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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez

House Bilt No! 439
EXPLANATORY NOTE

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 was started in Norther Mindanao in lligan City when a
group of disciplinarios (Filipino soldiers under the Command of Spanish Mlitary 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 responded 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 retuned 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 lloilo,

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
Wencesiao 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 deportes 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 shortlived. 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 rose in arms at Fort Alfonso Xil 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 Luzon 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 II of Sulu. On August 20, 1899, the
Bates Treaty was concluded establishing friendly relations between the Sultanate and the
Us.

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 itand 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 accounts 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 retumed to ligan.

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
movemnent. 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 reflected 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
Teasons 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 lumads had participated in the Philippine Revolution that culminated in
Philippine independence that we are now celebrating.

It is 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 all

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 Alli 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. It is high time that we correct
the injustice inflicted on our brothers in the South. Now is the opportune time to give
recognition where itis due.

Approval of this timely measure is therefore most eamestly sought.

Yi ly

RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez

0435

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. Short Title — This act shall be known as the MINDANAO HEROES
DECLARATION ACT.

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.

d) 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 Ametican soldiers were
killed and more than ten wounded, and only one revolutionary died.

c) 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;

c) 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 Commission 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 Commission 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 Commission to undertake the activities as provided in this,
Act.

SEC 7. Effectivity - This act shalll take effect after fifteen (15) days following its publication
in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,