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By Retired General Joseph Sevilla
REMEMBERING OUR FORGOTTEN BOHOLANO HEROES                           

Our beloved province of Bohol and the Boholano people played humble but heroic roles in the last World War and National conflicts. Our heroes deserved honors and place in history. Our nation is celebrating yearly the National Heroes Day this month on 31st day of August 2020 to remember our national as well as local heroes during the Spanish, American and Japanese Regimes. Our country is no longer a young republic having gone through several revolutionary wars and regional conflicts for the cause of freedom and democracy. Despite our rich heritage, cultural and historical histories, these were blinded with culture and glorifications by some scholars and even by foreign powers. Many of the Boholanos knew only few national heroes to name a few: Datu Lapulapu, Dr. Jose Rizal,  Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini, Emilio Aguinaldo, Antonio Luna, , Sultan Kudarat, Juan Luna, Marcelo del Pilar, Gregorio del Pilar, Tomas Pinpin, Fr. Gomez, Burgos and Zamora (GOMBURZA), Diego Silang, Gabriela Silang, Francisco Balagtas, Melchora Aquino, Graciano Lopez Jaena,Juan Felipe, Miguel Malvar and others.
I. SPANISH REGIME aside from Datu Lapulapu and Francisco Dagohoy we have a number of Boholano heroes during regional conflicts.

DATUSIGALA He was the ruling Datu of Bool, Bohol kingdom who was higher and of better leadership than DatuSikatuna. He performed blood compact with the Spaniard Captain General Miguel de Legaspi on March 28, 1565 at Hinawanan, Loay, Bohol on board the flagship San Pedro. Chief Sigala remained a Lumad and this is a reason why the blood compact between DatuSikatuna and Legaspi was given prominence and remembered by the Spaniards because Sikatuna was converted to Christianity in many Spanish records.

DATULAGUBAYAN he is a terror of the whole Moroland in Mindanao Around 1563, 2 years after the Sikatuna-Legaspi blood compact, DatuLagubayan left Bohol with 800 families of slaves from the island, Leyte (Lutaya/Lutaw) and Samar (Samarines) provinces and settled in Dapitan, Zamboanga. He conquered the Lumads and Muslim population from Zamboanga, Misamis, Surigao, Agusan, Bukidnon up to Davao. He was the brother of DatuSarripadaDailisan of Panglao who was killed by the Portuguese forces that treacherously attacked the Panglao natives, kidnaped women and seized treasures such as gold, clothing and merchandises. He is also a strong supporter of DatuLapulapu in defending Mactan Island against the Spanish and Cebuano forces led by Magellan Rajah Humabon. He is also known as DatuPagbuaya according to Dr. Jose Rizal.

DATU SIKATUNA He was the first Datu who performed the first blood compact with Captain General Miguel de Legaspi at Bool, Tagbilaran City.

II. AMERICAN REGIME

BOHOL PRESIDENT BERNABE REYES Don Bernabe Reyes was elected President of the Rebuplic of Bohol by elected delegates at the Provincial Capitol on June 11, 1899. The Republic of Bohol under President Reyes was recognized by the American Regime. He approved the Bohol Constitution which was drafted by a constitutional convention; the holding of elections of provincial, municipal and barangay officials; organization of police, postal and other administrative offices which were honored by the Americans when they landed in Bohol on March 20, 1900. Overall, he remained untouched and to a remarkable degree described by the Americans as “a man of very superior ability and education” and ran a well-ordered, peaceful community capable of working its own destiny without aid from outside. He was succeeded by President Anecito Clarin  in first American sponsored elections. The transition of civil government became official on Bohol on April 3, 1902 with the departure of the American forces in the same month with the US Band playing “Dixie”.

CAPTAIN MARTIN CABAGNOT Captain Martin Cabagnot alias Captain Pakla of Sevilla, Bohol was considered the fightingest commander of the Bohol patriots. According to Historian Jes Triol, Capatin Cabagnot led the brave Boholano patriots that almost annihilated a company of American forces under Captain Andrew Rowan, hero of the American- Spanish War in Cuba, at Kabantian, Gunduilman, Bohol on September 15, 1900. To hide the humiliation, the Americans reported their casualties as “died due to tropical disease (cholera), alcohol poisoning and being shot for desertion.”
In retaliation the American reinforcement forces reportedly burn more than 20 towns which were reduced to ashes to include Jagna, Dimiao, Duero, Guindulman , Anda, Candijay, Alicia, Mabini, Loay, Baclayon, Loon, Calape, Tubigon, Clarin, Inabanga where the whole police forces were tortured and drowned, and other towns. The smokes from fires were visible in Cebu, Leyte and Camiguin. The American forces killed and tortured thousands of Boholanos they met or captured to include working animals. The only town spared was Jetafe when the two American forces which were approaching from different directions turned away thinking or assuming that the other lights the fire. A national paper reported this American war atrocity is more than what happened in Balangiga, Samar.

GENERAL PEDRO SAMSON He was appointed by the American occupation forces as Commandant of the Insular Police or Militia but later on emerged as the biggest enemy. His men were mostly armed with bolos and antique muskets. His brave patriots encountered the American forces at Balikwing, Carmen in August 1900. The former policemen and now General led several encounters with the American forces in the interior towns until he was offered amnesty and finally surrendered at Tagbilaran on December 23, 1902.

13 BOHOLANO MARTYRS (TRECE DE MARTIRES DE BATUAN) The thirteen (13) people of Batuan were captured by the American forces inside San Isidro Labrador Parish church of Batuan which was still a barrio of Bilar town on Spetember 20, 1900. The thirteen person who were water tortured and then executed by the American troops were Incocencio Pacatang, Valentin Gumapac, Alejo Morala, Guillermo Gumapac, Gregorio Gumapac, Juan Cubao, Francisco Queza, Masueto Caberte, Martin Hingpit, Carpia Tagubar, Juan Balisa, Faustino Gumapac and  Maria Polinar. According to Historian Jes Triol, those killed were loyal to the Boholano patriots and they preferred to be executed by the invading forces. They did not reveal the locations of the patriots at Camaliga now Quezon, Batuan only few Kilometers from the Church.

III. JAPANESE REGIME

MAJOR VICENTE T. CUBERO alias “captain Francisco Salazar” Commanding Officer of “Behind the Clouds Force”. Hero of Battle of Moalong in Loon, Bohol which took place on September 27, 1942. This was the first and most successful ambuscade ever recorded in the annals of guerrilla warfare in Bohol.

LT. VICENTE K. NUNAG, JR. alias “Lone Wolf” Hero of Moalong, Loon, Bohol. He was designated by Capt. Salazar to take charge of the pistol section when the guerrilla contingent in “Behind the Clouds” left for Moalong, Loon to engage the enemy in an ambush on September 27, 1942. Nunag became Second-in-Command or Asst. Combat Head upon the death of Capt. Espinueva in the Moalong.

LT. ESTEBAN BENIDO A brave and gallant USAFFE officer, who has able to escape from the ruthless persecution by the Japanese forces in Mindanao, organized a group of soldiers and volunteers in his hometown of Guindulman.

PRIVATE AMANDO MIJARES a brave constable of the Philippine Constabulary of Panglao, Bohol. He organized the famous “Baang Guerrilla Force” in Baang, Balilihan, Bohol. His forced increased in numbers and later join the force of Lt . Vicente Nunag, Jr. under Captain Francisco Salazar of the “Behind the Clouds Force”. The “Baang Force” was the first guerilla unit known to the Japanese imperial forces because they received the first baptism of Fires and casualties in the province during the War.

CONGRESSMAN TEODORO ABUEVA AND WIFE PURIFICACION VELOSO ABUEVA    Cong. Teodoro Abueva was one of the most wanted provincial officials by the Japanese Army. On October 15, 1944, a Japanese patrol surprised him and his family and they were hog-tied and brought to Jagna. They were subjected to cruel punishment and force to reveal the where-abouts of the guerrilla officers and their forces. After several days of torture the couple did not berated their fellow guerrillas and they were sentenced to die, then they were brought to Balitbiton, Valencia and were bayoneted to death by the Japanese Forces on October 23, 1944.
In more than four (4) centuries of world, national and regional conflicts particularly in Mindanao, Sulu and other part of our country several millions of Filipino patriot, soldiers and innocent civilians suffered and died during the Wars. We must honor and recognized their deeds and supreme sacrifices so that the present and future generations can enjoy freedom, peace and prosperity. May our almighty God Bless our beloved country thus the Philippines and the whole Filipino people.

(BGEN JOSEPH G. SEVILLA AFP (RET)
Member of the Board of Trustees of World War II (BTVWII) / former ROLP National Chairman and President


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