Testimony of Tomas Sandoval on Japanese Atrocities Committed in Tanauan, Batangas in 1945
[TRANSCRIPTION]
Apart from trying the top brass of the Japanese Imperial Army for war crimes committed in the Philippines, with special interest on those in Batangas, the US Military Commission also tried officers for an assortment of charges. This particular documentation is from the transcription of the trial United States of America v Mikio Taneichi, Yuzo Sakata, Taichi Yamada, and Bunji Kanto. In this transcription is contained the testimony of one Tomas Sandoval during the trial of the aforementioned Japanese soldier. 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. 28]
TOMAS SANDOVAL
a witness for the Prosecution, being first duly sworn, testified as follows through Interpreters Rodas, Javier, and Campomanes:
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY LIEUTENANT PHARR:
Q Your name is Tomas Sandoval, is that correct?
A Yes, sir.
Q Where do you live?
A In Daraza, Tanauan.
Q Is Daraza a barrio of Tanauan?
A Yes, sir.
Q How old are you?
A I am 32 years old.
Q Where were you on February the 10th 1945?
A In our house in Daraza.
Q Did you see any Japanese on that day?
A Yes, sir.
Q Were they Japanese soldiers?
A The first Japanese I saw were civilian Japanese.
Q Did you see any Japanese soldiers?
A Yes, sir.
A Yes, sir.
Q Where do you live?
A In Daraza, Tanauan.
Q Is Daraza a barrio of Tanauan?
A Yes, sir.
Q How old are you?
A I am 32 years old.
Q Where were you on February the 10th 1945?
A In our house in Daraza.
Q Did you see any Japanese on that day?
A Yes, sir.
Q Were they Japanese soldiers?
A The first Japanese I saw were civilian Japanese.
Q Did you see any Japanese soldiers?
A Yes, sir.
[p. 29]
Q Did the Japanese soldiers do anything to you that day?
A Yes, sir.
Q Where did you first see them?
A On the street.
Q Barrio Daraza?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did they take you with them.
A Yes, sir.
Q Did they force you to go with them?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did they take other people with them?
A Yes, there were some.
Q You are Filipino, is that correct?
A Yes, sir.
Q Were either of these other people Filipinos that the Japanese took with them?
A Yes, sir.
Q Where did they take you and these other people to?
A To the town at the entrance of Tanauan.
Q Was that near the Batangas Transportation Company office in Tanauan?
A It is a little far [farther] from there.
Q Were there any women there when you got there?
A Yes, sir, there were some.
Q What time was it when you arrived?
A On or about seven o’clock in the morning.
Q How many people were at this place when you got there?
A More or less 70.
A Yes, sir.
Q Where did you first see them?
A On the street.
Q Barrio Daraza?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did they take you with them.
A Yes, sir.
Q Did they force you to go with them?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did they take other people with them?
A Yes, there were some.
Q You are Filipino, is that correct?
A Yes, sir.
Q Were either of these other people Filipinos that the Japanese took with them?
A Yes, sir.
Q Where did they take you and these other people to?
A To the town at the entrance of Tanauan.
Q Was that near the Batangas Transportation Company office in Tanauan?
A It is a little far [farther] from there.
Q Were there any women there when you got there?
A Yes, sir, there were some.
Q What time was it when you arrived?
A On or about seven o’clock in the morning.
Q How many people were at this place when you got there?
A More or less 70.
[p. 30]
Q 70?
A Yes, 70.
Q Spell the translation.
A S-e-v-e-n-t-y.
Q Were there any Chinese there?
A No, sir, there were none.
Q Were all these Filipinos who were brought there civilians?
A Yes, sir.
Q After you were brought to this place near the Batangas Transportation Company, what happened?
A We were not brought to the Batangas Transportation Company.
Q Do you know where the office of the Batangas Transportation Company is?
A Yes, sir.
Q Which direction is the place where you were brought from the office of the Batangas Transportation Company?
A It was at the entrance of the town of Tanauan, just after we passed the boundary.
Q How far was that from the Batangas Transportation Company?
A To that place where we were brought?
Q Yes.
A More or less ½ kilometer.
Q After you got there, what happened?
A The Japanese took the men who were tied, three at a time, and they were brought to the eastern side.
Q Continue, please. Then, what happened?
A After a while, the Japanese would come back and take another
A Yes, 70.
Q Spell the translation.
A S-e-v-e-n-t-y.
Q Were there any Chinese there?
A No, sir, there were none.
Q Were all these Filipinos who were brought there civilians?
A Yes, sir.
Q After you were brought to this place near the Batangas Transportation Company, what happened?
A We were not brought to the Batangas Transportation Company.
Q Do you know where the office of the Batangas Transportation Company is?
A Yes, sir.
Q Which direction is the place where you were brought from the office of the Batangas Transportation Company?
A It was at the entrance of the town of Tanauan, just after we passed the boundary.
Q How far was that from the Batangas Transportation Company?
A To that place where we were brought?
Q Yes.
A More or less ½ kilometer.
Q After you got there, what happened?
A The Japanese took the men who were tied, three at a time, and they were brought to the eastern side.
Q Continue, please. Then, what happened?
A After a while, the Japanese would come back and take another
[p. 31]
three men and take them away to the same place or direction.
Q Could you see the place where the men were being taken to?
A Yes, sir.
Q Could you see what was happening to those people?
A I saw when I was already taken to that place.
Q What did you see when you were taken to that place?
A I saw that the men were being blindfolded and I was one of those who were blindfolded.
Q Before you were blindfolded, did you see any woman harmed by the Japanese?
A None.
Q After you were blindfolded, what happened next?
A After we were blindfolded, we were led towards the East, and I heard among my companions, many groans, and then afterwards, I was bayoneted and I fell into a pit or a well.
Q Were there other people in that well that you were thrown into?
A There were.
Q Could you tell how many were in that pit or well?
A More or less twenty.
Q How many times were you bayoneted?
A Many times.
Q How was it that you escaped from the pit?
A I regained consciousness and was able to untie myself and I climbed out of the pit.
Q Could you see the place where the men were being taken to?
A Yes, sir.
Q Could you see what was happening to those people?
A I saw when I was already taken to that place.
Q What did you see when you were taken to that place?
A I saw that the men were being blindfolded and I was one of those who were blindfolded.
Q Before you were blindfolded, did you see any woman harmed by the Japanese?
A None.
Q After you were blindfolded, what happened next?
A After we were blindfolded, we were led towards the East, and I heard among my companions, many groans, and then afterwards, I was bayoneted and I fell into a pit or a well.
Q Were there other people in that well that you were thrown into?
A There were.
Q Could you tell how many were in that pit or well?
A More or less twenty.
Q How many times were you bayoneted?
A Many times.
Q How was it that you escaped from the pit?
A I regained consciousness and was able to untie myself and I climbed out of the pit.
[p. 32]
Q How long did you remain in the pit before you were able to escape?
A When I was bayoneted, it was about 10 o’clock in the morning, and when I was able to escape, it was 3 o’clock the next morning.
Q Did you know any other people in that pit with you?
A Yes, sir.
Q Can you name some of them?
A Yes, sir.
Q Name some of them, please.
A Felipe Makihiya, Matilde Soteyra, Melchor Valencia, Severo Sandoval.
Q That is enough. Were those four people named killed at that time?
A Yes, sir, they were killed.
Q Do you know of any others, other than yourself, who escaped alive after being thrown into that pit?
A None, sir.
Q Would you please remove your shirt and show the Commission places where you state you were bayoneted?
A Yes, sir.
A When I was bayoneted, it was about 10 o’clock in the morning, and when I was able to escape, it was 3 o’clock the next morning.
Q Did you know any other people in that pit with you?
A Yes, sir.
Q Can you name some of them?
A Yes, sir.
Q Name some of them, please.
A Felipe Makihiya, Matilde Soteyra, Melchor Valencia, Severo Sandoval.
Q That is enough. Were those four people named killed at that time?
A Yes, sir, they were killed.
Q Do you know of any others, other than yourself, who escaped alive after being thrown into that pit?
A None, sir.
Q Would you please remove your shirt and show the Commission places where you state you were bayoneted?
A Yes, sir.
(Witness stands and removes shirt.)
Q Is this a bayonet wound here? (Indicating)
A Yes, sir.
A Yes, sir.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: Let the record show a scar on the left rib.
Q Is this a bayonet wound? (Indicating)
A Yes, sir.
A Yes, sir.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: Let the record show there is
[p. 33]
a scar on the left shoulder blade.
Q Is this a bayonet wound? (Indicating)
A Yes, sir.
Q Is this a bayonet wound? (Indicating)
A Yes, sir.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: Let the record show a scar on the left portion of the small of the back.
Q Is this a bayonet wound here? (Indicating)
A Yes, sir.
A Yes, sir.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: Let the record show another scar near the center of the small of the back.
Q Are there any other scars on you now?
A Yes, sir, here. (Indicating)
Q Is this a bayonet scar?
A Yes, sir.
Q And this one? (Indicating)
A Yes, sir.
A Yes, sir, here. (Indicating)
Q Is this a bayonet scar?
A Yes, sir.
Q And this one? (Indicating)
A Yes, sir.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: Let the record show two bayonet scars on the biceps of the left arm.
Q Could you please tell the Commission whether the two scars on the biceps of your left arm were caused by one and the same bayonet?
A Caused by one bayonet thrust.
Q Raise your arm, please. Is this a bayonet scar?
A Yes, sir.
A Caused by one bayonet thrust.
Q Raise your arm, please. Is this a bayonet scar?
A Yes, sir.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: Let the record show a scar above the left elbow.
Q Is this also one? (Indicating)
A Yes, sir.
Q And this? (Indicating)
A Yes, sir.
A Yes, sir.
Q And this? (Indicating)
A Yes, sir.
[p. 34]
Q And this? (Indicating)
A Yes, sir.
A Yes, sir.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: Let the record show the witness stated the three scars on his left chest were bayonet wounds.
Q Is this also a scar? (Indicating)
A Yes, sir.
Q Was that also caused by a bayonet?
A Yes, sir.
A Yes, sir.
Q Was that also caused by a bayonet?
A Yes, sir.
LIEUTENANT PHARR: Let the record show a fourth scar on the left side of the chest.
I have no further questions.
COLONEL WORTMAN: Cross-examination?
CAPTAIN GREER: No cross-examination.
COLONEL WORTMAN: Questions by the Commission?
COLONEL MADDEN: I have one question.
EXAMINATION BY THE COMMISSION
BY COLONEL MADDEN:
Q Were all of those scars shown the Commission separate bayonet wounds or were some cause by the bayonet entering one side of your body and coming out the other side?
A There were some bayonet thrusts that came out the other side of my body.
A There were some bayonet thrusts that came out the other side of my body.
COLONEL MADDEN: No further questions, Sir.
BY COLONEL WORTMAN:
Q Does the witness have any bayonet wounds on his body not exhibited to the Commission?
A No more, Sir.
A No more, Sir.
COLONEL WORTMAN: There appear to be no further questions. The witness is excused.
(Witness excused.)
Notes & References:
up> “Excerpts from the Testimony of Tomas Sandoval in U.S.A. v Mikio Taneichi, Yuzo Sakata, Taichi Yamada, and Bunji Kanto,” part of the U.S. Military Commission compilation of war crimes documentation, online at the Internet Archive.