Evening star., 1945-11-03
Two Witnesses Link
|YaInashifa Directly
with BruiaIiiies
- the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
MANILA, Nov. 3.-Lt, Gen.
Tomoyuki Yamashita was linked
today for the first time directly
with the brutalities OF the bar
barous troops he commanded.
A japanese interpreter who served
with the Kempei Tai military police
and the Filipino secretary Of
known collaboration with the enemy
both testified to Yamashita's knowl-
edge of the brutal doings of the Jap
anese soldiers in a stormy afternoon
session concluding the first week OF
Yamashita's trial as war criminal.
Narcisco Lapus, former secretary
to the exiled political general, Arte-
milo Ricarte, was brought into court
under guard from an internee prison
to testify that in conversations with
Ricarte, Yamashita affirmed his
order to wipe out all Filipinos."
Returned From Exile.
Ricarte returned from exile to the
Philippines in 1941 in the role of
''liaison and special envoy from jap
anese Premier Hideki TOTO to effect
the friendship and prepare the is
lands for independence under the
Japanese rule"
Lapus testified, over the strenuous
and repeated protests of the defense.
that the evidence was "hearsay four
times removed" that Ricarte con-
tacted Yamashita at least four times
In the latter months of the year, and
pleaded with him to spare the Phil
ippines from mass destruction and
slayings.
But, Lapus asserted, Yamashita
was firm in his order to the troops
to wipe out all Filipinos, as they
are no longer our friends. They now
are helping the guerrillas and are
100 per cent enemies of ours"
Yamashita Quoted.
Lapus said that from long and
intimate acquaintance he was sure
Ricarte had told him the truth and
that Ricarte quoted Yamashita di-
rectly in repeating the conversa-
tions.
Fermin Miyasaki, former inter-
prefer at the japanese military
police headquarters, told the United
States Military Commission hear
ing the accusations that Yamashita
commended his club welding police
for their "fne work"
The witness said Yamashita's
commendation was read during
ceremonies at the South Manila
japanese military police headquar-
ters last December.
Yamashita praised his police for
their fine work In the suppression
and arrest of Filipino guerrillas in
Manila and immediate vicinity, Mi
yasaki said.
The witness testified that he saw
at least 400 civilians come through
the police headquarters. Most of
them were given the third degree
and at least so were beaten and 80
subjected to the water treatment.
Girl Assails General.
! Inc Japanese general was sub
jected to hysterical tongue flashing
by 17-year-old Filipino, who had
related how blood-rmad Japanese
shot or beheaded more than 400
civilians In Manila February 10,
while American liberating troops
were forcing the invaders into last
stand in the city.
you ought to be hanged and cut
into little pieces" screamed Julieta
Milanes, pointing to Yamashita, her
cries throwing the hearing into mo-
mentary disorder. The Japanese
general sat unmoved, as usual.
you are laughing at me-" the girl
shouted at the general. after telling
of the day when her father, brother
and neighborhood friends were
dragged out to torture and death by
the Japanese.
More than 300 civilians were killed
and more than 100 wounded in the
Raco district atrocities that day, she
testified.
After her outburst the commits
sion requested an attendant to es-
cort Miss Milanes outside for a mo-
ment while she regained her COM
posI1re