Eduardo Tomas Escudero y Arevalo

Escudero during his visit to Brunei, 1909

## Overview

Brigada Heneral **Eduardo Escudero** is a Magdiweño military officer who is currently serving as the incumbent Commander, Army Corps of Engineers. He served as a combat officer in numerous insurrections such as the Malolos Uprising and Jebus Cultist Revolts as well as the Hainan Expedition before being moved to divisional command and eventually gained recognition for his brilliance in logistics and military construction. He later sustained a combat injury which pushed him to administrative duties and was later assigned as Chief of Army Engineers.

## Biography

### Early Life

**Eduardo Tomas Escudero y Arevalo** was born on September 3, 1869 to father Sebastían Jose Escudero and mother Marina Arevalo in Nueva Caceres. His father was a military officer who served during the Philippine Revolution, which in his teenage years influenced the young boy's mind to some day enlist. An influence to which his mother disagreed with however, eventually making her force Escudero to take up a more civil approach in his career by initially taking engineering courses in a local university. He was initially moderate on this stance but his fondness of his father eventually drew him away and led him to drop out against his mother's wishes.

### Initial Military Career and Hainan Expedition

At the age of 19, he later entered the Nueva Caceres Military Academy and graduated at 1891. As a newly commissioned officer, he was assigned as a platoon leader. He would then have his first taste of combat in the Jebus Cultist Revolts in the Cordilleras as well as the Malolos Reactionary Uprising, earning the respect of his men which was uncommon for newly-assigned officers.

Now a battle-hardened and experienced officer, he was moved up to company commander. He was later assigned in the newly-activated 19th Nueva Caceres Infantry Regiment as part of the Hainan Expedition. In about 1894, he participated in the landing at Sanya, Hainan. His company was later assigned in the late-fall offensive towards the city of Haikou, advancing over mountainous and rough terrain in order to bypass Qing lines. He later reused his knowledge on engineering to solve problems in supply, logistics and transport, an effort which was praised by his superiors and gave him recognition and earned him a spot in regimental command as a Commandante, making him one of the youngest officers in the regiment at the age of 27.

In 1897, he was assigned as then-Prime Minister Mateo Roberto de Valle's aide-de-camp during his visits to Hainan and Borneo. He became acquainted with the Prime Minister's daughter, Maria Louise de Valle, whom De Valle brought with him for company. Escudero also acted as her escort during a ball during his leave in Noveleta, with the two gradually starting a romantic relationship despite only meeting once a month due to Escudero's assignments keeping the latter busy.

### Later Military Service

During a visit to Borneo, his convoy was attacked by militants. Although the attack was successfully repelled, his right leg was injured from the crossfire making him ineffective in combat assignments. He turned down the offer for a honorary discharge and reluctantly agreed to be set back to rear administrative positions. He eventually got his signature cane to help himself in walking without having someone to assist him.

In 1906, he was assigned as regimental chief of staff.

tite ko