Passing by Aviles near Malacañan, I saw the Palace grounds roped off and guarded by many Japanese soldiers and officers. I learned later that Laurel and all Cabinet members and their families had assembled there the day before, and left at 0200 for Baguio! Manila may now be an orphan city, but there seems to be more sentries around than before. New defensive positions are being dug and fortified here and there, including one nearby in Buenos Aires.

The Embassy Staff kept me awake by banging cases shut, packing boxes, loading cars, cranking them up and racing the engines to warm them. No doubt most of them moved north today though I believe a skeleton force remains.

Manolito ran afoul of the Military Police. His truck got stuck again, this time in Mandaluyong of all places — 100 yards from one of the recent targets of the carrier planes. Last week it was alcohol contaminated with water, this time a new coil he had put in burned out. The truck remained there from 0900 to 1730 — long enough to arouse suspicions. The Military Police arrived with interpreter Takashima to investigate, and gave Manny, Mike Gonzalez and the truck a thorough search. Fortunately, Manny's papers, signed by Recto himself, were good. They were let go with a promise of further investigations. At 1830 I was in the porch with the Sotelo girls when two Filipino civilian agents came to "investigate," sending Freddie into a fit of worry over his radio.

Speaking of the Military Police, Mr. and Mrs. Mencarini are in Fort Santiago. She used to be able to enter Santo Tomas over and beyond the ability of everyone else, and helped the internees a lot.

JOE: Four ships left Manila late Wednesday, only to be caught by American planes the following day. The leading ship was torpedoed while still in sight of land; the other three managed to return. No one knows in which ship the POWs were; there's no sign of them in Bilibid prison.