Homma Trial Opens In Manila

Northern Advocate, 4 January 1946, Page 3

Homma Trial Opens In Manila

(Rec. 11.0 a.m.) MANILA, Jan. 3. The trial of Lieutenant-General Homma, former commander-in-chief in the Philippines, opened today in the same room in which General Yamashita was condemned to death. The hearing lacked the drama and tension which surrounded Yamashita’s trial.

Homma, who was dressed in a white suit and bore a mournful expression, stared at his hands as the prosecution and the defence argued over the authority of the military commission to ffry him and the other Japanese who are accused of atrocities.

Counsel for the defence sharply criticised the charges against Homma as being slipshod and loosely drawn. Homma is accused of condoning the Bataan death march and other atrocities. STAFF OFFICER’S EVIDENCE Evidence was given by Major-Gen-eral Toshimitsu Takatsu, formerly one of Homma's staff officers, that Homma’s headquarters at Bataan were situated less than 500 yards from the I'oute of the death march. Moreover, Homma travelled 20 miles down the highway while prisoners were being driven mercilessly along it. Takatsu, describing conditions at O'Donnell prison camp, said that medicines were insufficient. He thought there was a lack of food and there was not much water.

He reported conditions to Homma's headquarters, btit nothing was done.

“THIN INTEREST’

The prosecution produced a statement written earlier by Takatsu that Homma had a very thin interest in the captives, but Takatsu declined to elaborate in court, asserting that he was honour bound not to speak badly of Homma in Homma's presence.

FOUR JAPANESE SENTENCED TO DEATH Reuter’s correspondent on Labuan Island says an Allied court sentenced to death four Japanese for the murder of British and Australian prisoners at Kuching.