you live?
A Barrio San Felipe in the town of Cuenca, Batangas.
Q Did you live in San Felipe on 14 February, 1945?
A Yes, sir.
Q Will you tell what happened about noon of that date, please?
A On February 14, Wednesday, at noon, I was caught by six Japanese.
Q What happened to you, then?
A I was caught in the barrio of San Felipe. My hand was tied behind me.
Q Yes?
A Afterwards, I was taken to barrio Taisan, west of the town of Cuenca.
Q How far west?
A One-half kilometer.
Q What happened to you when you got to that barrio?
A When I was there, I saw 24 civilians tied. I was the 25th.
Q What happened to the 20 people?
A At 8 o’clock in the evening, we were taken to barrio
[p. 1715]
San Juan, west of Taisan.
Q What happened to you at San Juan?
A When we arrived near the hole, we were bayoneted.
Q How many of you —
A I was the last. Then, I received two bayonet wounds, one in the arm and the other on the side.
Q How many men were bayoneted ahead of you?
A 24.
Q Where were your bayonet wounds?
A On my arm and at my side.
Q What happened after you were bayoneted?
A After bayoneting, we were covered with dirt, but I was not covered.
Q You were all in the hole, weren’t you?
A Yes, I was in the hole, but I wasn’t covered because I leaned against the wall.
Q Were the other 24 men covered?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did they die?
A Dead.
Q Did you escape?
A After covering the hole, the Japanese left. I untied myself and then I left.
Q What happened to you at San Juan?
A When we arrived near the hole, we were bayoneted.
Q How many of you —
A I was the last. Then, I received two bayonet wounds, one in the arm and the other on the side.
Q How many men were bayoneted ahead of you?
A 24.
Q Where were your bayonet wounds?
A On my arm and at my side.
Q What happened after you were bayoneted?
A After bayoneting, we were covered with dirt, but I was not covered.
Q You were all in the hole, weren’t you?
A Yes, I was in the hole, but I wasn’t covered because I leaned against the wall.
Q Were the other 24 men covered?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did they die?
A Dead.
Q Did you escape?
A After covering the hole, the Japanese left. I untied myself and then I left.
CAPTAIN PACE: You may cross-examine.
CROSS-EXAMINATION
Q (By Capain Reel) Will you ask the witness what he meant when he said that on the 14th of February, 1945, at noon, he was “caught” by six Japanese?
A (Through Interpreter Lavengco) I was caught at
A (Through Interpreter Lavengco) I was caught at
[p. 1716]
barrio San Felipe by the six Japanese.
Q What were you doing when you were “caught?”
A I came from the fields.
Q Were you alone?
A We were two.
Q Who was your companion?
A My cousin.
Q What had you been doing in the fields?
A I had taken care of a cow.
Q Were you a guerrilla?
A No, sir.
Q Did you help the guerrillas?
A No, sir.
Q Was your cousin a guerrilla?
A No, sir.
Q Did he help the guerrillas?
A No, sir.
Q Did you run when you saw the Japanese coming?
A I was not running.
Q Well, what do you mean, then, when you say you were “caught?”
A I was caught.
Q Now, was there any fighting going on in San Felipe?
A No, sir.
Q Did you hear any shooting at San Felipe?
A No, sir.
Q I think you said you went to barrio Taisan, which is about half a kilometer west of Cuenca, is that correct?
A I was taken to barrio Taisan.
Q What were you doing when you were “caught?”
A I came from the fields.
Q Were you alone?
A We were two.
Q Who was your companion?
A My cousin.
Q What had you been doing in the fields?
A I had taken care of a cow.
Q Were you a guerrilla?
A No, sir.
Q Did you help the guerrillas?
A No, sir.
Q Was your cousin a guerrilla?
A No, sir.
Q Did he help the guerrillas?
A No, sir.
Q Did you run when you saw the Japanese coming?
A I was not running.
Q Well, what do you mean, then, when you say you were “caught?”
A I was caught.
Q Now, was there any fighting going on in San Felipe?
A No, sir.
Q Did you hear any shooting at San Felipe?
A No, sir.
Q I think you said you went to barrio Taisan, which is about half a kilometer west of Cuenca, is that correct?
A I was taken to barrio Taisan.
[p. 1717]
Q And what time did you get there?
A It was noon when I got caught.
Q What time did you get to barrio Taisan?
A It was not yet 1 o’clock. The sun was just inclined.
Q And was there any fighting going on in Taisan when you got there?
A No, sir.
Q Now, this hole that you told about; how big a hole was it?
A Round.
Q How big?
A The hole is reached like this (demonstrating).
A It was noon when I got caught.
Q What time did you get to barrio Taisan?
A It was not yet 1 o’clock. The sun was just inclined.
Q And was there any fighting going on in Taisan when you got there?
A No, sir.
Q Now, this hole that you told about; how big a hole was it?
A Round.
Q How big?
A The hole is reached like this (demonstrating).
CAPTAIN REEL: May the record show that the witness reached his hands out approximately one yard?
GENERAL REYNOLDS: Very well.
Q (By Captain Reel) And it was a round hole, did you say?
A (Through Interpreter Lavengco) The hole was round.
Q How deep was the hole?
A 15 meters.
Q 15 meters deep. Now, 24 people were put into that hole, is that right?
A 25, including me.
Q And were you standing in the hole when you were in it?
A When I fell — when I fell, I was in standing position.
Q And how much space was there between the top of your head and the opening of the hole above you?
A (Through Interpreter Lavengco) The hole was round.
Q How deep was the hole?
A 15 meters.
Q 15 meters deep. Now, 24 people were put into that hole, is that right?
A 25, including me.
Q And were you standing in the hole when you were in it?
A When I fell — when I fell, I was in standing position.
Q And how much space was there between the top of your head and the opening of the hole above you?
[p. 1718]
A About 5 meters.
Q About 5 meters. And you stood against the wall, the top of your head 5 meters from the opening, while dirt was thrown in, is that right?
A Yes, sir.
Q And no dirt was thrown on you?
A No, sir; I was not covered.
Q About 5 meters. And you stood against the wall, the top of your head 5 meters from the opening, while dirt was thrown in, is that right?
A Yes, sir.
Q And no dirt was thrown on you?
A No, sir; I was not covered.
CAPTAIN REEL: That is all — just a moment; one more question.
Q (By Captain Reel) When you were standing in the hole, were you standing on the bottom of the hole, your feet on the ground?
A I was standing on the covered bodies of the people.
Q So that before you got into the hole, the bodies were covered, is that right?
A There were a little covering the hole. I was not covered because I was at the side. Unless I stay covered, I tried to shift my feet now and then.
A I was standing on the covered bodies of the people.
Q So that before you got into the hole, the bodies were covered, is that right?
A There were a little covering the hole. I was not covered because I was at the side. Unless I stay covered, I tried to shift my feet now and then.
CAPTAIN REEL: Could we have an answer to the question?
(The last question was read by the reporter and translated to the witness.)
A (Through Interpreter Lavengco) Not yet.
CAPTAIN REEL: No further questions.
REDIRECT EXAMINATION
Q (Question by Captain Pace) Is there any doubt in your mind that the Japanese drove a bayonet into your body two times?
INTERPRETER LAVENGCO: Beg pardon?
[p. 1719]
Q (By Captain Pace) Is there any doubt in your mind that the Japanese drove a bayonet into your body two times?
A (Through Interpreter Lavengco) I was bayoneted twice, one in the arm and one in the side.
Q Will you stand up and show this Commission where you were bayoneted?
A (Through Interpreter Lavengco) I was bayoneted twice, one in the arm and one in the side.
Q Will you stand up and show this Commission where you were bayoneted?
THE WITNESS: This (indicating) and this (indicating).
CAPTAIN PACE: The witness has indicated two wounds on his left arm, and another on his left side.
Thank you very much.
(Witness excused.)
Notes and references:
1 “Excerpts from the Testimony of Leoradio Maulion in U.S.A. v Tomoyuki Yamashita,” part of the U.S. Military Commission compilation of war crimes documentation, online at the Internet Archive.