Professor Greg Jackson

Suddenly, a car drives up the road.

It's marked with the star used on Japanese military vehicles.

Top brass, perhaps?

Yes, a Japanese officer tells Pedro it's General Nada Akira, commander of the 65th Japanese Brigade.

On the general's instructions, Japanese officers order the prisoners to separate between officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates.

About 400 officers and NCOs, including Pedro, remain behind while the privates are marched farther up the trail, toward the prison camp at Balanga.

Meanwhile, the officers are sorted into three lines.

Their hands are bound with telephone wire, creating chains of men.

At the head of his line, Pedro watches as each column is pushed along, disappearing into the vegetation of the jungle.

It's now about three in the afternoon.

Pedro and the mainly Filipino officers have arrived at a ravine in these thick jungle woods.

Hands still tied with wire, the men are roughly prodded by bayonets and swords to a place alongside the ravine.

Then, a civilian steps forward and shouts in Tagalog to the nearly 400 men.

Translated into English, he says, Dear friends, pardon us.

If you had surrendered early, we would not be killing you.

But we suffered heavy casualties, so pardon us.

If you have any last wish before we kill you, just tell us.

knowing that death is now imminent.

Some men ask for cigarettes or water.

Others plead for their lives.