Pulahan
Total population | |
---|---|
Currently none; 10,000–15,000 (c.1900) | |
Founder | |
Visayan languages, Spanish, Tagalog |
The Pulahan (literally "those wearing red" in
Description
Pulahanes practiced a
Americans have described Pulahanes as notorious fighters and are experts in hand-to-hand combat.
History
The 19th century saw the rise of the dios-dios "shamans". Dios-dios (literally "god pretender" or "false god", from Spanish dios) were religious leaders so named because of their penchant for identifying themselves with Christian religious figures. They led cult-like religious movements, promising prosperity, supernatural powers, or healing to their followers. Most were mere charlatans selling amulets and magical pieces of paper. Their members were mostly from the illiterate rural poor who had little knowledge of formal Catholic teachings and were living in extreme poverty under colonial rule.[4] The dios-dios movement was initially purely religious.
There are numerous examples of dios-dios leaders in the 19th century. They include Lungao, a healer from
Dios-Dios Rebellions of the 19th century
The movement began on 1887, when
The last significant dios-dios rebellion in the 19th century was led by
Another dios-dios uprising was led by a shaman named Gregorio Lampinio (better known as "Gregorio Dios", and also known as "Hilario Pablo" or "Papa") in Antique from 1888. The uprising was formed near Mount Balabago, a sacred pilgrimage site for shamans. Lampinio led a force of around 400 people. They collected contribuciones babaylanes (a revolutionary tax), disseminated anti-colonial ideas, and launched attacks on towns in Antique and Iloilo. The group was eventually suppressed by the Guardia Civil by 1890.[4]
The Pulahan campaign
Concurrent with Papa Isio's rebellion in Negros Occidental against American rule, the dios-dios movement in eastern Visayas turned their attention to the new American colonial government. Calling themselves the Pulajanes ("those who wear red"). Like their predecessors, they claimed supernatural powers and used fetishistic amulets, holy oils, and magic spells in battle. They attacked both American troops and local Filipinos cooperating with the American colonial government. James Francis Smith, Governor-General of the Philippines, wrote about the Pulahanes in a 1906 report: "To many the word "pulahan" is synonymous with that of bandit or robber. This designation... is hardly proper. The pulahanes of Leyte and Samar can hardly be called robbers or thieves. Indeed, as a rule the pulahan is hard working, industrious, and not at all disposed to violence unless impelled to it by long continued wrongs or by the potent influence of religious fanaticism. All the trouble in Leyte and in Samar was due in a large degree to injustices perpetrated upon the people... Education and just treatment will make out of the pulahan a good citizen"[4][13]
Leyte
From 1902 to 1907 the Pulahanes challenged the American authorities in Leyte, led by Faustino Ablen ("Papa Faustino"), an illiterate peasant who assumed the title of pope. Ablen claimed to have supernatural powers and sold anting-anting that would render one invisible to the enemy and holy oil that could cure any ailment. Ablen promised his followers that after victory, he would lead them to a mountain top on which stood seven churches made of gold, and they would be re-united with dead relatives and lost carabaos. Ablen's troops attacked American forces and captured weapons where they could, however their primary weapon remained the bolo. They would also attack Filipino's who collaborated with the Americans. For example, during the raid on Carigara, they beheaded the local presidente, killed his wife and kidnapped his children. They did not harm innocent locals, their only purpose was to obtain weapons and wreak vengeance on the town police. Despite determined campaigns by the Constabulary, the revolt continued to grow. In some battles, the movement managed to deploy five hundred to one thousand men. The government was so alarmed that it offered a 2000 peso reward for Papa Faustino, dead or alive. US Major General Leonard Wood sent four battalions of the US Army to Leyte to crush the rebellion. This finally broke the rebellion into exceedingly smaller groups that were forced to deploy guerilla tactics. On May 25, 1907, Papa Faustino's wife and family were captured.[16] On June 11, 1907, a detachment of Philippine Scouts chanced upon four Pulahan fighters and opened fire. Three men escaped, but one was captured. He was Papa Faustino. With his capture, the rebellion in Leyte came to an end.[17]
Samar
After Emilio Aguinaldo's surrender to the Americans in the Philippine-American War in 1901, the resistance continued in Samar, led by general Vicente Lukbán. The hardships the local population went through by the hands of the US Army, such as the genocidal March across Samar, instilled a deep hatred for the Americans among the Samareño's.. Thus, after Lukban's secret headquarters along the Cadac-an River was taken over by the Americans on 17 November 1901, several rebel leaders refused to surrender and retreated to the interior of the island, including Lukban who had escaped. Among the rebel leaders were Pablo Bulan ("Papa Pablo"), Antonio Anugar, and Pedro de la Cruz. All of them were members of the Dios-Dios. After Lukban was captured on 18 February 1902, Papa Pablo became the leader of the resistance. From 1902 to 1904, Papa Pablo built up his forces in the mountains, which were estimated at 7,000 by 1903.[18] After the Americans brought them the same corrupt officials, new taxes and laws, the local population began to join the Pulahanes and launch attacks on the government.
Colonel Enrique Villareal Dagohob (or Daguhob) was a college-educated native of Bicol, who served in the Siege of Catubig in April 1900.[19]: 233 He was jailed in his native Masbate from 1902, under the name Andres Villasis (which according to the Philippine Commission was probably his real name), until 24 February 1903. On this day he escaped with five other accomplices. After escaping jail, he went to Leyte and became a prominent military leader, where he was known as Enrique Villareal. In the spring of 1904, he went to Samar under the new pseudonym Dagohob, which means "strong wind" or "thunder" in the Visayan language.[20] He left Leyte for Samar because of the more favorable war conditions and the strained relations with other Pulahanes.[21] After his arrival, Dagohob set up a base in Catubig in Eastern Samar. After being given a considerable amount of freedom by the Pulahan leaders, perhaps because of his superior education, Dagohob quickly took over the leadership of northeastern Samar and bolstered the Pulahan movement on the island.[22] Dagohob planned to drive the local population into the mountainous interior of the island by the destruction of towns and villages, after which they would be influenced to join the resistance. The government responded by stationing troops and warning the local residents not to leave their settlements. As the Pulahanes had grown too strong for the Constabulary and Philippine Scouts to handle, the US Army relieved the Constabulary forces in December 1904. However, attacks continued and more weapons were captured. The Constabulary forces were then sent into the heart of Pulahan territory. One detachment established a fort at San Ramon, which the Pulahanes soon attacked. The following description of the assault was made:
The first assault party consisted of sixty bolomen, each of whom had two bolos lashed to their wrists. Others carried long poles with burning torches to burn the grass roofs and force its occupants into the open where they could be chopped down by the fanatical bolomen... the main attack unfolded with 700 red-and-white-uniformed pulajanes shouting "Tad! Tad!", as they stormed the fortress. The bolomen received supporting rifle fire from the nearby brush but it was not effective as the pulajanes were notoriously poor shots. All night the battle raged and gradually the pulajan bodies piled up outside the fort. Hundreds of pulajanes were wounded while 100 were killed outright before Anugar (the leader) called the assault broken off.
A devastating battle for the movement was the
After several captures of guns by the Pulahanes, their force grew stronger, both in firepower and in the boldness of the fighters.[24] By February 1905 the Pulahanes dominated many areas of the island. The government had practically no control of Samar, which was limited to military posts. To make headway, eastern Samar was placed under complete control of the regular army, while the Constabulary retained control over the more peaceful western side. In a surprise attack in July 1905, American troops killed Dagohob, after which many of his followers surrendered and resistance in the area he controlled stopped. In August, Antonio Anugar was also killed. Early in 1906, Nazario Aguillar and 130 of his men agreed to surrender, however this was only a ruse, as during the surrender ceremony they suddenly attacked instead of giving up their arms. It was a suicidal attempt as 43 Pulahanes were killed, but they did kill 22 Constables.[18] In November 1906, de la Cruz was killed in battle and a number of his officers were captured. A few days later, Constables attacked Papa Pablo's camp and killed him. Only one leader of importance remained, Isidro Pompac, also known as Otoy, who assumed control and the title of Papa. By this time, the Pulahanes were much weakened and Otoy roamed from place to place to evade capture. George Curry, Governor of Samar, wrote about the Pulahan in a 1907 report: "Pulahanism" has almost ceased to exist in this province (Samar). Otoy, assisted by Angeles and a few others, is in the mountains between Borongan and Basey with some fifty or sixty followers. They have been so closely pressed by the military, constabulary, and volunteers that they have not made an attack on any of the towns or force since November 1906. Since my last report, Papa Pablo, the religious head of the Pulahanes, Pedro de la Cruz, the fighting leader, Lucente Picardel, and several other leaders have been killed." Major J.B. Murphy was senior inspector and leader of the Samar Philippine Constabulary, tasked with capturing Pulahan leadership.[17]
Curry appointed former Philippine Revolution Army Officers Congressman Eugenio Daza and Narciso Abuke to serve directly under Murphy as Captains. Daza oversaw East-Samar and Abuke West-Samar. As captains, they appointed subordinate officers and enlisted men. Many of the men Daza recruited served under him during the Philippine Revolution and Philippine-American War. Daza and Abuke led companies of 100 armed men each. Daza negotiated with, and arrested, Cipriano "Teducduc" Amango the leader of the Southeastern Samar Pulahan and leader of the Magtaon Attack. Teducduc was formerly a revolutionary under Daza during the Philippine-American War.[25] In the barrio of Napta-an, Daza and his men encountered a major group of Pulahanes. Daza's victory here is credited as the victory that led to the eventual defeat of the Pulahan in Samar.[26] Murphy is credited with killing the religious head, Papa Pablo. Abuke and his men are credited with killing their fighting leader, Pedro de la Cruz and 20 of his men. Four years later on 1 October 1911, a Constabulary force managed to locate Otoy's small band and killed them. This ended the Pulahan resistance. In Samar alone, 7000 Pulahanes had died.[17]
See also
- Filipino shamans
- Battle of Balangiga
- Anito
References
- ^ "Severino: Cinco de Noviembre: Revolution or Hacienda?". Sun.Star Bacolod. 4 November 2006. Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
- ^ "Ola'a-Nalo Eskrima". Ola`a-Nalo Eskrima. 2 July 1992. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
- ^ "A History of Philippine Baptist Pastors 1898–2002". Bwa-baptist-heritage.org. 2 August 1983. Archived from the original on 14 September 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f Marco, Sophia (2001). "Dios-Dios in the Visayas" (PDF). Philippine Studies. 49 (1): 42–77.
- ISBN 9781859843826.
- ^ a b c Modesto P. Sa-onoy (1992). Negros Occidental History. Today Printers and Publishers. pp. 110–118.
- S2CID 159782759.
- University of Negros Occidental-RecoletosResearch Planning and Development Office, Bacolod City, 1998
- ^ McCoy, Alfred (1982). "Baylan : Animist Religion and Philippine Peasant Ideology". Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society. 10 (3): 141–194.
- ISBN 9780824820824.
- ^ a b Cuesta, Angel Martinez, OAR: History of Negros., Historical Conservation Society, Manila, 1980
- ^ "Philippines Islands negros revolution". Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
- ^ ISBN 9780853453949.
- ^ Sa-onoy, Modesto P. (1992). Negros Occidental History. Today Printers and Publishers. pp. 110–118.
- ^ "Papa Isio marker unveiled". The Visayan Daily Star. 10 November 2009. Archived from the original on 13 November 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
- ^ "San Francisco Call, Volume 102, Number 12, 12 June 1907". 12 June 1907.
- ^ a b c Constantino, Renato (1975). The Philippines: A Past Revisited (PDF).
- ^ a b Dimayuga, Paul. "Messianic Leaders of the Revolution". Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- ISBN 0700612254
- ^ Forbes (1905). United States. Philippine Commission (1900–1916): Report of the Philippine Commission to the Secretary of War, Part 1. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1903.
- ^ Pelorina, Renato N. (2 April 2015). PLUNDER OF PARADISE: THE HISTORY OF FOREST DENUDATION OF MASBATE ISLAND, THE PHILIPPINES, 1870–1946 (PDF).
- ^ Hurley, Vic (14 June 2011). Jungle Patrol, the Story of the Philippine Constabulary (1901–1936). p. 233.
- ^ Foreman, J., 1906, The Philippine Islands, A Political, Geographical, Ethnographical, Social and Commercial History of the Philippine Archipelago, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons
- ^ Forbes (1906). Report of the Philippine Commission to the Secretary of War. United States. Philippine Commission (1899–1900). p. 29.
- JSTOR 26014110.
- ^ "Some Documents of the Philippine-American War in Samar". Leyte-Samar Studies. XVII: 165–187. 1983.
Further reading
- Alejandrino, Jose M. (1949). The Price of Freedom.
- Constantino, Renato (1972). The Philippines: A Past Revisited. Manila.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Ileto, Reynaldo (1979). Pasyon and revolution: Popular Movements in the Philippines, 1840–1910. Quezon City. ISBN 9789711130855.)
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - .
- May, Glenn Anthony (1981). Battle for Batangas, a Philippine province at war. New Haven.
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Ochosa, Orlino A (1989). The Tinio Brigade: Anti-American resistance in the Ilocos provinces 1899–1901. Quezon City.
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Roth, Russell (1981). Muddy Glory: America's "Indian Wars" in the Philippines 1899–1935. Boston.
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Sturtevant, David R (1976). Popular Uprisings in the Philippines 1840–1940. Ithaca. ISBN 9780801408779.)
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link