They grew rapidly worse thereafter, and human life became cheap indeed.
"The documents of this period show that the insurgent troops driven from the front of Manila fell upon the people of the neighbouring towns and burnt, robbed, and murdered.

Either their officers lost all control over them, or else they directed these outrages.

It was not for some days that control was regained." [397] Endless orders were issued by Aguinaldo and other high Insurgent officers, prohibiting rape, brigandage and robbery, and there was grave need of them.

Unfortunately they could not be enforced.

Indeed it was often impossible to distinguish between Insurgent soldiers, who removed their uniforms or had none, and brigands pure and simple.