To make light of this is to plant
a seed of future injury to us, because many will desire to place
themselves under the protection of the American flag, seeing that
ours refuses to defend the citizens' individual rights.
"I, for my part, ask that Major Carmona be arrested together with
his accomplices in the matter so that it may serve as a lesson not
only for him but also for those who think like him." [172]
Obviously Sandico's protest of September 24 did not produce the
desired result, for on September 28 he wrote Aguinaldo a long letter
complaining that in Manila personal security did not exist, people
were being tortured and murdered, kidnapping and theft were very
frequent, and these abuses were being committed by Filipino officers
and men. Some of the things which had come to his knowledge were of
such a nature that he preferred to speak to Aguinaldo privately about
them. [173]
Murder, pillaging, torture of prisoners, kidnapping, theft--these
are not pleasant things, but they continued to occur, and Aguinaldo,
who apparently desired to prevent them, was powerless to do so. He
did not dare discipline General Pio del Pilar, nor remove him from
the vicinity of Manila, and the soldiers of that officer continued
to work their will on their own unfortunate and helpless people.
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