Today in the Past

Today, January 17, 1901, Emilio Aguinaldo issues a manifesto protesting American cruelties in the Philippines-American War.

General Tomas Mascardo, political and military governor of Zambales and Bataan, issued a manifesto of July 1, 1900, calling attention to a series of cruelties which the Americans inflicted on the persons of defenseless Filipino who fell into their hands.

Aguinaldo issued, on his part, on January 17, 1901, the following protest:

"The heart-breaking sighs of the oppressed and of their families, and the energetic protests of all the Filipino people reach me in my distant camp, because of the unequalled cruelties and the cynical violations of the most elemental laws of war perpetrated by the imperialists, who, on the pretext that the unfortunate victims have killed an American, hang the prisoners of war in a way which is repugnant to humanity, the agony lasting fifteen minutes, according to the Manila press which is under censorship; or else inflict upon them unheard-of tortures, according to the testimony of my commanding generals; and as if all these were not enough, the military governor of the invading, out of the jurisdiction of the law, not only the Filipinos who are in arms protest, but also the peaceful non-combatants, who are made prisoners or deported without being tried, almost always with no other purpose than to ransack their houses and treasures, or to hope for indemnity or bribe for their freedom..."