FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No. i414

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine Centennial celebration of our independence in 1898
would not be complete without recognizing the heroic participation of the
people of Mindanao,

Ironically, in all books written on Philippine History there is very scant
account, if at all, of the revolutionary heroes of Mindanao in the revolution
against Spain and the subsequent war against the Americans.

In Teodoro Agoncillo's Philippine History, the only account of
Mindanao's participation in the revolution was contained in one paragraph
which stated that although the people in Mindanao was opposed to American
sovereignty, the leaders particularly in Zamboanga quarreled among
themselves such that when the Americans attacked Zamboanga, the town fell
without much resistance from the quarreling Filipino leaders.

In his later book entitled History of the Filipino People there was even
no mention of any revolutionary activity in Mindanao from 1896 to 1901. What
was cited instead was the Bates Treaty between the Americans and the
Sultanate of Sulu of August 20, 1899.

In Gregorio Zaide's The Pageant of Philippine History there were only
three pages devoted to Mindanao’s participation in the Philippine Revolution
which mentioned that during the closing days of 1898, the people of Palawan
rose in arms, liberated Puerto Princesa and other towns; that in January 1899
the Christian inhabitants in Misamis, Cotabato and Surigao in Mindanao also
rose in arms and drove away the Spanish garrisons, which fled to Zamboanga;
and that on May 13, 1899, the Christian revolutionists under the command of
General Alvarez attacked the Spanish army in Zamboanga and later the
Spaniards had to leave Zamboanga.

Zaide also mentioned that when the first U.S. troops under Captain Pratt
landed in Jolo on May 19, 1899, the Taosugs did not resist and on August 20,
1899 the so called Bates Treaty was concluded. He continued by stating that
on November 16, 1899, the American troops arrived in Zamboanga and made it
a base to launch an intensive military offensive in Mindanao. He then briefly


recounted the Battle of Agusan Hill and the assault of Macahambus Cave both
in Cagayan de Oro by the Americans.

In Dr. Sonia M. Zaide's The Philippines: A Unique Nation (with Dr.
Gregorio F. Zaide’s History of the Republic of the Philippines), only two
paragraphs were devoted to Mindanao. The first paragraph stated that in April
1899 the Filipino patriots of Zamboanga captured a large storage of machine
guns and rifles from the Spanish gunboats in Basilan and with these arms,
they attacked the Spaniards in Basilan and Zamboanga. In Misamis, Surigao
and Cotabato, the Christian Filipinos also adhered to the cause of Philippine
Independence. The second paragraph was an account of the singing of the
Bates Treaty.

In Eufronio M. Alip's Philippine History: Political, Social and Economic,
there was no mention at all on the revolution in Mindanao. In his later book
entitled Political and Cultural History of the Philippines nothing was mentioned
about the revolution in Mindanao except a passing reference to the
Mohammedan elements in Mindanao which supported the cause of the
revolution.

In Anotnio M. Molina’s The Philippines Through the Centuries there was
a short account on the revolution in Mindanao, which stated that a sergeant
and a corporal attached to the 68 Regiment garrisoned in Jolo, succeeded in
winning members for the Katipunan to which they were secretly affiliated. On
4” september they rose in arms and engaged the government troops in various
skirmishes. However, the movement was quickly suppresed and trials were
summarily conducted, with two sergeants, five corporals, and two soldiers
being sentenced to death.

In his book, Molina also mentioned the rebellion of the 69" Regiment in
lligan on October 21, 1898 and the Marine Forces joined by Filipino land troops
rising in arms in Lanao in November, 1898. He also mentioned that early in
April 1899 as the remaining Spanish troops in Mindanao converged in

Zamboanga port, ready for repatriation, the Filipinos, led by the patriots of
Zamboanga took over. :

In Conrado Benitez's History of Philippines, there was no mention on the
revolution in Mindanao as if nothing happened in Mindanao during the period of
the Philippine revolution from 1896 to 1901

____ The above survey of the history books written by our more prominent
historians clearly shows that there was disregard of, or even bias against, the
heroic participation of the people of Mindanao in the revolution against Spain
and the fight against American rule from 1896 to 1901.

__ It is a fact that in different places in Mindanao, the people rebelled
against Spain and later fought the Americans who replaced the Spaniards.

The revolution against Spain wa:

tarted in Northern Mindanao in Iligan
City when a group of disciplinarios (

ino soldiers under the Command of



Spanish Military Officers) adhered to the cause of the Katipuneros and mutinied
against the Spanish army in the early months of 1897. They Killed all their
Spanish officers and left again. These disciplinarios who numbered 300
soldiers belonged to the Third and Fourth Companies of the regular Spanish
Army stationed in lligan.

They went to Cagayan but found it heavily defended by the Spanish
Regiment No. 72 and the Tercio de Voluntarios de Cagayan, a group of
Cagayan volunteers who were primarily responsible for the defense of the
town. They skipped Cagayan. In an encounter at Sta. Ana, Tagoloan, the
disciplinarios were defeated and some of them went on to Bukidnon and lived
there with the Bukidnons and some went on to Surigao.

Before the Spaniards departed from Misamis Oriental the people
organized a new government based upon the laws and regulations of the
Revolutionary Government at Malolos. The first resolution passed by the
Provincial Council contained provisions to fight any invader, to organize armed
forces and to secure arms and ammunition,

Later, Anselmo Abejuela arrived from Manila. He had been appointed by
the Revolutionary government of Malolos as the Military chief of the province.
He organized the local forces and continued the war preparation but later
resigned due to poor health.

In the Battle of Cagayan, the Americans had occupied Cagayan without
resistance. However, General Nicolas Capistrano had ordered all rebel forces
to meet at Gango Plateau, 12 kms. southeast of Cagayan, on the same day,
that Cagayan was occupied by the Americans. Joining the rebels were
Bukidnons who came to help the Cagayan revolutionaries

On April 7, 1900, the Cagayan Revolutionaries attacked the American
barracks and thus started the Battle of Cagayan, for almost an hour, the battle
and raged on. Capt. Apolinario Pabayo of the macheteros succeeded in
entering the barracks and wounding some Americans but was himself killed,
Two American soldiers were killed and eleven wounded. On the side of the
revolutionaries, 53 were killed, while 18 were wounded. The Americans had
Superior might and so General Capistrano’s troops had to retreat.

In the fight against the Americans, the Bukidnon lumads had promptly
fesponded to the appeal of their coastal brothers. In the Battle of Cagayan,
fifteen Bukidnon patriots died. They also helped not only in warfare but also by
giving quarters and provisions during the war.

In the Battle of Agusan Hill on May 14, 1900, Capt. Vicente Roa led the
Cagayan Revolutionaries in the east in an encounter with the 40” Regiment
U-S. Volunteer Infantry. Captain Roa when told that all his men had been killed,
Kept on fighting with this revolver until he ran out of ammunition. When he fell’
an American soldier snatched one of his medals of honor. On Agusan Hills lay

dead 34 brave soldiers of the First Company of the Mindanao Battalion with
their gallant captain.


In the Battle of Macahambus, the Cagayan revolutionaries in the west
had fortified Macahambus case. On June 4, 1900, Capt. Eliot of the 40'
Regiment decided to capture Macahambus cave. As the Americans climbed
the narrow trail to the fortress, the revolutionaries ambushed them from their
trenches. Nine Americans soldiers were killed and more than ten were
wounded. Only one died, Apolinario Nacalaban and three were wounded on the
side of the Cagayan revolutionaries.

In the Surrender of General Capistrano on April 6, 1901, the Misamis
Phase of the Filipino-American war ended after about a year.

There were people from Misamis Occidental who fought with
‘Aguinaldo's forces in Luzon, One of them was Mariano Garcenes, a Spanish.
mestizo who returned to Misamis after the signing of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato.
Upon his return, he joined the resistance group organized by Simeon Ledesma.

On May 14, 1900 Captain Lambdin of the American forces with 40 men
who were stationed at Loculan, 4 miles east of Misamis, were attacked by
Misamis revolutionaries armed with daggers. Fifty seven revolutionaries were
killed and twenty wounded. Because of superior weapons, the revolutionaries
were repulsed

The revolutionaries in Misamis Occidental were headed by Rufino
Deloso. His force of 400 insurgents continued the struggle against the
Americans by raising funds from the people, securing arms and initiating
encounters with the Americans.

There were no less than twenty encounters between the revolutionaries
and the Americans in Misamis Occidental from May 14, 1900 up to January 6,
1901.

To the natives of Oroquieta-Launguan area, Capitan Daligdig led
numerous assaults against the Oroquieta garrison of the Americans. He was
known as brave, a fencing expert and possessed with supernatural powers.

On January 27, 1899, Severino Reyes, organized the Corp of Liberators
(Cuerpo de Libertadores) equipping them with arms to maintain public order
and defend Camiguin against invaders.

__On February 12, 1899 General Simeon Gonzales who had been
appointed by Gen. Aguinaldo as the Military Chief of Mindanao arrived in
Camiguin and commended the local revolutionaries on their war preparations.

On December 6, 1899, American gunships appeared along the coast of
Camiguin. Gunship No. 5 dispatched a small boat to attack a banca which was
aligning for port space. The Cuerpo de Libertadores defended the banca and
volleys of shots were exchanged. The small boat retreated and went back to
the gunship which then shelled the island for 3 to 4 hours.


On December 10, 1899, Gunship No. 5 of the Americans destroyed the:
steamship Minerva, owned by the provincial government when it resisted the
assault by the gunship at the waters around Cagayan. On March 31, 1900, the
Americans were able to take over the capital town of Mambajao.

The Gonzales family of Surigao was headed by Don Juan or Jantoy. In
1892, the Spanish governor of Surigao exiled the brothers Simon and
Wenceslao Gonzales for their anti-Spanish activities to Jolo. They would have
been vanished to the Marianas Islands but Fr. Pastells, Superior of the Jesuits
intervened on time. Simon and Wenceslao returned to Surigao after almost four
years of exile in Jolo.

In April 1896, the Spanish governor again exiled Simon and Wenceslao
to Manila. Earlier, their brother Florendo was executed by Spanish authorities
in Cebu for his Katipunan activities there. Both men never got to Manila
because war broke out between Spain and the U.S. and they were detained in
Hilo.

In September 1896, they obtained permission to go to Hong Kong.
They stayed only for a short time there and they later went to Manila where
they got in contact with Aguinaldo revolutionaries. After September 15, 1898,
they attended sessions of the Malolos Congress. On January 2, 1899,
Aguinaldo appointed Simeon Gonzales as Military Commander of Mindanao
and Wenceslao as Governor of Surigao. On February 11, 1899, they returned
triumphantly to Surigao.

Returning in triumph to Surigao, the Gonzales brothers declared it a free
territory and part of the Republic of the Philippines and with the assistance of
their legal supporters imprisoned the priests and missionaries, Jesuits and
Benedictines alike.

Simon was the first person to hoist the Philippine flag at Casa Real in
Surigao while Wenceslao became the first person to hoist the Philippine flag in
Butuan on January 14, 1899.

When the Spanish-American war erupted, General Simon Gonzales and
Governor Wenceslao Gonzales made military preparations and geared the
People in Surigao and Agusan for assistance against the Americans. However,
their nationalistic efforts were thwarted when Prudencio Garcia, the general
from Banganga, executed a coup d’ etat and toppled and arrested the
Gonzales after only 83 days in power.

The year before, specifically on September 23, 1898 this Prudencio
Garcia had taken matters into his hands and led a swift and successful uprising
against the undermanned Spanish detachments at the Banganga-Cateel line
on the Pacific coast of Surigao. After deposing the Spanish officers and other

government officials, he installed himself as head of the new local government
unit.


On April 4, 1899, Garcia's men took Simon and Wenceslao, together
with their father, Don Juan to the beach of Cortes where they were shot to
death. Later, Gen. Garcia peacefully welcomed the Americans upon their
arrival in Surigao.

From the Jesuit Missionary letters from Mindanao, we learn that the
people in Central Mindanao also rose up against the Spaniards. From the letter
of Mariano Suarez to the Mission Superior, the father reported the plans of the
deportees in Cotabato to rise against Spain as early as November 1896.
However, this was aborted by alert Spanish authorities.

In October 1898, Fr. Suarez wrote to the Superior about the plot of
Spanish Infantry to mutiny. However, the Spanish governor learned of the plot
and the infantry men were disarmed, shackled and detained at the barracks.

In November 1898, the Spanish authorities executed by firing squad in
Cotabato forty nine of those who plotted against the Spaniards.

In Pollok, Maguindanao, Father Baltazar Ferrer also wrote to the Mission
Superior on December 7, 1898 that a conspiracy, probably planned jointly with
those in Cotabato, was to take over the two gunboats of the Spaniards namely
the Gardoqui and Bravo by killing the officers of the ships. But their plot was
discovered and twenty-two persons were apprehended and brought on board
the Panay to Isabela :

In the same letter, Fr. Ferrer also mentioned the arrival a month earlier
of more than 370 political exiles and convicts. Shortly on arrival, 101 were
executed, same in Malaybalay and Baras and others in Parang.

After the Spanish withdrawal from Cotabato, Datu Piang declared
himself Sultan of Mindanao. On January 6, 1899, with a thousand warriors, he
occupied Cotabato and later on Tamontaka. The churches and convents were
badly damaged and the pent-up wrath of the Maguindanao against the
Christian colonizers reached a peak of expression. The memory of indio
participation against the Maguindanao was still very strong.

However, Datu Piang’s reign in Cotabato was short-lived. In December
1899 American occupation forces arrived in Pulangi, putting an end of the
armed conflicts.

Although Datu Piang co-opted with the American establishment,
resistance to American rule was led by Datu Ali a descendant of the Buayan
ruling family and former follower of Datu Uto. Datu Ali attempted to raise the
whole Cotabato Valley in revolt. His fortress in Cotabato was the largest ever
constructed in Mindanao. It would easily hold five thousand men. Although this
fortress/garrison was eventually overrun and taken by the Americans he was
not captured. Datu Ali of Buayan was the last Muslim of reknown to resist
‘American rules through armed means.


At the beginning of Philippine revolution, a sergeant and a corporal
attached to the 68” Regiment garrisoned in Jolo succeeded in winning
members for the Katipunan. On the 4" of September, 1896, the native soldiers
Tose in arms at Fort Alfonso XII and engaged the government troops in various
skirmishes. However, the movement was quickly suppressed and trial was
summarily conducted with two sergeants, five corporals and two soldiers
sentenced to death. The rest of those arrested were condemned to life
imprisonment.

By 1898, the repercussions of the revolution in Luzqn were felt in
Zamboanga where General Vicente Alvarez led the revolutionaries against the
remaining Spanish contingents.

In April 1899, the rebels had captured a large storage of machine guns
and rifles from Spanish gunboats off Basilan and on May 13, 1899 they began
a siege of Zamboanga. The Spaniards finally evacuated the town; but at
embarkation, Montero, a Spanish general was fatally wounded. General delos
Rios surrendered the city to Gen. Alvarez on May 18, 1899 and evacuated his
troops to Manila the next day.

After the Spanish evacuation, a petty civil war between the principalia of
Zamboanga and faction of the revolutionary militia broke out. On March 16,
1899 the American attacked Zamboanga with little resistance from the battle-
weary citizens.

In Jolo, when the U.S. troops under Captain Pratt landed on May 18,
1899, the Tausugs did not resist. In July 1899, Military Governor Otis sent
General John Bates to Jolo to negotiate an agreement with Sultan Jamalul
Kiram Il of Sulu. On August 20, 1899, the Bates Treaty was concluded
establishing friendly relations between the Sultanate and the U.S.

The Philippine revolution of 1896 caused no significant reaction in
Davao. In November, 1896 Fr. Saturnino Urios, Superior of the Jesuits in
Davao, wrote how much they thank God for the people in Davao continued to
be friendly, unaffected by the revolution.

In September, 1898, the Spanish officials in Davao received orders to
vacate the place and turn over the government to the local authorities. When
the Spaniards left Davao in mid January 1899, a new council of government
was installed but other refused to abide by it and so anarchy reigned in Davao,

Unexpected on February 6, the tercios revolutionarios armed with riffles
went on a rampage killing their senior officer, his wife and a young relative.
Others joined them and proclaimed themselves masters of the town. Somehow
the Jesuits managed to convince the tercios to return. However, one of the
principales, a friend of the lieutenant killed by the tercios fired a bullet killing the

latter's murderer and so fighting ensued. However they were later pacified and
peace finally settled down.


These aceounts clearly show that in all regions of Mindanao there were
revolutionary activities waged by the community first against the Spaniards
then later against the Americans.

Although there was not much direct participation of the Muslims in
Mindanao in the Philippine Revolution from 1896 to 190, first against the
Spaniards and later against the Americans, focus should be made on the
Muslim's indispensable role in helping the Philippine Revolution through their
continuous resistance against Spanish rule specially during the years
immediately preceding the 1896 revolution.

In 1880, Datu Uto became the most powerful datu in the Pulangi area.
The Spaniards decided to conquer the Datu to demonstrate that the
Maguindanao have no chance against the might of the Spaniards.

In 1884, a fierce battle between the Spaniards and the forces of Datu
Uto in Tumbao took place but the Datu’s man there was defeated. But Datu Uto
remained unconquered such that in 1886 Governor General Terero had to
personally lead the punitive campaign against the Datu. After more than a year
of fighting, Datu Uto was forced to sue for peace through a letter. The
Spaniards content by the letter abandoned their expedition. This expedition
was criticized in Manila for its very large expenses.

Gen. Valeriano Wreyler succeeded Governor Terero as Governor
General in 1888. He strengthened the Spanish forces in Cotabato but decided
to conquer first the unconquered Maranaos.

On August 21, 1891, the Spaniards under Governor General Valeriano
Wreyler attacked the Maranas at Fort Marawi under Datu Amai Pakpak.
Unaware of concealed pits 00 ditches planted with sharpened bamboo sticks
and covered with plants and vines, many Spaniards fell and got killed.
However, they succeeded in scaling the fort's wall and defeated the defenders
‘Anai Pakpak escaped death

But Wreyler three days later abandoned the fort in fear of Maranaos who
were already massing for an assault on the Spaniards. They returned to lligan.

In March 10, 1895, Gov. General Ramon Blanco with a force of about
3,000 troops aided by countless volunteers marched to Marawi. After severe
fighting including hand to hand encounters and with heavy losses on both
sides, Blanco's superior power succeeded in planting the Spanish flag upon the

fort for the second time. But it was at the cost of 18 Spaniards dead and 197
wounded,

_ The conquestadores of Spain have met their match in the Islam's
warriors of Mindanao and Sulu because after 300 years of fighting the Moros
preserved their independence, religion and culture. The Muslims had staged a

bitter and uninterrupted warfare against the might of Spain for a period of 337
years,


The Moro Wars became a factor in the development of the Philippine
Revolution. The Wars sapped the energies of Spanish officials and gave them
little opportunity to strengthen the Spanish hold on Luzon, thereby creating a
situation favorable to a revolutionary movement. While the Christian natives
were taxed and recruited into forced labor in support of the campaign against
the Muslims, the Spanish authorities failed to protect Christian settlements from
Muslims ravages. Thus, the Moro wars too, helped create sources of discontent
which combined with other dynamics responsible for the Philippine Revolution.

Statistical data show that the Politico-Military Government of Mindanao
begun incurring a deficit spending of 439,920.03 pesos in 1884; at Insular level
a comparison shows that the staggering deficit accounted for 1,846,718.01
pesos and the budget for the succeeding years before the 1896 Revolution
Teflected the same trend, The budget immediately preceding the
Revolution, that of 1895-1896, reflected the war department getting the lion's
share of 4,045,061.34 pesos. A good percentage went to salaries of the clergy
and support of the church amounting to 1,045,540 pesos. At the outbreak of the
1896 Revolution, the Insular Government had at its disposal a limited force
consisting of two squadrons of cavalry, one battalion of engineers, one artillery
regiment, and seven regiments of infantry. Six of these infantry regiments were
then in Mindanao for the Lake Lanao campaign, but some of these were
immediately recalled,

Because substantial Spanish forces were concentrated on these places
of Mindanao including the forces along the trocha of the isthmus, Spanish
forces-in Manila were too weak to suppress the revolution. Therefore, in its
contextual aspects, the activities of the Moros along the isthmus, the
relationship of the Moros and the Subanen and the concentration of the
Spanish forces in Mindanao contributed to the success of the Philippine
revolution of 1896.

Burdened with financial constraints, the Spaniards could not fight two
fronts at the same time, so, they fixed their attention to Mindanao. Because of
this, their control in Luzon was eased as the big bulk of their forces was sent to
the south. It was during the period that the Katipunan spread all over Luzon.
Therefore, there is enough reason to believe that the Moro resistance had
contributed in the strengthening of the Katipunan because without the military
campaign in Mindanao, there would have been enough Spanish forces in
Manila to check their activities.

The Moros may not have taken part in the actual combat during the
revolution, but their unwavering resistance to Spanish domination is enough
contribution to the cause of freedom. Their resistance and offensive operations
undermined the Spanish plan to subjugate totally the archipelago. Enormous
amount of money for the improvement of the army and the navy were spent,
leaving behind other services for the colony, which resulted in dissatisfaction
among Spanish subjects. This dissatisfaction, among others was one of the
reasons of the revolution. Revolution is change and change is a process, in
short, a revolution does not happen at a flick of fingers, but develops until it


matured. The Philippine Revolution, therefore, was the climax of the process,
the mutiny of the determination of the Filipinos to be free.

The Moro resistance, raids and piracies therefore, were the Moro
contributions in the fight against the colonizers that reached the climax in the
Philippine Revolution of 1896

From the discussions above, it is clear that the people of Mindanao, the
Christians, Muslims and /umads had participated in the Philippine Revolution
that culminated in Philippine independence that we are now celebrating

Itis unfortunate that for a hundred years our historians have disregarded
the heroic deeds of the people of Mindanao by merely mentioning them in
passing, it at al

But a hundred years is not too late to correct our history books. A
hundred years could not suppress the recognition that is due to our heroes in
Mindanao. It is about time to declare as national heroes Nicolas Capistrano, »
Apolinar Velez, Vicente Roa and Apolinario Pabayo from Misamis Oriental,
Rufino Deloso, Simeon Ledesma and Capitan Daligdig from Misamis
Occidental; Simeon and Wenceslao Gonzales of Surigao; Datu Uto and Datu
Ali of Cotabato; Amai Pakpak of Marawi and Vicente Alvarez of Zamboanga.

Only by recognizing the heroic struggle of the people of Mindanao
against colonial rule and by declaring as national heroes the Mindanaoans who
fought so that this nation may be free and independent can we achieve a
truthful and truly national celebration of the Philippine Centennial and the unity
of the entire Filipino people. tt is high time that we correct the injustice inflicted

on our brothers in the South. Now is the opportune time to give recognition
where it is due.

Approval of this timely measure is therefore most earnestly sought.

RUFUS B. K6Gpucvez
“Wi

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

1414

House Bill No.

AN ACT
TO DECLARE AS NATIONAL HEROES THOSE WHO LED THE
REVOLUTION AGAINST SPAIN AND THE UNITED STATES IN MINDANAO

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title to this Act. - This act shall be known as the
MINDANAO HEROES DECLARATION ACT OF 2010".

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared that the Filipino
Nation recognizes the heroic acts of the people in all the regions in the country
in the revolution against Spain in 1896 and subsequently the fight against the
‘Americans in 1898 so that this nation will be free and independent

SEC. 3. Objectives. ~ The Objectives of this Act are:

a) to correct the bias against the heroic participation of the people from
the different regions of the country outside of Metro Manila and adjacent
regions in the revolution against Spain and the United States:

b) to develop local writers to write about their local heroes in the
revolution against Spain and the United States.

¢) to recognize the long delayed heroism of the people. in other regions

outside of Metro Manila and the adjacent regions in revolution against Spain
and the United States.

4) to lay the groundwork for the rewriting of Philippine history to
incorporate the heroic deeds of our brothers and sisters in the other regions
and make our Philippine history truly national and complete; and :

) to make the centennial celebration of our Philippine Independence
complete with the due recognition of the participation of the different regions of
the country in the revolution against Spain and the United States,


SEC. 4, The following are declared National Heroes for their heroism in
the revolution against Spain and the subsequent war against the American
‘occupation forces:

1. From Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro:

a) General Nicolas Capistrano, the leader of the Cagayan
revolutionaries who waged a one-year war against the
Americans in 1900-1901 and led the attack of the Cagayan
revolutionaries, assisted by Bukidnon lumads, against the
Americans in the Battle of Cagayan of April 7, 1900.

b) Colonel Velez, who commanded the revolutionaries in the
west of Cagayan de Oro and victoriously led the defenders in
the Battle of Macahambus Cave of June 4, 1900, where nine
American soldiers were killed and more than ten wounded,
and only one revolutionary died.

©) Captain Vicente Roa who, on May 14, 1900, led the Cagayan
revolutionaries in the east in an encounter with the 40" US
Regiment where he was killed fighting, together with 34
Cagayano soldiers in the Battle of Agusan Hill.

2 From Misamis Occidental :

a) Simeon Ledesma who organized the first resistance group in
Western Misamis against the Americans;

b). Rufino Deloso who led a force of 400 revolutionaries and
engaged the Americans in no less than 20 encounters from
May 14, 1900 to January 6, 1901;

©) Capitan Daligdig, the lumad leader in the Oroquieta-Laungan
area who led numerous assaults against the Oroquieta
Garrison of the Americans.

3. From Surigao

a) The heroism of the brothers Simon and Wenceslao Gonzalez
should be recognized. Simon Gonzales was appointed by
General Aguinaldo as military commander of Mindanao, and
Wenceslao as governor of Surigao on January 2, 1896. They
declared Surigao and Butuan free territory and part of the
Republic of the Philippines and they were the first to hoist the
Philippine flag in these places. They made war preparations
and prepared the people in Surigao and Agusan for
resistance against the Americans. They were, however, both


executed together with their father on April 4, 1899, by
another military leader of Surigao.

4, From Zamboanga:

a) General Vicente Alvarez who led the revolutionaries against
the Spanish forces which withdrew to Zamboanga from
various parts of Mindanao. In siege of the Zamboanga,
Montero, a Spanish general, was killed and General de los
Rios surrendered the city to General Alvarez on May 8, 1899.

5. From Cotabato and Maguindanao:

a) Datu Uto must be credited for incessantly fighting the
«Spaniards from 1880 to 1886. The Spanish expeditions
against Datu Uto weakened the over-all military strength and
financial resources of the Spaniards making them vulnerable a °
few years later to the revolution waged by the Katipuneros.

b)

Datu Ali organized and led the resistance in the Cotabato
Valley to American rule. His fortress in Cotabato was the
largest ever constructed in Mindanao easily holding 5,000
men.

6. From Lanao:

a) Amai Pakpak led the Muslim defenders of Fort Marawi in both
the 1891 assault by Spanish Governor General Valeriano
Weyler and the 1895 invasion of Governor General Ramon
Blanco. Amai Pakpak died fighting the 3,000 Spanish troops.

These heroic wars waged by our Muslim brothers sapped and
diminished the military strength and divided the attention of the Spanish
authorities. The Muslim resistance led the strengthening of the
Katipunan because without the military campaign in Mindanao, there

would have been more than enough Spanish forces in Manila to check
the Katipunan.

SEC. 5. The National Historical Institute is hereby directed to undertake
a full blown research on the life and the activities of the above declared
National Heroes during the revolution against Spain and the war against the
United States. The Institute is likewise tasked to publish a book on these
National Heroes from Mindanao, to erect the monuments and the historical
markers of the different sites of the war against the Spaniards and the
‘Americans in coordination with the local governments of the area.


SEC. 6. Appropriation. - The amount of the Thirty Million Pesos is
hereby appropriated and given to the National Historical Institute to undertake
the activities as provided in this Act

SEC. 7. Effectivity. - This act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days

following its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved.