Luis via Conchita Meyer: INTRAMUROS, Sunday, February 4, 0100. The Japanese rounded up civilians including many priests and locked them in the Cathedral. They were released on Monday only to be rounded up again shortly afterwards and sent to Fort Santiago — the men only — the women were taken elsewhere and haven't been heard from since. They were locked up so tightly that the air fouled. The lack of food and water made them desperate, crazy almost. People shouted and prayed out loud.

Towards "the end" the Japanese called a few men and took them to "get food." The food was a joke — five days old and spoiled. Finally, the Japanese poured gasoline all around and told them they were going to burn the place. The men couldn't believe it: The preparations were too obvious, see? It's just another great joke. They laughed, and the more they laughed the more hysterical they became ... until the fire started.

Luis reached a window and forced it open. Beside him were his younger brother (married too, one baby two years old, and wife pregnant), his father, brother-in-law and one other member of the family. Below was a sheer drop of ten meters and Japanese soldiers ready to shoot anyone who tried to escape. Staying meant certain death, so Luis decided to jump ... only he wanted his folks to jump too. All refused ... even his younger but weaker brother. In those last seconds he begged his brother to jump, and, if the latter survived, made him promise to take care of his about-to-be widowed wife and kids.

The fire approached ... his pants caught fire ... he jumped. Miraculously, he landed with only a back sprain. Equally desperate men had opened other windows and were jumping too. The Japanese raked the windows and jumpers with machine guns and rifles. Those that survived the fall and bullets ran towards the last obstacle, a treacherous barbed fence the Japanese had constructed. Luis reached the top and began his descent. A big burly Filipino in a similar mad dash for safety crashed into him and they both went down. The Filipino landed on top of Luis but hit his head on a rock and apparently died. Luis was conscious of an acute back pain and a feeling of utter helplessness, but at least he was out of Fort Santiago.

The last obstacle was the Pasig — could he swim it? Better to try and drown than to remain in that terror stricken area amongst the maddest men that ever lived. He edged to the river and took off. With superhuman courage and a favorable current he reached the banks of San Nicolas district 25 minutes later ... and freedom. Helpless and in pain, utterly and completely spent, thirsty despite knowingly drinking some river water on the way, he was at last in "friendly" hands. And none are friendlier than Chinese hands these days. They gave him and a couple of stragglers water, put him on stretcher and carried him all the way to Santo Tomas, where an uncle took care of him at the hospital. A U.S. Army surgeon (a Major) took him to the White Cross, put him to sleep and operated on him. Luis woke up all bent-up inside a plaster cast. Peace at last? Not on your life — the Japanese have been shelling the place nightly.

. . . .

continues...