Evening star., 1901-06-12
JUSTICE TO THE FILIPINOS
RECORDS RECEIVED OF Several
CRIMINAL CASES
ihhuman Methods of Partisan War
tare Denounced-Sentenc Conn
muted and Confirmed

Several criminal cases in the Philfnpines
have been reported to the War Department
native, named Taborcio MaboIa. was con-
Victed by a military commission of murder
and sentenced to death by hanging II an
peared from the record that the accused
belonged to an armed band that secretly
assembled within territory occupied bv
American troops and watching it's opnor-
tuhlty attacked party of four native
poicelheh' VINO mad been sent out to OBJ
tain wood, and killed one outright and emf
on the arm of another one as he fed for
his life. The friendly services of these
poNcemen to the American troops appeared
TO be the cause of the murderous attack
upon them.
Such savage and inhuman methods of un
laWiuI partisan warfare" says Gen. Mac
ArIhur, m his review of the case, fan
under the condemnation of all Law apd
under the laws of war and military govern
ment all who SO offend are subject to the
penalty OF death. The accused does NOT
however, appear as an instigator of or
eager participant in this crime While his
presence as one of the band brings him
under the condemnation of the law. the
reviewing authority nevertheless is in
cilneo 10 give weight to the impression that
ms presence was more from duress than
from Willful and malicious motive The
sentence is confirmed. but is commuted TO
confinement at hard labor for a period OF
Leader of Lndrones Convicted
In another case native named Angus
tus Miranda was found by a military COM
mission guilty of murder and robbery and
sentenced to death by hanging The facts
IN the case are stated in General Mac
Arthurs review as follows;
1T appears that the accused Augustus
Miranda, was the leader of an armed hand
Oh ladrones, whose unlawful operations were
carried on in the vicinity of Santa Ana.
Gan Luls and adjacent localities. About
November %. 1899, the band, led bv the
accused, ambushed shot and boloed TO
death and robbed of their money. two
brothers, Adelardo Alfaro and Ricardo Al
faro, the accused personally firing one of
the fatal shots. On the Sd of February
1899. the accused led his band against the
country house of one Pascual Tison, set II
ahre' looted its contents and carried off
into the fields three daughters of the
owner, from whom they also robbed their
earrings, diamonds and rings. Three days
later the accused and his band attacked
the town house of Pascual Tison and thor
oughly sacked ii. In the latter part of Oc-
tober, 1899, accused and two armed fol-
lowers, prompted by his inamorata. who
Kept gambling house, carried off and
cruelty shot one Jose Rivera, who was
then boloed until dead by the compantons
of accused, and this for the sole reason
that their victim was unable at that time
to pay his gambling debts. There is no
evidence of record relating to the murder
of Jose Abelinoz, and the finding of the
commission upon the specification to the
hrst charge so far as 1t relates to him is
dlsapproved. The sentence approved by
the department commander is confirmed
and will be duly executed at the pueblo
of Santa Ana, province of Pambanga,
Luzon, P. l., under the direction of the
commanding general, department of south
ern LuZon."
In Company of Deserters.
Among the other cases reported to the
War Department is that of Jose Berenguer.
a Spaniard, who was convicted by a milf
tary commission of assisting in the de-
sertion Of American soldiers and sentenced
to ten years Imprisonment at hard labor
In reviewing the case, General Wade, COM
manding the department of southern Luzon,
says that IT appears that the accused was
forced to go with three deserters from the
United States army, but that when a
favorable opportunity presented itself he
left them and that 1t was largely through
his efforts that they were captured. Such
being the case" says General Wade "it
would seem that the accused should not
have been brought to trial or having been
brought to trial, should have been ac-
quilted" He, therefore, disapproved the
proceedings Of the commission and ordered
the release of the prisoner.