Today in Philippine History: Mariano Ponce Writes to Aguinaldo

JUNE 8, 1899

While in Yokohama, Japan, Mariano Ponce wrote two letters to President Emilio Aguinaldo telling him that military officers from Japan, Mr. Hara, Mr. Inaromi, Mr. Nishiuchi, Mr. Nakamori and Mr. Miyai have offered their services to the Philippine Revolutionary Army, One of the officers, Mr. Hara was a well-decorated captain of the Japanese infantry in the Sino-Japanese War. In 1898, Aguinaldo delegated Ponce to purchase weapons and ammunitions in Japan for the revolutionaries but these did not arrive because of a storm off the Taiwan coast.