‘That was 80 years ago. For the Filipinos of the 21st century, what is the situation?’
sTATES Or Nations: Aggression 1945.
The American Delegation at the International Conference on Military Trials proposed: “An aggressor…means that state which is first to commit any of the following actions: (1) Declaration of war upon another State. (2) Invasion by its armed forces, with or without a declaration of war, of the territory of another State. (3) Attack by its land, naval or air forces, with or without a declaration of war, on the territory, vessels or aircraft of another State. No political, military, economic or other considerations may serve as an excuse or justification for such actions, but exercise of the right of legitimate self-defense, that is to say, resistance to an act of aggression, or action to assist a State which has been subjected to aggression, shall not constitute a war of aggression.” [https://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/jack50.asp]
World War II was reaching its climax; thus, the need to clarify the culpability of the Hitlerites to create real peace. With the Allies in London, the Soviet Delegation redrafted the definition of ‘Crimes’. “The Tribunal shall have power to try any person who has in any capacity whatever directed or participated in the preparation or conduct of any or all of the following acts, designs or attempts namely: (a) Aggression against or domination over other nations carried out by the European Axis in violation of the principles of international law and treaties; (b) Atrocities against the civilian population including murder and ill-treatment of civilians, the deportation of civilians to slave labor and other violations of the laws and customs of warfare; (c) Waging war in a manner contrary to the laws and customs of warfare including murder and ill-treatment of prisoners of war, wanton destruction of towns and villages, plunder and other criminal acts; and who is therefore personally answerable for the violation of international law, of the laws of humanity and of the dictates of the public conscience, committed in the course of carrying out the said acts, designs or attempts by the forces and authorities whether armed, civilian or otherwise, in the service of any of the European Axis Powers.” [Report of Robert H. Jackson, United States Representative to the International Conference on Military Trials]
And the doomsday clock was running out on the imperialist Japanese: “We met at 11 a.m. today. That is Stalin, Churchill and the US President. But I had a most important session with Lord Mountbatten & General Marshall before that. We have discovered the most terrible bomb in the history of the world. It may be the fire destruction prophesied in the Euphrates Valley Era, after Noah and his fabulous Ark.” [Harry S. Truman, Personal diary, 25 July 1945] [https://web.mit.edu/21h.102/www/Primary%20source%20collections/World%20War%20II/Truman,%20Diary.html]
When the American Commander-in-Chief made this diary entry in the middle of the Potsdam Conference, Filipinos arrested for collaborating with the Oriental Hitlerites were pondering and revealing: “It should be remembered that there was a Pact of Alliance between the Philippines and Japan. The Japanese invoked the provisions of the Treaty…It was given wide publicity by the Japanese…The full document was never published. It was really a unilateral agreement. Whereas Japan had to fight for us, we were not under any obligation to help or fight with them. But of course, lest our true colors be discovered, we accepted that if the Philippines were attacked, we would defend our territory. In the case of Davao, Laurel did not consider it a threat to our territorial integrity, so he did not declare war. He promulgated, however, a proclamation declaring martial law. He thought this would satisfy the Japanese, but it did not — they kept requesting that formal declaration of war be made. American air bombardment of Manila took place on the 21st of September 1944. The Commanding General and the Ambassador saw the President and insisted on a declaration of war. We had special meetings of the Cabinet and secretly we planned what to do. It was evident that the members of the Cabinet were against it, and almost all the assemblymen. So were the members of the Council of State composed of Chief Justice Avanceña as Chairman, and Messrs. Miguel Unson, Pedro Aunario, Ramon Fernandez and Jose Paez. Even the President himself was not in favor. But above all, the people were decidedly against it.” [Diary of Antonio de las Alas, 21 July 1945, Saturday]
That was 80 years ago. For the Filipinos of the 21st century, what is the situation?
