Manila New Day: "Army relief ends September 1." World War II has cost U.S. 280 billion dollars; Axis 258 billion.

Talked to Benigno Del Rio about his stay in Fort Santiago, and what a tale it is. Ernie Johnson, an American with the shipping board here before the war, managed to stay out of Santo Tomas for a long while, probably by feigning illness that required hospitalization. The Japanese were on to him for some espionage activities, and the dragnet netted the Mencarinis, Duggleby, Grinnel, Larsen, Orlando, Miranda, Sullivan and a few more. Del Rio was pulled in because the Japanese saw him talking to Miranda, who they were shadowing.

They were all rounded up on December 23 and subjected to torture. Sam Awad was also in. Except for cashing one of Johnson's checks in 1942, he was probably innocent. Father Kelly was in too but was released. The tortures consisted of the infamous water treatment that saw Ramon Araneta die of heart failure — the pressure on the heart being tremendous when they jumped on your waterlogged belly. Some were killed by chopping; their bodies were thrown into shelters from which dogs feasted.

Del Rio was tied by the hands and feet and given the water treatment, hit on the head with a bat and subjected to other cruelties. His ankles bear the scars of multiple cigarette burns. He confirmed that Mrs. Mencarini was stripped and subjected to the water treatment — her shrieks were clearly heard by the others. Del Rio estimates the Japanese killed 2,500 political prisoners in the last thirty days before the Americans came; 1,800 in Fort Santiago alone. He was released because he wasn't guilty — the only one alive now of the group of thirteen.

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"LUZON FREED! MacArthur proclaims end of savage five-month drive." Japanese casualties, 113,593 dead plus uncounted thousands in located graves; American casualties 3,793 dead, 34 missing and 11,351 wounded — less than our guerilla casualties. The Japanese executed more Filipinos in Fort Santiago last December alone than the Americans lost in the Philippines.

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