On hallowed grounds

James Judith

THE bones were unearthed on Oct.18, 2016.

I am no historian. But I am what you may call a history buff. The reason for my passion for it lies in the fact that the events of the past can help determine the present and shape the future through the lessons and strategies one can draw from it. Moreover, it is the stories they tell that pique my interest.

My law office is right across the Lucas Hall (one of the old buildings) of Xavier University and beside the old city cemetery which is on Hayes Street. It is undergoing renovation and while the workers were digging for the foundations, they accidentally dug up some human bone fragments, a frayed leather belt and two beer bottles (which were accidentally hit and broken) with one of it bearing the embossed print: Dai Nippon Brewery Ltd. and the other R &Co.15.

Through Google, I learned that  Dai Nippon is a Japanese brewery founded in 1906 and that what I thought were bone fragments are indeed of human origin as confirmed to by noted anthropologist Dr.Erlinda Burton of Xavier University.

According to her, “in my line of work, I have come across so many of these things to be certain that these are indeed human bone fragments.”

After initial inspection of the site and the finds, she added that the bones could be that of anybody during the American period from 1898 to 1945. Although in relation to history, the finds may not be as earth-shattering as that of the prehistoric Huluga but what is intriguing is its historical implications.

The sense of adventure a la Indiana Jones mode in me kicked in as I realized that the university campus and the street (Hayes) which traverses the side going to the Hall of Justice figured in the history of the Second World War.

The Lucas Hall was actually sequestered by the Imperial Japanese Army for use as its camp. Save for the perimeter fence and the narrow Hayes street at its side and running parallel, it is just a few paces away from my office and I could even eavesdrop on the class being held in one of the rooms there if it is not noisy outside.

I remember the late Fr. Bill Nicholson, SJ mischievously (I guess to scare me off) telling me that one of the rooms there was used by the Japs as an interrogation room cum torture chamber.

The bone fragments were from the one hole right at the back of my cubicle. What makes me wonder as the earth kept piling up and more bone fragments unearthed, the workers did not get to find any skull which is to be expected in any human remains. Pending forensic examination, we can only speculate for now that the  fragments could be that of a Spaniard, an American, Japanese or a native Kagay-anon. There are so many things one could think of, but mine is that my law office probably sits on a secret grave where the Japs buried the headless bodies of our compatriots who would not squeal on the guerrillas. Or worse, he could be the victim of extra judicial killing in the local level.

I am expecting for more finds to be unearthed as there would be more holes to dig up for the ground works. Whatever the holes might yield, one thing for sure is that I am on hallowed grounds.

(James Judith is a lawyer based in Cagayan de Oro.)