On This Day - June 6, 1875 - Norberto Romualdez Sr. was born

On June 6, 1875, Norberto Romualdez Sr., Leyte's favorite son and delegate to the first constitutional convention, was born in Burauen, Leyte. He was the brother of Vicente Orestes Romualdez, the father of Imelda Romualdez Marcos.

(Norberto Romualdez Sr)

Romualdez was one of the "Seven Wise Men" who drafted the 1935 Constitution for the Philippine Commonwealth.

He finished his Bachelor of Arts with honors at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1895 and earned his title of Maestro de Segunda Ensenanza (high school teacher) at the University of Santo Tomas before the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution.

He studied law during the American Occupation and passed the Bar in 1903.

The Americans took notice of his qualifications and appointed him assistant city attorney of Manila in 1910, judge of the Court of Land Registration in 1911, judge of the Court of First Instance for the 22nd District (Capiz, Iloilo, Antique, and Negros Occidental) in 1914, and associate justice of the Supreme Court in 1921.

Notably, when he attended the Postal Convention in Barcelona, Spain, in 1920, he worked for the adoption of the Philippine peso as the postal monetary unit of the country, and also performed other significant services while in Spain.

He initiated moves for the return of the Spolarium, the famous painting of Juan Luna. He was also commissioned to bring home the remains of Marcelo H. Del Pilar, which he accomplished on December 3, 1920.

In the Commonwealth National Assembly, he was chairman of the Committee on National Language. He sponsored Act No. 184 which provided for the adoption of the National Language and the creation of the National Language Institute. Romualdez was the author of Philippine Orthography where he proposed how to systematically write in the native language.

While growing up in his native Leyte province, he first achieved status as a writer in the Waray-Waray language. He published his Bisayan Grammar which was intended to be for American soldiers stationed in Tacloban, Leyte who wanted to learn the language.

Leytenos respected him as an educator when he taught at the family's Colegio de San Jose.

Until his death, he was president of Sanghiran San Binisaya, a group which he founded and initiated projects to cultivate and enrich the Waray-waray language.

Norberto died in Palapag, Samar (present day Northern Samar) on November 4, 1941.

Reference: Philippines News Agency archives

On This Day - June 5, 1899 - General Antonio Luna was killed by Aguinaldo's men in Cabanatuan

 

 

 

On June 5, 1899, General Antonio Luna was killed in the plaza of a rectory in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. Luna was to attend a council of war called by General Emilio Aguinaldo.

(General Antonio Luna (left), and General Emilio Aguinaldo)

Luna arrived with two aides-de camp and a mounted escort of twelve men. After dismounting and dismissing his escort, he proceeded alone to the rectory where Aguinaldo had his headquarters. On mounting the stairs, he was met by a junior officer, who informed him that Aguinaldo had left with his command. Luna felt slighted and expressed himself very strongly on the matter and prepared to take his departure. As he turned to leave the room, a sergeant of one of the two companies that Aguinaldo had left at Cabanatuan, sprang from behind the door, where he had been concealed, and attacked Luna from behind, inflicting a severe wound with a bolo.

General Luna, seeing himself surrounded and realizing that he was practically in the same strait as Andres Bonifacio had been at Naic, some three years previously, drew his revolver to defend himself. Not wishing to be overcomed by numbers in a hand to hand struggle in the rectory, he forced his way through his assailants and rushed down stairs into the plaza to summon his escort to his assistance. On arriving in the plaza, he was confronted by one of the companies that Aguinaldo had left in Cabanatuan to arrest him at all costs. The officer in command, judging that Luna, if arrested alive, would only be a source of embarassment to Aguinaldo, ordered his men to fire a volley. Luna fell at the first discharge but did not die before he wounded a number of assailants with his revolver.

Earlier, on about March or April, 1899, there were some overtures between Emilio Aguinaldo, Felipe Buencamino, and Pedro Paterno on the one hand and the American authorities on the other, towards a compromise on the basis of an autonomous government. It is unknown with whom these overtures originated, but Aguinaldo was disposed to listen to them. General Antonio Luna heard of this and, at a cabinet meeting at Cabanatuan, reproached the dictator with wishing to betray the "extreme" party. It was this party, according to Luna, which represented the people at large. It certainly did represent the majority of the Filipino leaders and Katipuneros who had gone into the field to fight for complete independence. They would be satisfied by no such half measure as autonomy.

The conversation became heated. Luna, who had a violent temper, threatened to kill Aguinaldo. The latter, however, managed to avoid an encounter just then. But Luna followed up and struck Buencarnino in the face. Buencamino then made his escape with Pedro Paterno and both took refuge in a stable.

To Aguinaldo, compromise or no compromise, autonomy or complete independence, there was not sufficient room in the Philippines for himself and General Luna. He thereupon determined to lay a trap and rid himself of the violent patriot for once and all. To this end he summoned General Luna to attend a council of war at Cabanatuan.

References

An army officer's Philippine studies, Captain John Young Mason Blunt, University Press, Manila, 1912

On This Day - June 4, 1565 - The Peace Treaty of Cebu was signed

 

 

On June 4, 1565, the peace treaty of Cebu between Rajah Tupas of Cebu, and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, representing King Philip II of Spain, was signed. It is the first Philippine peace treaty which effectively created Spain's suzerain over Cebu.


Rajah Tupaz was the son of Sri Parang the Limp, and the nephew of Rajah Humabon (also known as Sri Hamabar). He is known to have been baptized on March 21, 1568 at age 70, placing his birthdate at about 1497.

He ruled Cebu with his peers until he was defeated by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi's soldiers on April 27, 1565.

Following the signing of the treaty, in the same year, the church and convent of Santo Niño, the first Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines, was built by Father Andres de Urdaneta. This marked the beginning of Roman catholicism in the Philippines as Spanish priests from other religious orders followed.

References:
Pambansang Komisyong Pangkasaysayan
Wikipedia

On This Day - June 4, 1900, the Battle of Makahambus Hill (now in Cagayan de Oro City)

On June 4, 1900, the Battle of Makahambus Hill (now in Cagayan de Oro City) saw a rare Filipino victory achieved against the United States during the Filipino-American War. 

 

 

 

Led by Colonel Apolinar Velez (pictured, bottom left) and Lieutenant Cruz Taal (bottom right), the Filipino soldiers were able to inflict 20 American casualties, while suffering only four on the Filipino side. This would be one of the few instances during the war when American casualties exceeded that of the Filipinos.

Seizing the element of surprise, the Filipino lines remained quiet in the duration the Americans under Captain Thomas Miller's company (from the US 40th Regiment) climbed. But as soon as the first American reached close enough to their gate to greet "Good morning", the Filipino cannon and their rifles went blazing. Added to the enemy difficulty were the traps conveniently set where the Filipinos expected the American advance. 

Thrice the Americans attempted to take the Filipino lines, and thrice they were repulsed by the entrenched Filipinos. Eventually, when the Americans saw it was nearly impossible to flank or maneuver, they sounded their retreat.
 

On This Day - June 3, 1571 - Datu Bambalito and his warriors fought the Spaniards in “The Battle of Bangkusay”

June 3, 1571, Datu Bambalito and his warriors encountered the Spaniards at the channel of Bankusay (Bangkusay), off the north shore of Manila Bay, that is known as the “The Battle of Bangkusay.”

 

On May 16, 1571, Miguel López de Legazpi took possession of Manila, in the name of his monarch, King Philip II of Spain (see the previous events or the prelude of this history, t.ly/xqOw). Although Sulayman and Lakan Dula gave up their respective kingdoms and became friends of Miguel López de Legazpi, the Filipinos in Central Luzon defied Spain. A valiant Pampango warlord named Datu Bambalito (not Raha Sulayman) rallied the warriors of Macabebe (his native town), Betis, Hagonoy, Navotas and other barangays to carry on resistance to the Spanish invaders.*

Bambalito established his war camp in Navotas, where he assembled his forces. One day, he went to Tondo and conferred with Lakan Dula and Raha Sulayman to support his cause. The two former native rulers did not join him because they had given their word of honor to Legazpi to maintain peace with Spain, and as men of honor, they could not break it. However, a son and two nephews of Lakan Dula and some of Sulayman’s warriors joined his forces.

On June 3, 1571, Bambalito’s flotilla of war boats sailed down the channel of Bankusay, off the north shore of Manila Bay, and engaged Marshal Martín de Goiti’s forces in a furious naval battle. At the height of the bloody sea fight, Bambalito was killed. His death demoralized his forces. For lack of a leader, his men were routed. Thus was fought the First Battle of Manila Bay, with victory to Spain.**

The might of the Spanish sword and the martial exploits of Miguel López de Legazpi, Marshal Martín de Goiti, Captain Juan de Salcedo and other conquistadores helped much in the conquest. But without the eloquent teachings and sacrificial labors of the missionaries, the Spanish colonization would not have been an enduring success, as there was but a handful of Spanish soldiers, who could easily have been wiped out by the Filipinos.

By accepting Christianity, the Filipinos became loyal subjects of Spain. Thus wrote Tomas de Comyn: “Of little avail would have been the valor and constancy with which Legazpi and his worthy companions overcame the natives of the islands, if the apostolic zeal of the missionaries had not seconded their exertions, and aided to consolidate the enterprise. The latter were the real conquerors; they, who without any other arms but their virtues, gained over the goodwill of the islanders.”***

Sources and References:
1. Gregorio F. Zaide, Sonia M. Zaide, History of the Republic of the Philippines, Metro Manila, 1983, 1987, pp. 68–70
*In previous years, historians recount that the leader of the Filipino forces in the naval battle of Bankusay against Goiti and his Spanish-Filipino forces was Sulayman. This is wrong, however, because Sulayman, keeping his pledge to Legazpi to be loyal to the Spanish monarch, did not join the anti-Spanish cause. The leader was the valiant Macabebe warlord, Bambalito, as shown by an unknown Spanish document, see Fr. Lorenzo Perez, Un Documento desconocido relativo a las Islas Filipinas, published in Madrid, 1933; footnote of Gregorio F. Zaide, Sonia M. Zaide, History of the Republic of the Philippines, 1983. pp. 424–425
**For sources on the naval Battle of Bankusay, see Relacion de la Conquista de la isla de Luzon in Retana, Archivo, Vol. IV; Fr. San Agustin, Conquistas, pp. 227–228
***Tomas de Comyn, Estado de las Islas de Filipinas en 1810 Madrid, (1820), p. 148

On This Day - June 2, 1899 - The Siege of Baler ended after 11 months

 

On This Day - June 2,1899 

- The Siege of Baler ended after 11 months, with 35 surviving Spanish soldiers surrendered including their commander, Lt. Saturnino Martín Cerezo.

The Filipino revolutionaries laid siege to a fortified church of San Luis Obispo de Tolosa that defended by Spanish troops in the town of Baler, Aurora, for 337 days, from 1 July 1898 until 2 June 1899.

 

Baler was garrisoned by a 50-man detachment of the Second Expeditionary Battalion Cazadores (“Hunters”) under Capt. Enrique de las Morenas, as the district political-military governor. On June 1, 1898, Morenas began to stock food supplies and ammunition, and to fortify the church compound of San Luis de Tolosa in Baler’s town square against a possible attack.

 

Then on the night of June 30, 1898, 800 Filipino troops under Teodorico Luna attacked, and the garrison fell back to the church. The Spanish had to endure confinement in a small, hot, humid space. As the siege progressed, their food supply began to diminish through usage and spoilage. On November 22, 1898, Capt. Morenas succumbed to disease and died, the command fell to Lt. Saturnino Martin Cerezo. The Filipinos attempted to smoke them out by setting fires beside the church wall, but were repulsed.

 

By November 22, 1898, a total of 145 days had elapsed since the siege began, during which 14 Spanish soldiers died of disease. The Filipinos also had suffered casualties, mostly from rifle fire the Spanish were able to inflict on them from their protected firing positions.

 

By January 1899, Spanish emissaries were brought to Baler, but again Martin Cerezo turned them away. By April 1899, the Spaniards were run out of food; they resorted to eating stray dogs, cats, reptiles, snails and crows. By May 1899, there was yet another attempt to get Lt. Martín Cerezo to surrender, this time, it was a fellow Spanish officer named Lt. Col. Cristobal Aguilar y Castañeda, but Cerezo turned it away. However, Lt. Col. Cristobal Aguilar had brought recent Spanish newspapers, which Cerezo initially dismissed. Until Cerezo read an article concerning a close friend’s posting. Convinced that the newspapers were genuine and that indeed Spain had lost the war, Lt. Martin Cerezo and his men surrendered to the Filipinos on June 2, 1899. Three months later, the survivors, including Martin Cerezo, arrived in Barcelona where they were received and honored as heroes.

 

Sources and References:

1. Westfall, M. (2012). The Devil’s Causeway: the true story of America's first prisoners of war in the Philippines. Guildford: Lyons Press

2. Martin Cerezo, S. (1909). Under the Red and Gold: being notes and recollections of the siege of Baler. Kansas City: Franklin Hudson

3. Reyes Roces, A., ed. (1978). “The period of armed struggle, 1896–1900.” Filipino heritage. Vol. 8. Manila: Lahing Pilipino

4. Wikimedia Commons

 

On This Day - June 2, 1899 - The Malolos Congress issued the Proclamation of War to United States

 

On June 2, 1899, the Malolos Congress declared war on the United States, with its President, Pedro Paterno, issuing the Proclamation of War.

(Opening of the Malolos Congress on September 15, 1898)

Prior to this proclamation, several battles had already occurred between the Filipino and American forces.

Accordingly, this phase of the Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection (1899– 1902) was an armed military conflict between the Philippines and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following annexation by the United States.

The Filipinos under the leadership of General Emilio Aguinaldo rejected the annexation of the Philippines and were determined to defend their freedom.

From the very start, the Americans manifested bad faith when they refused to recognize Philippine Independence after it was declared by General Aguinaldo on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite.

Inevitably, the Santa Mesa incident on February 4, 1899, led to the outbreak of hostilities when an American sentry shot a Filipino soldier.

Hence, the Philippine-American war ensued between 1899 and 1902 with Filipinos at a disadvantage, for they had no sufficient arms with which to fight the enemy. But it took the Americans almost three years to conquer the Filipinos.

The proclamation urging the Filipino people to continue the war.

TO THE FILIPINO PEOPLE:

No one is ignorant of the fact that since we took the direction of the ship of state we have sacrificed ourselves to the service of the government of our republic, offering ourselves as victims for the sake of peace, without abandoning the sacred ideal of liberty and independence which fires our country, but the North Americans refuse to suspend hostilities asked for by us to consult the national assembly, seat of the free popular will.

Well, since they wish it, may the responsibility for the war and its consequences fall on the great nation of the United States of America. We have behaved as patriots and human beings, showing the great powers of the world that the present cabinet acts with a diplomacy which protects our cause as do the arms which defend our rights.

The council of government, deciding to preserve our republican institutions, national independence and the presidency of Don Emilio Aguinaldo, in spite of the Americans, who intend to construct upon our ruins the edifice of tyranny, has concluded to continue the war, preserving unhurt in their spirit and letter our constitution and laws, which we have conquered with so much blood such sacrifices.

To war, then, beloved brothers, to war.

In order that the people be free it is necessary for them all to be brave. Rich or poor, learned or ignorant, beloved Filipinos, hasten to unite to save our native land from insult and ignominy punishments and scaffolds, and from the sad and fatal inheritance of enslaved generations.

The God of war, in whom we have put our faith and hope, is helping us. Confusion, interior and international di;ssensions and conflicts rend the invading army. Its volunteers, being aware that we are in the right, fight without enthusiasm and only in compliance with their forced military duty. Within the American nation itself a great political party asks for the recognition of our rights, and Divine Providence watches over the justice of our cause.

Forward, Filipinos, and the sun of victory will shine on us.

Viva the Filipino sovereign people!

Viva national independence!

Viva the liberating army!

Viva Don Emilio Aguinaldo, President of the Republic!

PEDRO A. PATERNO.

Source: The Development of Philippine Politics, Pages 199-200.

References

1. Philippines News Agency archives
2. The Development of Philippine Politics, Maximo M. Kalaw, Manila, 1927.