Viva Filipinos

Hurrah for liberty and right. 
Hurrah for the Grand Republic of the United States of North America. 
Hurrah for President McKinley and Rear Admiral Dewey.
[ERROR:  unhandled comment start]

—­>_The Junta Patriotica_.

“Hongkong, April, 1898.”

Under the authority of the United States there have been inquiries by a court into the causes of the imprisonment of the inmates of the penitentiary and common jail at Manila, and others who have suffered from the enmities of the members of the government that ceased when the Spanish flag was taken down and the American flag raised.  The memoranda following were made in the court proceedings, and state the facts as judicially established.

Fulgencia Tuazon.

This lady was confined in Bilibid seven years ago (though the record shows July 11, 1898,) by order of the Governor-General, on a charge of selling counterfeit stamps.  She was tried, and sentenced to six years’ confinement; but the Judge accepted a bribe of $900 and released her about a week after her trial.  A year afterwards she was again arrested by a new judge on the same charge, and $3,000 was demanded as the price of her liberty.  This was refused, and imprisonment followed.  She claims to have bought the stamps (which were telegraph stamps), from the Government.

Dorotea Arteaga.

This young lady, who was a school teacher in her native province, Montinlupa, Manila province, was confined in Bilibid, August 8th, 1895, charged with “sacrilege and robbery,” and insurrection.  She came to Malate to see about her license as a school teacher, and was arrested by the civil guard on the above charge.  She claims her arrest was instigated by a priest who had made overtures to her to have carnal intercourse with him, and had attempted the same, and had been repulsed and refused.  To cover up his ill-doing he caused her arrest on the charge of having stolen part of the vessels used in the communion service of the Roman Catholic church.  She has never been married and the Alcalde says, “Her conduct in prison has been very good.”

Senora Maxima Guerrera.

This woman was born in Santa Cruz, in 1838, and has been confined in Bilibid since 1890, though the record shows that she was imprisoned July 11, 1898, by order of the Governor-General.  This date, however, is admitted to be an error by the Alcalde, without any explanation of the error.  The record shows that she was imprisoned because she objected to the Government taking wood off her property without paying for it.  She claims that since her imprisonment, the Government has confiscated $10,000 worth of her property.

Felipe Rementina.

This prisoner was confined in the year 1889, when only 12 years old.  At that time a revolution was in progress in the province in which he resided, and he was “captured” by the Spanish forces and sent to Bilibid Carcel.  He did not know with what he was charged, and while he was tried, he never received any sentence.