37. EPISODES OF MAGALENO REVOLUTION

Every June 12 each year, the Philippines celebrates the one of the important dates in our Philippine history, the Independence Day. Our first president, Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the independence from Spain in his balcony in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898. However, it was only during the presidency of our own Kapampangan president Diosdado P. Macapagal moved the celebration from July 4 to June 12. Thus, many colorful celebrations were held throughout the Philippines, especially in the neighboring town of Angeles, whom it witnessed the first celebration of the Philippine independence in 1899. 

The town of Magalang is one of the historic places in Pampanga. Its contribution during the revolution is enormous, due to the valiant Magaleños who fought for the independence from Spain and its proximity to the historic places such as Camansi, located in Magalang side of Mt. Arayat. In line of commemoration of Philippine independence, these are the some important dates in Magalang in relation to the attaining independence:

September 8, 1896- a combined Filipino volunteers from Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija sucessfully crushed the group of revolutionaries in Magalang.

February 18, 1897- a plan was hatched in the house of Don Tomas Dizon (present site of Blessed Sacrament Chapel) to free Magalang from Spanish rule. The conspirators are Major Servillano Aquino, Lt. Lorenzo D. Camaya, Don Cayetano Rivera, Don Ladislao C. Dayrit and some local elite supporters such as Don Teopisto Ganzon, Don Daniel O. Lacson, Don Buenaventura Paras, Don Juan Feliciano and Don Paulino Gueco. 

August 29, 1897- a band of revolutionaries attacked Magalang, but it was repelled by the Spanish forces. Thirteen revolutionaries killed. 

November 27, 1897- the Spanish general, Ricardo Monet led two columns to capture the revolutionaries' base in Camansi. Despite of windy rainstorm, the two columns gained opposite edges of the plateau by ten o'clock in the morning. By eleven o'clock, the two columns encircled the revolutionaries led by General Francisco Macabulos; forced to abandon their first line of defense due to heavy resistance. The Spanish troops of Lt. Col. Jose Maria Olaguer Feliu lose 23 men; while those of Major Angel Fernandez lose 4 men and 19 injured. Aside from Macabulos, his wife Dorotea Pascual also holed up in Camansi; together with Magaleños, Candido Niceta, Carlos Guiao, and the Chinese general, Jose Ignacio Paua. 

November 28, 1897- the troops of Lt. Col. Olaguer Feliu resumed the battle to capture Camansi. They successfully captured the fort due to intense artillery bombing against the revolutionaries. The battled concluded with 93 revolutionaries dead, and numerous equipment with horses and carabaos were captured. However, General Macabulos and his subordinates especially Major Servillano Aquino escaped. 

May 8, 1898- to monitor the revolutionaries' movement in Mt. Arayat, an order was issued by General Ricardo Monet to construct blok haus located in barrio San Antonio. Heliograph towers was also constructed to send Morse code signals to other Spanish posts around Magalang. The surviving heliograph towers were still seen in barrios Sta Cruz and San Isidro, inside of Cariyana Monastery. These towers are recently declared as Important Cultural Properties by National Museum. 

June 26, 1898- the hostilities against Spaniards resumed. Magalang joined with the towns of Bacolor, Mexico, and Arayat and they swear their allegiance to Katipunan. On that day, the revolutionaries arrested the last Augustinian parish priest of Magalang, Fr. Pedro Diez Ubierna in Magalang church convent. He was brought to the town tribunal together with two Spaniards. It was reported that he was maltreated by the revolutionaries. 

December 18, 1898- some Spanish prisoners were taken to the Magalang church convent including the last Augustinian parish priest of San Fernando, Fr. Antonio Redondo. A fierce attack was conducted by the forces of Gen. Pedro Pedroche against the forces of Magaleño colonel Lorenzo D. Camaya in Magalang church convent. However, the attack was repelled. The Spanish prisoners were freed later in 1899 in orders of President Emilio Aguinaldo. Fr. Redondo died before the order was issued.   

Photo Credit:

www.onwar.com

Sources: 

Alcubierre, Casimiro, España en Filipinas, Los Ultimos Años Su De Dominacion en el Archipelago, El Imparcial, Manila, 1910 pages 52-55.

Bartolo, Louie Aldrin L. and Dizon, Lino L., The Magalang Book: The Historical Life and Culture of a Kapampangan Town (1605-2015), Manila: National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 2016.

Dizon Lino L., Alaya, Kapampangan Research Journal; Juan D. Nepomuceno Center of Kapampangan Studies, Holy Angel University, Angeles City, 2008. page 152.

Joaquin, Nick, Aquinos of Tarlac, Manila, Solar Publishing Corporation, 1986.

Rodriguez-Prada, Fr. Jose, Memorias de Un Prisionero Durante La Revolucion Filipina, Imprenta de la Viuda e Hija de Gomez Fuentenebero, 1901.

The Philippine Rebellion, The Utica Observer, August 30, 1897.

Three Significant Battles in Pampanga by: Marco D. Nepomuceno https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.language.kapampangan/RwG5aML_fwc; Retrieved: June 10, 2017