896.00/7–1746
The Ambassador in the Philippines (McNutt) to the Secretary of State
No. 27
[Received July 25.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department that President Roxas recently telegraphed to General MacArthur requesting the latter to surrender Jose P. Laurel and Jorge Vargas to the Philippine civil authorities for trial on charges of collaboration with the enemy.
Laurel was president of the puppet government and Vargas its Ambassador to Japan. Upon the reoccupation of the Philippines by our forces they were taken to Japan where, after the surrender, they were apprehended by American military authorities and have since been held in custody.
General MacArthur has stated in the past that he would surrender these two prisoners to the Commonwealth authorities upon its application but neither President Osmeña nor President Roxas took any action during the life of the Commonwealth. Roxas has informed us that during the General’s recent visit to attend the Independence Day ceremonies, he volunteered an offer to surrender them to the new Republic upon receipt of a request from the President. After a few days’ deliberation Roxas made the request.
No publicity has been given to this action and even most officials of the Government are ignorant of it. It is even doubtful that the President took all members of his Cabinet into his confidence, although Abello, the Chief of the Executive Office, and not free from the taint of collaboration himself, can scarcely be unaware of the President’s move.
[Page 899]In the face of campaign charges against himself, and of the continuing pressure for the dropping of all collaboration prosecutions, the President is showing considerable courage in bringing the two alleged arch collaborators to the Philippines for trial. Both the public reaction, when the matter becomes public knowledge, and the ultimate disposition of these two cases, will furnish interesting evidence of Roxas’ personal prestige and power.63
Respectfully yours,
Minister-Counselor
- Laurel and Vargas were released on bail by the Philippine People’s Court in September and October, respectively, pending trial.↩