Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-08-14

FANAIICISM
Exposure of Plot to Seize Cebu
and Crown an lmposter
as King

CEBU. July 16.-There. is consider
able excitement in the city today at
the coming to light of a plot to seize
, the constabulary Quartet and to crown.
rs the divine ruler of Ihe Philippines.
one Carlos Gerardino. There are plen-
ty Of people ready to say Il told you
So" for there is little doubt that the
removal OF the United States soldiers
encouraged the present abortive at
tempt at rising, for with soldiers in
the city the most fanatical Filipino
would never dream of rushing the city
OF Cebu. as was intended in the pres
ent instance.
Acting on information received Maj
or A. ]. Robertson, the senior inspect
or Of constabulary at Cebu. on Thurs
day morning last, ordered Lieut. ]. T.
Reyburn to proceed to the town of
AloQuinson. there to arrest certain
known persons who were to hold a
meeting that day for the purpose of
melting people to acts of violence.
Constabulary soldiers had already
been sent unostentatiously to different
points with instructions to cooperate
with the lieutenant The surprise was
complete and nine ring-leaders, who
were holding a meeting attended bv
over one hundred persons. were ar
rested without anv trouble and
brought into Cebu today.
Among those arrested is the ring
leader, Carlos Gerardino. It has been
known to the constabnlary for some
little time past that/this man. claim
ing divinity, was organizing religi-
Gus order, something after the stvle OF
the "colorum" that caused trouble In
these islands some time back. He was
supposed to be performing miracles.
and his followers believed that he
could turn bamboo-clubs into rifles.
His special evidence of the miraculous
vas a tree, the leaves Of which he
could convert into money. and the
same leaves would also. when boiled
and placed in the mouth on the form
o. pellet or pulp, prevent bullets
from entering the body. Gerardino is
not an educated man. He is an ordin-
airy tao with an extraordinary gift OF
fluent speech. 1t shows the frsurrec-
tionary spirit among the people that
he was able in very short snace OF
time to collect nearly thousand fol-
lowers, to which number others were
being added daily. Members OF this
politicalreligious movement was
known to come from all parts Of the
province. some in fact from the city
of Cebu itself. .-..
= II was the intention OF these mis-
guided people to strike their first Flow
AZ the provincial capital and to seize
the Cebu cons tabulsry Quartet. The
plot was for an early date. and the
brothers" were to individually make
their way into Cebu and then on
given sign rush the Quartet and cap
ture the constabulary guns. This done
and the citv's only protection remov-
ed, Carlos Gerardino was to be crown
ed king and the city to he proclaimed
the canital of the new Fflipino nation.
Had this plot succeeded 1t NAV well
h. IMAGINED the riot that would have
followed and the possibilities OF such
a rising. But again the eff1ciencv OF
the Philippines Constahulary has heen
proven. and although Major Robertson,
refuses to he interviewed and to make
and statement. he does not denV the
truth 1T the story and acknowledges
that the arrests have been made and
that there was in existence religious
of which he has heen
aware of since its inception and which
he has been watching until the time
was ripe for it's suppression.
One interesting fact NAV be noted, !
The arrests took pla"e at the barrio ut
Zaragoza, in the municipality " Aio-
and this is the same district
where the pulaiane rising of 1904-1905 |
took place.