Complex sentence: Rather than surrender, Pinilla sent a radio message to the "Almirante Cervera", ordering it to open fire on his position, but the cruiser didn't react, fearing a trick from the revolutionaries to bomb their own troops.
Split into simpler sentences: Rather than surrender, Pinilla sent a radio message to the "Almirante Cervera", ordering it to open fire on his position. However, the cruiser didn't react fearing a trick from the revolutionaries to bomb their own troops.