The Case of Capt. Junsay.pdf

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extracted text: Page 8 THE MANILA GUARDIAN March, 1950 THE CASE OF CAPT. JUNSA Y By ARSENIO H. LACSON Congressmen, 2nd District of Manila There are men in this country, powerful men, whose main obsession is liberty. They are men who run our governmental affairs, men who dominate the community's social life, and who would perpetuate their hold on power by clim'bing, if necessary, over the broken bodies of those who would have none of them. These men have a peculiar concept of liberty. While to most of us liberty means the freedom of every man to do as he pleases with himself and the fruits of his labor, to these men, these powerful men, liberty means the freedom of some men to do as they please with other men and the fruits of other men's labors. That is why, in this country today, the government is on the verge of chaotic bankruptcy, that is why there is general bitterness in the wake of a so-called popular election, that is why the masses of our peoplf' are ready to join any movement which holds the promise of uprooting the present order. We all talk about the dangers of communism and the imminence of a red invasion of our country. And that, it seems, is all we can do: talk. For we are not doing any of the things, the really essential things, that wou!rl secure true democracy to our people and eliminate the dangers of communism. "Practical" politicians that they are, the men who run 'OUl' government have no use for such ideals as respect for human dignity and individual rights. adherence to constitutional processes, equality before the law, and amelioration of the worker, the landless and the oppl'essed. To these "realistic" politicians, these principles which alone could save us from chaos and destmction, are useful only in party platforms and campaign speeches: once in power, their only principle is to stay in powerit matters not how nor why. There is political discontent in this country. The majority of our people feel that they have been cheated of their right to elect public officials of their choice. Some of them feel insecure in their employment because of political persecution. Many are being impoverished because of the government's bungling interference with the economic laws that are basic to a free society. And almost everyone has lost respect for a government that has proved itself incompetent or unwilling to protect the dignity and security of its citizens. The leaders in ou1· govemment today have no right to talk about democracy after showing that they have neither the courage no1· the inclination to punish those who would win elections by fraud and terrorism. They have no right to talk about honesty when they themselves show little regard for probity. You can be sure, gentlemen, that unless proper remedies are initiated in time, this government will disintegrate, for the masses of the people that should give it strength and stability are demoralized. How can we talk of taking the lead in forming a -strong Asiatic bloc against communism when our own country itself totters under weig·ht of official abuse and stupidity? Only the othel' da,y, at the British Commonwealth Conference, Premier Pandit Nehru of India said that no barrier against Soviet imperialism in Southeast Asia can be effective until the states that woulcl l'aise it are politically content. And Nehru was right. The Philippines, for one, cannot expect to steer clear of red influence so long as it remains fertile soil for the growth of communism. What we have in this country today is a governmenl of corruption, designed for corruption, and maintainl'd hr brute force for corruption. Here might is the supreme power, and righteousness its abject slave. Right is whatever that pleases might, and wrong is whatever displeases might. In many parts of the country, we have become a police state, ruled by terror and force. Many men have fallen victims to such a regime. One of them- is Capt. Diosdado D. Junsay of the Philippine Constabulary. Allow me, gentlemen of this Con11,Tess, to refn·sh youi memory: Captain Junsay was with a group of Constabulary soldiers, members of the famous Nenita unit, who were arrested on October 20 sho1tly before the November elections in Si\ay, Negros Occidental. So far, there is nothing reasonably clear about this arrest, except the suspicion that the soldiers had some connection with a number of firearms and ammunition supposediv discovered by the local authorities in the hacienda of Nacionalista senatorial candidate Pedro Hel'naez. Soon after the arrest, the soldiers were investigated by the provincial authorities in a manner reminiscent of the incredible and terrifying years of the Japanese occupation. As a result of that investigation, the arrested constabularymen confessed to having conspired to commit Se· dition. Never have our people heard of a more enigmatic confeiilsion. The "guilty" soldiers were rendered inacessible to the press, no pictures could be taken of them. Stories that they had been tortured multiplied but were never denied to the satisfaction of the people. When a reporter from the "Manila Daily Bulletin" asked Governor Rafael Lacson what he had to say about these stol'ies that torture was being m;ed, the governor blandly replied that he had to have information. Torture, it seems, in the opinion of this sinister and despotic man, is a legitimate mearts of securing information. The report of the torture of .Captain Junsay and his men were published in the "Daily Minor" and the "Philippines Free Press" sho1tly before the elections. General Alberto Ramos, chief of the Constabulary of which Junsay is an officer, promptly denied the report. And yf't, this same General Ramos had been officially notified by Captain Nera, PC commandant of Camp Delgado, Iloilo City, that Junsa.v and his men were being tortured by Governor Lacson's special policemen. On October 26, Captain Nera wired General Ramos: DUC020 V DVC30 NR16 -0- 261305 GR 120 FM CAPT P NERA PC CAMP DELGADO JLOJLO CITY TO GEN ALBERTO RAMOS PC QC CITE NR WVZ JG DASH TWO "SENDING THIS REPORT DIRECTLY CONSIDERING IT NECESSARY FOR YOUR INFO ON· TIME ABOUT EXPLOSIVE SITUATION IN NEGROS OCC March, 1950 THE MANILA GUARDIAN Page 9 BETWEEN PC AND SPECIAL POLICE PD CAPT JUNSA Y AND HIS MEN ALL MEMBERS OF THE NENITA UNIT WERE REPORTEDLY SLAPPED MALTREATED BADLY AND HUMILIATED BY SPECIAL POLICE UNDErr CERTAIN MA.TOR RAMOS IN nACOLOD CITY CLN CAPT JUNSA Y WHILE BEING TREATED BY PC SURGEON INSIDE PC COMPOUND WAS TAKEN OUT BY SPECIAL l'OLICE AT THE POINT OF GREASE GUNS AND BROUGHT A WAY FOR FURTHER MALTREATMENT ACCORDING TO INFORMANT PC OFFICER CMA CA USING RESENTMENT TO BROTHERS IN ARMS PD IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT ALLEGED ABUSES AND MALTREAMENT MADE TO PC OFFICER AND MEN MAY CAUSE RESENTMENT AND RETALIATION BY PC PERSONNEL ESPECIALLY IF ABUSES WERE COMMITTED BY CIVILIANS CMA THIS REPORT IS MADE FOR WHAT IT MAY BE WORTH PD IN 11.0ILO CITY GOSSIPS OF THE DAY AMONG OFFICERS AND MEN ARE THE ALLEGED REPORTED ABUSES COMMITTED BY SPECIAL POLICEMEN OF NEGROS OCC PD Tl!E CAUSE OF PC TROUBLE IN STA LUCIA BARRACKS IN NINETEEN HUNDRED TWO ONE CAME ONLY FROM ONE EM END SGD CAPT NERA PASSED SISON." R-261530 FP /FS But Ramos refused to intervene'. He had, it seems, forgotten that he was a soldier, an officer and a gentleman. He had become a politician playing a particularly dirty brand of politics, and he had neither the courage, the decency, nor the manhood to prntest the manhandling of men under his command. The records of the PC itself •eveal the depths of degradation to which this chocolate soldier turned politician had sunk. From the files of the PC we read the following wire addressed to Ramos: DU20 V DVC20 NR 4 -0- 26214!'i GR CLR FM ZC FVZ CEBU CITY TO GEN RAMOS GHQ PC CITE SVC "FOL RUSH TELEGRAM FM SEC EVANGELJSTA RECD TODAY OCT TWO SIX BY HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT QUIRINO QUOTE FOL TELEGRAM ADDRESSED TO YOU RECD TODAY FM GOV GALLEGO OF CAM SUR REQUOTE GEN RAMOS LAST MONDAY ASGD C.<\PT VELARDE COMDR IN ACCORDANCE OUR JOINT REQUEST APPROVED BY YOUR EXCELLENCY YESTERDAY BUT ANOTHER COMDR COL JJE LEON ASSUMED OFFICE STOP CONSIDER NEW ARRANGEMENT COMPLETE SABOTAGE AGAINST PARTY STOP REQUEST YOUR EXCELLENCY IMDTLY ORDER GEN RAMOS REASGN CAPT VELARDE AS COMDR FOR GOOD SERVICE UNQUOTE SGD EVANGEI.18TA PARA PRESIDENT DESIRES THAT CAPT VELARDE BE ASGD AS PROVL COMDR CAM SUR ORIGINALLY ARRANGED PD SGD LAURO HERNANDEZ PAHA GEN RAl\'IOS AYE WAS PEHSONALLY PRESENT WHEN PRES QUIRINO DIC'! ATED THIS RADIOGJ~AM SIR IN THE ROOM OF GOV CUENCOS HOUSE ENIJ SGD OPPUS." TOR 262210 RM/XR And here is another wire sent to Hamos 'by Governor Gallego of Camarincs Sur: HPC V PCM NR 3632 AM 38 PAID - UHGENT ·NAGA CITY OCT 27/49 GEN RAMOS GHQ PC CC QC "MADRIGAL WIRElJ YOUR APPROVAL IMMEDIATE RETURN CAPT VELARDE AS COMMANDER STOP UNLESS YOU Ol{DER TODAY VELAIWE'S HETURN CANlHDATES PHILA MF.LlTON AND MYSELF WILL ATIANDON CAMPAIGN TO CONFEH PRESIDENT PLS WIRE UHGENTLY REPLY. GOVERNOR GALLEGO." TOR 271005 DP ;cs HPS TT And here we find Ramos prithetically prntesting to President Quirino his unswerving loyalty to the Liberal Party: CofC 27 OCTOBER Hl49 CLEAR RUSH 7383 FROM: GHQ PC SGD RAMOS TO: PC LEYTE PASS TO: HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT QUIRINO T ACLOBAN, LEYTE "RECEIVED RADIOGRAM TRANSMITTING MESSAGE OF GOV GALLEGO TO SEC EVANGELISTA REGARDING ASSIGNMENT PR\'L COMDR CAMARINES SUR PD AYE PROTEST VIGOROUSLY AGAINST GOV GALLEGO'S INSINUATION MY SABOTAGING PARTY PD FOR YOUR INFO AM NOT AWARE OF ANY RECENT ARRANGEMENT WITh GOV GALLEGO TO HAVE CAPT VELARDE ACT AS PRVL COMDR OF CAMARINES SUR PD IF GOV GALLEGO IS GENTLE- MAN, ENOUGH INSTEAD OF ACCUSING ME OF SABOTAGING PARTY FOR WHICH AYE HAVE NO REASON OR CAUSE HE SHOULD ADMIT THAT HE HAS AGHEED WITH ME BEFORE TO HAVE COL DE LEON TAKE CHARGE OF PC OFFICE CAMARINES SUR WHEN ELECTION T!ME IS NEAHING AS AYE CONSIDER CAPT VELARDE INCOMPETENT TO HOLD OFFICE PC CAMARINES SUR DURING THIS TIME PD MEANTIME AM RECALLING COL DE LEON TO MANILA PD. SGD GENERAL HA~!OS." OFFICIAL: GOZUN And now, in the wake of the hue and cry raised by the press following Junsay's shocking revelations at the court-martial of Col. Valeriano, this General who has thus disgraced the military profession, has the effrontery and the hypocrisy to go through the farce of at last lodging a protest with the Department of Interior to allay public indignation. "The inflict10n of torture," the old }\ypocrite piously points out in his letter to the Intei·ior Department, "to extort confession is horrible. . . considering that it involves fundamental human rights." And yet, as far back as October 26, Gener&.! Ramos already knew that Captain Junsay anci the Nenita soldiers arrested in Negrns were being tortured, and he had done nothing about it. But when his brother-in-law, a retired army officer, was reported beaten up by Governot· Lacson's special police a few days ago, Ramos immediately lost no time in ordering an investigation. There is strong evidence that. the veritable arsenal of guns supposedly d:scovered in t11t Hernaez hacienda were planted by Governor Lacson's men themselves with the full knowledge and connivance of Colonel Navarrete, PC provincial command~r of Negros and known in that province as Rafael Lacson's service dog. On October 21st, the d:w following Junsay's arrest, Colonel Navarrete, in a wire to GHQ through the West Visayan Zone command, listed the firearms confiscated from the Nenita soldiers as follows: nuc20 v DVC30 NR 5 0 210910 GR 686 FHOM: PC NEG OCC PROV PC TO ZC \\'VZ PC PASS TO TAG GHQ PC CITE NR ONE FIVE FOUR SIX PD Report received by this Hq that a grou11 of armed men were assembled early yesterday morning twenty oct four nine at Hda of Pedro Hernaez at barrio Naga, Silay this March, 1950 THE MANILA GUARDIAN Page 15 The Case of Capt. Junsay (Continued from page 9) province. A combiP.ed patrol of PC and temporary policemen led ey Captain Infante with the armored car was sent to verify and take action. The patrol apprehended the following: Capt Diosdado Junsay, CO "C" Company, 1st PC bn Combat Team, S/Sgt Angelico Arante, Cpl Evaristo Anoos, Cpl Maximo de la Cruz, Pvt Elpidio Saron, Pfc Jose Gemenia, Pfc Constancifl Miranda, Pfc Pacifico Manuel, T/Sgt Guillermo Cuevas, Cpl Claudio Divino, all of "C" Company; Cpl Prudencio Centeno, Cpl Blandino 1o~rias, Cpl Teodorico de Guzman, T/Sgt Pedro Gutierrez, T-Sgt Simplicio Dumbrique, Sgt Arturo Atienza, Sgt Venancio Paro\an, T-Sgt Antonio Quintos, S-Sgt Efren Bugia, T-Sgt Paulino Miranda, $-Sgt Fernandino Tamontamon all of S-2 .Section, 1st Pc Bn Combat Team, and nine civilians namely Alfred Maqnelan, Sebastian Mosquera, Amador Molanoday, Felipe Salv~dor, Pablo Fuentes, Angeles Magbanua, Bernardo Herrera, Cesar Tesoro, and Jose Tarrosa all of this province. Following firearms were confiscated from Pfc Constancio Miranda: one (1) pistol cal 45; Pvt Elpidio Saron, J pistor cal 45; 'f-Sgt Simplkio Dumbrique, one (1) revolver commando type cal 38; and Cpl Teodorfoo de Guzman, one (1) pistol cal 45, (1) new grease gun with one loaded magazine owner unknown, and several rounds of ammunitions cal 45 and 30 cal. carbine found in their individual bag and suit cases. Pedro Gutienez, Efren Buya and Bernardino Tamontamon claimed to have been in this province since 15 Oct 49 as security guards of Pedro Hernaez upon instruction of Lt Col Valeriano. The above three enlisted men have been staying at the residence of Hernae1, at Bacolod Cit,y. At 0700 hours, 20 Oct 49 said three Em rode in the car of Emilio Infante and joined their comrad&s at the Hda of Hernaez at Naga, Silay. Captain· Junsay with 9 Em from his unit and 8 Em from the S-2 Sec. 1st PC Bn Combat Team arrived at Pulupandan, Neg Occ 0400 h1·s yesterday via PNP Boat submarine chaser. From Pulupandan, Captain Junsay with 17 proceeded to Hacienda of Hernaez at Nagga, Silay arriving thereat on or about 0600 hours. At 0700 hours, above officers and Em were joined by the three (3) Em mentioned. Captain Junsay and 17 Em claimed to lbe on e m e r g e n c y pass. Their presence at the Hda of Hernaez is due to the invitation extended by Hernaez to Captain Sunsay while in Manila. Captain Junsay and these Em claimed to have boarded the PNP boat at Dewey Boulevard on recommendation of Lt CCJl Valeriano. Above officer and Em are now under custody pending inye.;;tigation of their presence at the Hda of Hernaez together with 12 armed Tagalogs and 11 armed Visayans. These Tagalogs and Visayans have escaped during the raid with their arms. Provincial Fiscal this Province is conducting his investigation to determine their criminal liabilities. Request verification of the allegation of these PC personnel and their authority to sta,y in this province. Sgd. NAVARRETE. RECEIVED: 211446 These were the only weapons found when the Nenita boys were arrested. But later on, the detained soldiers were photographed with a veritable arsenal of tommyguns and grease guns heaped in front of them, the same guns supposedly discovered in the Hernaez hacienda. 'I'hese planted weap01is, together with the confessions of "guilty" extracted from the defendants by torture were used as a pretext and a justification for the reign of terror that followed in Negros Occidental. On November 22, thirty-three days after his arrest, ga, Silay arriving thereat on or about 0600 hours. At Junsay received a visit from Colonel Navarrete. Navarrete gave Junsay a package of Camel cigarretes and casually inquired about his health. · "Are you alright, now?" Navarrete asked Junsay. When .Junsay arrived in Manila on November 24, Navarrete was at the airport to receive him with a group of Lacson's special thugs. "Don't involve me," Navarrete warned Junsay, "because if you ever return to Negros you will be liquidated." What an officer and a gentleman this Colonel Navarrete is! General Alberto Ramos must be very proud of him! And as for Lacson's hoodlums, one has to look to the gangsters of Nazi German,y and to the pithecoid savages of Japan for examples to match the bestial cruelty, the physical sadism with which they have treated their helpless prisoners. Nowhere in the Philippines has the deliberate degradation of man been so thoroughly systemized a8 by Lacson's special police. Animals in the jungle kill only when they are hungry or attacked; they derive no pleasure from mutilating their victims. Lacson's special police apparently enjoyed inflicting torture on their victims, watching them with relish· as they squirmed in agony and screamed. These are a new breed of men, the matrix in which . all th,e petty satraps of tyranny are cast. We have known the type during the Japanese occupation, and all of us have experienced the chilling horror of living under a regime in which liberty and life itself la,y at the caprice of men from this mould. We had thought that never again, after the defeat of fascism, would we see men like these. They give us a grim idea of the forces that we must cope with if we are to preserve real democracy in the Philippines. But let us resume: In Manila, Junsay's body showed telltale marks of vicious manhandling. He complained of pains. Two of his ri'bs, he said, were broken. He limped when he walked. He was photographed by a "Daily Mirror" photographer sitting in front of the mess hall of the Central Luzon Headquarters at Camp Dilliman. He could not be investigated at the time because, as the "Daily Mirror" put it, "he was unable to negotiate the distance from his quarters at the Dilliman mess hall to the investigator's office, a distance of about 150 meters." Junsay was confined at the V. Luna Hospital, but not even his wife and relatives could visit him until after two days. His case was described as highly confidential. And it must be a highly confidential case indeed when the Chief of the Constabulary himself, General Alberto Ramos, refused to be bothered at the time he was informed that one of his officers was being tortured in Bacolod by civilians in the employ of the provincial governor. It must be a confidential case indeed when the President of the Republic, who is the commander-in-chief of all the armed forces, apprised of the torture being administered to Captain Junsay, chose to keep his peace and made no move to find out for himself if his governm,ent's agents had reverted to atrocities to gain their ends. After the election was "won," a Philippine Army plane was sent to Negros to bring Captain Junsay to Manila. The Negros authorities refused to release Junsay without the previous approval of Governor Lacson. On November 24, Captain Junsay was finally brought to Manila, and the whole ugly and revolting story of how he and the Nenita soldiers had been brutally manhandled and subjected to all sorts of indignity came out. It was a story to curdle the blood, a story out of tht> Japanese occupation, a story that could only have come from the Dark Ages when man was still a savage and a brute. There were two things that Captain Junsay revealed upon his arrival. He repudiated his confession of guilt, shouting to all the world that he had no part in the .alleged conspiracy to commit sedition, and charged his tormentors Page 16 THE MANILA GUARDIAN March, 1950 with having obtained his confession by brute force. He named Governor Lacson as the instigator of his torture. He pointed to a certain Ramos, head of the governor's special policemen, to the chauffeur and two sons of the Governor as the actual leaders of the thugs who had manhandled him. Junsay was arrestC'd on October 20. For two weeks, 14 days and nights of bloodstainc>d blackness and despair in which the outside world had ceased to exist, Junsay was beaten, clubbed with rifle and pistol butts, punched and kicked by his inquisitors until he had to spit blood continuously. He was thrown in jail in his battered condition, without medical aid. and nursed only by his fellow prisoners. On the very day of his arrest he was told that Col. Na\'arrete wanted to see him. Instead he was laken by Governor Lacson's special police to the house of Hernan in Bacolod and there questioned· and systematically manhandled for more than two hours. During the inquisition, fists would crash repeatedly into his face. Kicks and pistol and carbine butts expertly wielded would send him sprawling to the floor. Hands would pick him up, aild every time he straightened, a knee would smash into his abdomen. He was beaten and clubbed mC'rCiJPssly, until he collapsed. From there, Junsay was brought to the provincial jail where Colonel Navarrete condescended to visit him. Jun, say begged his superior officer that he be placed under the latter's custody to avoid further manhandling. Navarrete's answer was that he was going "to consult Governor Lacson." While Navarrete was presumably consulting the governor, Junsay was thrown in solitary, and despite the fact that he was bleeding continuously, and could not walk as a result of the beatings he had received, he was refused medical attention. The next morning. T ,ac.son's special police took him to lhe provincial fiscal .and thC're at the point of guns showerC'd him with abuse and told him hf' would be killc:>d unle&s he said what they wanted him to say. Incidentally, this same provincial fiscal. according to Junsay, activc:>ly, participated in the maltrc:>atment of the Nenita boys." Close to the breaking point, Junsay finally gave the statr'mC'nt they demanded of him, and again begged that he he placed under the custody of Colonel Navarrete. Again, Navarretc's answer was that he was going to consult Governor Lacson first." Later on, Junsay was taken to the barr<'!.cks of the 43rd PC Co., where he was given a glass of milk-he could not even cat goJid food: the inside of his mouth and his gum!,; wen' shattered and his lips torn and lacerated from the blows he had received in the face. While Junsay was' lying semi-conscious, Colonel Asistio, Constabulary chief of intelligence, accompanied by Captain Marcelo, visited him. These two worthies, in the presence of Lacson's special policemen, advised Junsay to admit that he was in Negros for the purpose of organizing combat teams for the Nacionalistas. "They wanted to discredit Colonel Valeriano and ruin his army career," Junsay said, "and they forced me to sign a statement on pain of committing me back to the provincial jail and leaving me at the mercy of Lacson's special police. They said I was going to be taken for a ride and killed while conveniently trying to escape." Junsay also disclosed, and this has been confirmed by the Nenita men, that one of the soldiers who had formerly served under Asistio, half-paralyzed from the waist down because of blows administered at the base of his spine with carbine butts, dragged himself towards Asistio's feet and piteously begged him to intervene. Asistio refused. The next night, Captain Orlanes and Major Ancajas of the 43rd woke up Junsay around midnight and informed him that on orders of Colonel Navarrete, he was going to be brought ,back to the provincial jail. Junsay was carried in an army cot-he could not walk due to his injuries -and loaded aboard an army truck by Lacson's special policemen. On the way to the provincial jail, his escorts amused themselves by hitting him with the butts of their carbines and alternately threatening and taunting him. At the provincial jail, they turned uPside down the army cot on which Junsay was lying, dumped him on the ground, and he lay sprawling, proceeded to jump on his chest and stomach, and beat and kicked him until he lost consciousness. When Junsay came to at about 4 in the morning, he found himself stretched in the vi!Oiting room of the provincial hospital. The special police guarding him passed the time taunting their helpless victim, cursing him, kicking him and spitting on him. Junsay begged the provincial warden to place him in solitary confinement so as to avoid further beatings and humiliation, and the warden humanely granted the request. For two days, Junsay's tormentors left him alone. He asked for medical attention but his request was refused. When his captors felt that he was sufficiently strong, they dragged him with curses and kicks to the provincial capitol where one of Governor Lacson's trusted men, Maneng Diaz, _a former spy for the Jap during the occupation, practiced on .Jungay's battered body the refinements of torture he had learned from his former Jap masters. For one hellish hour, Junsay suffered the torments of the damned until mercifully, he fainted. When he woke up, he was made to sign papers the contents of which he didn't even know. "No one under a democracy," Junsay say£ with bitterness, "was treated so barbarously as I was treated. I was kicked and beaten Jike a dog." This is the case of Captain Junsay, and it is a strong il).dictment against our government. If the press had not kept asking, and asking whether Junsay was still alive or dead, he would not be around today. And no questions would have been officially asked. Captain Junsay was mauled and maimed on suspicion. The ordinary guarantees vouschafed by the Constitution were denied him. A military officer, he was a victim of his own organization's perfidy. He was tortured and allowed to remain in torture, to help justify a reign of fraud and terrorism in Negros Occidental that made certain victory in the elections. It is only the kind of government we have today, this government that apparently worships force and ignores justice, that can tolerate the infamy which is the Junsay case. We speak of democracy without end, and yet we close our eyes to the most flagrant Violation of democratic principles. We rant about internal peace and unity, and yet let go unpunished those who are responsible for internal chaos. We refer to the Constitution as a sacred document, and yet those of us who should lead the people in assuring respect for the Constitution are the very persons who exhibit an absolute disregard for it. Take Governor Lacson. What manner of creature is he? Here is a man who has sworn to perform his official duties conscientiousl,y and according to the laws of the land. And yet in his blind subservience to the men whom he serves, he would lend himself to the perpetration of election frauds, for the persecution of his fellow men, for violent assaults on all who do not share his pl'rverte.d principles. For the duration of the election period, Governor Rafael Lacson pledged his loyalty to his presidential candidate and openly boasted that his will would be obeyr-d in his province by anybody and everybody. He mObilized special guards and freely spent government money toward this end. He committed one: abuse after another, dumped his official dignity tO the ashcan, sacrificed comMarch, 1950 THE MANILA GUARDIAN Page 17 mon feelings of humanity for a temporary advantage, and in every respect discredited the government which he represents. And yet today, Governor Lacson is still a hero to this government. If a man completely devoid of high principles, total~y without shame, ruled by his savage hunger for power and not by his sense of righteousness-if such a man can remain a hero for long to this government, what sort of government do we have anyway? Gentlemen of this Congress, we are the direct representatives of the people, and it is our sacred duty to restore the people's faith and confidence in their government. The case of Captain Junsay involves a clear and fundamental violation of the Revised Penal Code and the most cherished liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. Inasmuch as the administrative investigation of this case has only been belatedly ordered, and the participation of members of the Constabulary in the despicable beating of their fellow officer and comrade in arms creates doubts in the public mind as to the impartiality of an administrative investigation, this Congress should see to it that· a separate congressional probe be instituted. This Congress has the power to supel'vise the execution of executive functions, the duty to enact legislation to implement and protect the rights guaranteed by our Constitution, and the obligatio~ to turn the spotlight of public opinion on cunent events, for as James Madison has said, in the final analysis, the chief palladium of constitutional liberty is the people whose representatives we are, the people who are the authors of this blessing must also be its guardians, and their eyes must be ready to mark, their voice to denounce aggression on the authority of their constitution. This House cannot allow such barbaric practice as those emplo,yed in the Junsay case to continue. I therefore ask and so move that a committee of five be created, two of them to be appointed by the Speaker under nomination of the minority party and three under nomination of the majority party with full powers to investigate th~ case of Captain Junsay and his men, 8-nd the prevalence of the practice of extorting confessions by force by law enforcing agencies of the country, to determine and fix the responsibility therefor, and to report the results of its investigation to the House with recommendations concerning the measure to be adopted to implement the constitution rights of our people. Elias. . . (Continued from page 14) "No, don't talk like that. I am not tired of your friendship. God knows that I am satisfied with my lot. I only desire health that I may work. I don't envy the rich, their wealth, but ... " '.'But what?" "Nothing-I envy them nothing so long as I have· your friendship." "Salome," replied the youth with bitter sorrow. "You know my cruel past and that my misfortune is not my work. If it were not for the fatality which at times makes of the Jove of my parents with bitterness, if it were not that I don't want my children to suffer what my sister and I suffered, you would have been my wife in the eyes of God. But for the sake of this very love, for the sake of this future family, I have sworn to end with myself Lhe misfortune that we haYe been inheriting from father to son, and it is better that (Continued on page 22) Help Raise Funds For Charitable, Health and Welfare Institutions! APRIL 2a, H150 DllA'W Sales Quota P'2,500,000 }.'irsL Prize ................ Pl50,000 Second Prha' Third Prize . 75,000 37,500 6 I<'ourth Prizes at . l Charity Prize . 12,000 each 22,·1-70.75 AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER PRIZES TICKETS ARE NOW 0:-1 SALE Co.s•t per booklet of 10 tickets .......... P3 I.4!i Profit per booklet 8.55 Prizes to agents 6o/o of the pri7,es from the first down to the eighth and Charity prize if full quota. is covered. SAVE A LIFE AND WIN A PRIZE PHILIPPINE CHARITY SWEEPSTAKES 1893 Rizal Avenue, Manila General Manager ... Assistant General Manager . Secretary, Board of Dir.ectors T.els: 2-73-95 2-73-91 2-78-72 TUNE IN: Station DZPI at +:45 to 5:00 P.M. Every Sunday For PhilijJpine Charity Sweepstakes Program. Pri:.e Claimants Are Required to Present Their I I 1950 Residence Certificates in Collecting 1,,.: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ T;;;;/;;;;ie;;;;;,;;;;. ;;;;P;;;;ri_;;;;,e;;;;.<. __ ...,_...,,._.._..__~_. Page 22 THE MANILA GUARDIAN Manh, 1950 We have behind us the lesson of Hl41 an<l we can im· prove much upon that lesson in carrying 01..1t the traffic movement of our scattered reservists. We have the same postal, telephone and telegraph, and the better equipped, expanded and improved nets of wireless to direct the traffic. Our land, 'vater and air transportation are also now with better and increased equipments, and c~n be brought into the service of mobilization and continuing defense necessity. No doubt, all can be immeasurably utilized to serve the procurement and delivery end of our man-powe1 to the army, this time, schooled and more efficient. But, again, this ferret out how much thf' defense authority has move toward a direction of lining up, acquainting, and bringing these national equipment into ready availability in the interest of mobilization or al'my use. It is doubtful that there is any. We know of no significant measure taken by those in authority to reduce this orohlf!m and work it out to the highest advantage of the military. We cannot be too early about this thing, as in all others, under the international clouds. that we arc iu these days. The Receiving Disposition of the Anny, - Whim material is made available and the man-power is collected and delivered to the a1my, mobilization as a civil function ceases. From there the arnw administration takes over. But for the army to be in the position to take over, it must have, perforce, provided for the adequatC' installation of mobilization and training centers all ovcr the country for the l'eception and refresher training of the reservists. At these places the rese1·vists will be sheltered, fed, clothe•1 and equipped, and cared of health meanwhile that they undergo the change to make them ship-shape for final direction to their divisional cantonments or to battle stations. Rightly putting it, this is the phase where general mobilizations anchor ultimately. The military authority have, perhaps, mapped out and designated the sites.of these mobilization and training cent~rs. But are these centers equipped and prepared to receive reservists? Equipping and preparing of these installations is not limited to the quartering facilities of men and officers but extended as far as meanil~g ready and competent camp complements to operate and administer these centers, ready stores with adequate stocks for imme· diate and continuing issuance, and ready trains and convoy units essential to troops and suppl.y movements. Winding up.-Scarcely :i year and a half after the Philippine Gommonwealth started the program of nationvl defense, it saw fit to stage, and as a matter r·f fact it successfully staged, a practice mobilization. From then it carried it on from year to year until in 194J, beyond the expectation of even th~ most advised in the government, the Commonwealth was complemented for its efforts the past four years in the descent of the need of a real and wa1· caused mobilization. The sign of the t;me that ha,J influenced our government then to take those early steps to gear for mobilization is not more telling than as it is now. Neither is the cost of holding one, relatively with our sta~ of finance then and our finance now, less prohibitive than it is now. It is only the masterhig sense that a practice mobilization is the ultimate thesis with which to grade our reserve system of training from year to year that so inspired our military planners at that time to stage those dry runs. Yet, this is the fourth year of the Republic, and the fifth since liberation ,wd our reestablishment; it is a bit alarmingly striking that we ha\'(' not one practice mobilization to rate the cohesive soundness and efficiency of our reserve upon whicl! we can only rely in its possession of that wielded state. To wind up, this is what last we may hoJJC our military policy makers and defense planners ma:1 have in mim: to lbe g·uided by: The implication of our H:scn'c systc>tli of national defense essays a concept that the rescrvc branc~i Elias .... (Continued from page 17) it should be so, for neither you nor I would wish to hear our children lament our love, which would only bequeath them misery. You dO well to go to the house of your relatives. Forget me, forget a love so mad and futile. Perhaps you'll meet there one who is not like me." uElias !" exclaimed the girl reproachfully. "You have misunderstood me. In my· words, there is no complaint against you. Take my advice, go home to your relatives ... Here you have no one but me, and the day when I fall into the hands of my ptlrsuers, you will be left alone and alone for the rest of your life. Improve your youth and beauty to get a good husband, such as you deserve, for you don't' know what it is to live among men." "I was thinking that you might go with me." "Alas!" rejoined Elias shaking his head. 11 Impossible, and more so than ever. . . I haven't yet found what I came here to seek-it's impossible! Today I forfeited my liberty." He related the incidents of the picnic and fish· ing expedition that morning, and told her how Crisostomo Ibarra saved his life from the jaws of a caym.an (crocodile). He was so grateful, and vowed that he would repay the good deed of Ibarra, even though it would cost him his life, He said that anywhere he woul<l go, even in Mindoro, the past would still be discovered. "Well, then," Salome said to him as she Looked at him tenderly, jj At least after I am gone, live here, live in this house. It wi11 make you remember me and I will not think in that distant land that the hurricane has carried my hut into the water. When my thougths turn to these shores, that memory of you and of my house will appear to me together. Sleep where I have slept and dreamed-it will be as though I were beside you ... " "Oh!" exclaimed Elias, waving his hand in desperation. "Woman, you'll make me forget." Freeing himself from the girl's clasp, he left nastily and was soon lost amid the lengthening shadows of the trees now silent and still at twilight. Salome followed his. fleeing form with her gaze, as she stood listlesslr,.i listening to the sound of his footsteps that slowly faded away. of our armed forces does not exist for the regular branch but, rather, the regular exist mainly owing to and for the reserve. The regular can only find the reflection of its soundness and readiness to meet a war eme:-gency in the cohesive and responsive soundness of the rese,·vc for which it exist. There stands absolutely no motive at all -to maintain a regular standing force in our inability to maintain, preserve to usefulness, and provide for the <:<dequate ant1 timely transformation of the reserve from its civ·il isola tion to a muss of rollin,£\· divisions nnli t:1sl, l-',Toup.-: fo,· effective defense.
Date: 1950
Rights