 With the continued presence of air and artillery fire, Gen. Manjome realized that his entire force would surely be annihilated, and he ordered a retreat into the mountainous northern reaches of Cebu on 16 April.Pursuit operations began on 20 April, and together with Cushing's guerrillas, killed any Japanese who turned to fight.Some 8,500 Japanese troops remained holed up in northern Cebu until the end of the war.