Librada M. Avelino |
1901 - Emilio F. Aguinaldo, Philippine President on-the-guerrilla-run, issues a manifesto condemning the atrocities committed by the forces of the imperialist Bald Eagle nation nearly two years into the bloody and protracted Filipino-American War (1899-1914); the manifesto comes some two months before Aguinaldo would be traitorously captured by the enemy Americans with help from Macabebe scouts; Aguinaldo, who earlier stupidly allowed the free entry of American soldiers in the Southeast Asian archipelago in the belief that the United States was Filipinos' ally against colonial Spain, particularly condemned the barbaric execution style of the imperialist Americans, to wit:
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.
Photo credits:
http://www.collectibles-articles.com/antique/Philippine-American-War-EXECUTION-Hanging-Bilibid-priso_330508238144.html
http://dreamcatcherrye.blogspot.com/2010/03/leading-filipino-women_236.html
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