Doctor José Torralba was born of Jose Torralba and Melchora de Rios in Granada, Province of Granada, Spain on 3 April 1653. Prior to being governor, he served as senior auditor (oidor) of the Real Audiencia of Manila, who put him in charge of military affairs. One of the cases given to him was the "residencia" of Juan Antonio Pimentel, Governor of Marianas (1709-1720). On 22 March 1710, four ships headed by Capts. Woodes Rogers and Edward Cooke landed in Umatac, Guam. The English were treated well by Governor Pimentel, and were able to be refreshed with food and other supplies, despite Joseph de Quiroga's (Sergeant major of Marianas) efforts to set up a war council in case the English did raze the island. Pimentel did not meet with the war council. In addition, the governor gave the English gifts. Beyond the knowledge of Pimentel, the English were privateers and one of their ships, the "Batchelor", was actually the captured Manila galleon "Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación y Desengaño". Pimentel explained to Martín de Ursúa, Governor-General of the Philippines, that the Marianas cannot be defended due to lack of resources and personnel. Torralba, who arrived in Guam in 1711 for the investigation, was not convinced of this explanation, especially since there was a state of war between Spain and England at the time. The bonds Pimentel gained were forfeited, and he was deprived of his position as governor. Torralba sent him to Manila in chains. The verdict was handed down on 23 January 1712, and the Real Audiencia approved the decision on 24 July 1714. He was also charged with the "residencia" of the officers of the galleon "Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Vicente Ferrer", which was shipwrecked in 1709 at San Bernardino Strait. However, since the treasure carried made it to land, the charges were dropped. On 4 February 1715, Governor Ursúa died in Manila. Torralba succeeded him as Governor-General of the Philippines.