Reply

Having ascertained the conditions required to make a war just, from them we shall be able clearly to decide whether such is the war against the Zambales at present under discussion.  To this question we will answer affirmatively:  that it is lawful without any scruple whatever, for in it the three conditions meet which are required for a just war, as we have already said.

And first, in this war is found the first condition, namely, authority in the one who wages it, for he is persona publica, the governor of these isles; and also he has a superior who is our king.  But since the cause is self-defense, as will later be proved, he has no need of other permission to defend his state against enemies who molest it, as we have proved.

In this war, the third condition, too—­we shall speak of the second later—­is fulfilled, namely, right intention; for its end is the peace and security of the subjects, disturbed by these their enemies.  And this peace it has not been possible to secure by means of our benevolent efforts, although such means have been tried—­as appears from our labors to that end last year in sending religious of our order, and persons known to the Zambales, to persuade them to desist from wrongdoing and be our friends, granting them a general pardon for the wrongs they had committed against us; and although the Zambales promised, and made oath in their fashion, they have defaulted utterly, committing since then many atrocious wrongs against our people, as appears from the reports on that matter which have been drawn up.  And, forasmuch as nothing has been gained through kindness, comes now, as a last and drastic remedy, the resolution to win peace and security for the king’s subjects by waging war on his enemies; and this is the right intention that is required according to Aristotle and St. Augustine, as before quoted.  But even suppose this intention to be lacking, it is already said and proved above that this condition is not in such sort essential as to oblige to indemnification.

It remains that we look into the second condition of just warfare, to wit, that just cause exist for waging it.  This condition, in which might be presented greatest difficulty, is the clearest and plainest part of the matter before us; for not only are some of the four causes and grounds pointed out by us, as being any one of them in itself sufficient, but all the just causes are here concurrent.  The first condition is fulfilled in that these Zambales impede the general traffic by sea and land of those who go to Pangasin and Ylocos and Cagayan.  And, albeit the traffic works damage neither to them nor to their lands, but uses a common highway, yet they sally out upon the highways and kill and rob passengers, as appears from the reports.

Concurs also the second cause; for, although these Zambales are not molested by our people, they assault and murder them, not only falling upon them in the highways, as already said, but also seeking them out in the settlements while they are laboring in the fields; so that neither in their fields nor their homes are our people safe—­which also is shown in the reports.