At 0100 last night a mosquito slipped into a friend's mosquito net and buzzed him into a fury. He turned on the light and spent three minutes trying to swat the bug. An inquisitive sentry banged on the door, politely inquired as to the whereabouts of the honorable light, and then insisted on entering for an inspection. Just before leaving he poked his flashlight into a closet and discovered a woman hiding there in fear. It took my friend a half-hour to convince the sentry not to take his wife away.

The latest from Paco Gutierrez: Homma was cremated yesterday after committing suicide for his failure to take Bataan! Paco almost tells it like a joke though Homma may indeed be in trouble.

A friend swears he knows why many soldiers were about in Rizal Avenue and Plaza Goiti: six truckloads of wounded Japanese soldiers were passing through the area. All windows facing the route were ordered closed till 1700. The janitor at the Philippine Women's University on Taft Avenue saw the first batch of wounded being unloaded then looked no more. I tuned in to VoF and got it clear as a bell. Here's MacArthur's communiqué as best as I could take it down:

The enemy has definitely recoiled from the bloody front on which he has so desperately assayed in the last three weeks to penetrate our front lines. Yesterday our light forces swept the enemy back one to eight kilometers on six fronts. There is every indication that the gory battle of mobile forces in Bataan has come to an end in victory for our forces. The enemy is in position to continue the siege or build up for another attack. Whatever his decision, his death roll, casualties and sick list increases and mounts day by day.

Tie that in with Paco's report and what do you get? But there's more yet. Feliciano popped into the store this afternoon after being forced to turn back at Calumpit. He had obtained all the correct passes and hired a big truck for his trip north, but Japanese guards were adamant: no one could get through. A two-star officer said he had orders to prevent anyone going north for two whole days, so "Please come back Saturday."

"By golly, I had to turn around and come back here," said Feliciano. "I hired this truck for P300 and now I'm a poor man."

At 1500 today, all of Rizal Avenue was cleared of traffic. Orders were issued for all stores to close, for second story windows to be barred, and for the people to return home. No one was allowed to leave the Escolta between 1600 and 1845. A Police officer told Schaer to keep his second story windows closed between 1600 and noon tomorrow — "official orders."

I closed at 1700 and, unable to go home, went to Schaer's. Normally about to close and empty by 1700, the Astoria had 37 customers including Katsuya and nine other Japanese! Katsuya went in and out 10 times during that hour, twiddling his fingers in between. Not even he had a clue what it was about! We saw a lowly sentry stop an army car with two officers and turn them around. Whatever it was, whether the rumored truckloads of wounded, secret armaments, or a VIP going by, it sure excited the imagination of Manilans. One rumor that the teller says is confirmed is that Lt. Gen. Yamashita, the 'conqueror' of Singapore, arrived this afternoon and will banquet at the Manila Hotel tomorrow.