Cagayan de Oro Philippine-American War Memorial

“Plaza de los Heroes” is a memorial dedicated to the heroic sons and daughters of Cagayan de Misamis (the former name of Cagayan de Oro) who made sacrifices or shed their blood during the Philippine-American War at the turn of the 20^th century or the year 1900. It is situated beside the office of Pueblo de Oro near Shoemart along Masterson Ave., Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro.

The defeat of Spain in the Spanish-American War forced it to sign with the United States the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898, ending the war and ceding to the latter Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. The United States annexed the Philippines after paying Spain the sum of $20,000,000 as compensation. Emilio Aguinaldo whose Filipino forces were instrumental in the defeat of the Spaniards took the opportunity to proclaim the First Philippine Republic and made himself the president. However, his authority was not recognized by the Americans who now considered the Philippines under their rule. With a fledgling government undermined with the presence of American forces who wanted absolute control of the country, Aguinaldo declared war against the Americans on June 2, 1899, and a full blown war followed.  

             

In the province of Misamis and the town of Cagayan de Misamis, the leaders of these places pledged their allegiance to the First Philippine Republic after the defeat of the Spaniards. And torn between the issues of their allegiance to Aguinaldo’s government and the American occupation, civil officials and prominent citizens of Cagayan de Misamis met on January 1, 1900 in Club Popular, the present day location of Saint Augustine Maternity and General Hospital, to take a common stand on the matter. In that meeting, they agreed to sign the Pact of Resistance to American colonial rule.  

                       

American forces arrived in Cagayan de Misamis on March 30, 1900. Their presence created a tense situation where an armed confrontation between them and Filipino forces in Cagayan de Misamis under Gen. Nicolas Capistrano was inevitable. As expected, bloody battles happened between the two forces in an area at Saint Augustine Cathedral on April 3, 1900, in Agusan Hill on May 14, 1900 and in Makahambus Hill on June 4, 1900. In these battles many Kagay-anon fighters were either killed or wounded.

The main feature of the memorial is the three trapezoid shaped concrete vertical slabs which are installed at an angle with each other. The slabs are inlaid with granite tiles on which the names of the Kagay-anon heroes of the war are inscribed in color gold. Those vertical structures stand on a concrete circular base, several lampposts adorn the structures. The memorial was inaugurated on June 4, 2004.

List of people in the memorial include those with surnames that are common or prominent in the city, and there are other surnames that are rarely borne among the populace at present. The list and other data that are found in the monument are said to be taken from the manuscript of Filomeno M. Bautista in his “Philippine Revolution of Misamis Oriental Province”.

Following are names and other information that are inscribed in the memorial:

                                 The Heroes in the Battle of Cagayan de Misamis

Maj. Ramon Neri Liñan, Capt. Bernardino Cabañeros, Capt. Clemente Chacon, Capt. Apolinar Pabayo, Lt. Pablo Lago, Lt. Braulio Sacala, Lt. Florencio Zulueta, Doroteo Abalde, Eugenio Adubas, Fabian Atingas, Enecerio Baaclo, Celedonio Baang, Francisco Baguchay, Juan Baguchay, Doroteo Beja, Ciriaco Bongado, Doroteo Caingin, Emeterio Caingin, Juan Caingin, Segundo Caingin, Juan Comendador, Cirilo Dacer, Potenciano Dakilog, Bartolome Disalan, Gregorio Ebari, Jacinto Ebari, Lorenzo Ebari, Mariano Ebari, Silverio Ebari, Pedro Echem, Fortunato Emano, Eulogio Esmadre, Benito Jabiniao, Benedicto Labnao, Feliciano Liñan, Victoriano Lumban, Francisco Nacnac, Francisco Natimdim, Casiano Neri, Casiano Oco, Cenon Pabayo, Eleno Pacapat, Doroteo Pacheco, Evaristo Pacheco, Eugenio Pacheco, Mariano Pacheco, Doroteo Pacturanan, Vicente Pacupat, Marcelino Paison, Miguil Pactain, Juan Salda, Ambrosio Sambaan, Eustaquio Talaquig, Celedonio Wabe

               

                                                Men of the Mindanao Battalion

Lt. Jose Racines Roa, Sgt. Antonio Antig, Sgt. Saturnino Neri, Blas Abas, Demetrio Almonia, Tomas Bajarla, Saturnino Bugahat, Pablo But-an, Enecerio Dakut, Dalmacio Echem, Santos Maandig, Inocencio Mabulay, Arcadio Mabalacad, Pedro Mongonoya, Crisanto Neri, Matias Neri, Regalado Oco, Francisco Paasa, Eleno Pislong, Alejandro Ramonal, Braulio Tabantaban, Pio Yare

                                                   Women of the Revolution

 Arcadia Valenzuela and her troops of women warriors from Lapasan, Cecilia Castañeda Capistrano, the “Inspiration of the Revolution”, and Bartola, Anastacia and Placida Eblacas of Kibawe, Libona, Bukidnon who treated and fed the revolutionaries.

     The civilians in the revolution who gave material and logistical support to the Kagay-anon warriors

Fabian Abellanosa, Fausto Bandialan, Juan Bautista, Ramon Chaves, Toribio Chavez, Manuel R. Corrales, Julian Eblacas, Paulino Eblacas, Quintino Eblacas, Isabelo Gonzales, Hilario Mandar, Nicasio Nagales, Anastasio San Jose Neri, Policarpio Neri, Vicente Neri, Mundo Reyes (Camiguin), Timoteo Baz, Placido Reyes (Camiguin), Vicente Rivera, Pedro R. Roa, Alejo Seriña (Opol), Guillermo Yacapin (Libona)

                                                    Financiers of the revolution

Tirso R. Neri, Jose C. Roa, Cipriano A. Vamenta, Pio A. Roa

                                                  Heroes of the Battle of Agusan Hill

1^st Company, Mindanao Battalion:

Capt. Vicente R. Roa, Lt. Nemesio Yamomo, Sgt. Uldarico Akut, Sgt. Zosimo Roa, Cpl. Maximo Roa, Domingo Abanador, Dionesio Abas, Edmidio Abejuela, Clemente Achas, Filomeno Achas, Gimeno Achas, Pablo Achas, Filomeno Buzon, Fausto Cabacungan, Emeterio Cuares, Vicente Dacubar, Juan Daumar, Sotero Daumar, Leoncio Echem, Pedro Echem, Juan German, Inocencio Mabulay, Agapito Mabulay, Felix Mabulay, Silverio Mabulay, Pio Nana, Canuto Quina, Santiago Raagas, Valeriano Raagas, Casiano Rabadan, Feliciano Rabadan, Domingo Raloso, Andres Roa, Severino Sabalo, Felix Sabanal, Herminigildo Sabanal, Benito Salcedo, Tomas Saco, Anastasio Santua, Guillermo de la Serna, Pastor Soilon, Mateo Tabalon, Rafael Tabalon, Inocentes Ualo, Enrique Ubaldo, Francisco Velez, Sixto  Velez, Alberto Villases, Marciano Yaminyamin

The Macheteros:

Doroteo Abejo, Zoilo Alar, Fructuoso Emano, Lucas Emano, Francisco Ergina, Canuto Galles, Basilio Jamil, Frutuoso Lagarit, Leon Lucaban, Alejandro Mologan, Juan Pijo, Castor Soilon

                         The Heroes in the Battle of Macahambus Hill June 4, 1900

Capt. Cruz Taal, Lt. Miguel Puano, Juan Janola, Lucio Labitad, Gabino Lumindas, Apolinar Nacalaban

The officers during the Philippine-American War in Cagayan de Misamis

Commander in Chief                                     Gen. Nicolas Capistrano

Aide de Camp                                                 1^st Lt. Bernardino Neri

On Special Detail                                            2^nd Lt. Juanito Valmores

Secretary to the General                               Santiago del Castillo

Asst. Commander in Chief                             Maj. Justo Gaerlan

Aide de Camp                                                  2^nd Lt. Juan Roa Valdeconcha

Mindanao Battalion (All Infantry)

Battalion Commander                                      Maj. Apolinar Velez

Aide de Camp                                                    2^nd Lt. Clemente Chavez

1^st Company Commander                                Capt. Vicente R. Roa

Senior Officer                                                    1^st Lt. Jose R. Roa

Junior Officer                                                     2^nd Lt. Cruz Taal

2^nd Company Commander                                 Capt. Gregorio Chacon

Senior Officer                                                     1^st Lt. Bernardino Neri

Quarter Master

Chief Quarter Master                                         Maj. Cayetano Pacana

Asst. Quarter Master                                          Capt Fausto del Prado

Admin Officer                                                       1^st Lt. Filomeno Bacarrisas

Medical Corps

Chief Surgeon                                                        Capt. Sancho Baviera

Asst. Surgeon                                                         1st Lt. Vicente Espedido

 Cavalry Division

Commander                                                              1^st Lt. Agripino Bautista

Asst. Commander                                                    2^nd Lt. Jose Corrales

Non Commissioned Officer                                    Sgt. Uldarico Akut

Macheteros

Battalion Commander                                               Maj. Ramon N. Liñan

Asst. Commander                                                      Capt. Gil S. Pacana

 1^st Company Commander                                        Capt. Apolinario Pabayo

Asst. Commander                                                      Lt. Clemente Pabayo

2^nd Company Commander                                         Capt. Zoilo Mercado

Asst. Commander                                                       Lt. Florencio Zulueta

3^rd Company Commander                                          Capt. Anastasio Pimentel

Asst. Commander                                                        Lt. Juan Waga

4^th Company Commander                                           Capt. Bernardino Cabañeros

Asst. Commander                                                         Lt. Pablo Lago

5^th Company Commander                                            Capt. Tomas Olango

Asst. Commander                                                          Lt. Bernardo Sacala

6^th Company Commander                                             Capt. Pedro V. Valdehueza

Asst. Commander                                                           Lt. Pedro Agapay

7^th Company Commander                                              Capt. Clemente Chacon

Asst. Commander                                                            Lt. Eustaquio Caballero

The memorial was constructed through the effort of the following persons and entities: National Historical Institute, Mayor Vicente Emano and the members of the City Council, Atty. Pureza N. Ramos, Agnes P.R. Roa, Sandy Bass Sr., Thaddeus Bautista, Ramon Chaves and the Kagay-anon Heritage Foundation.

Related Posts:
Cagayan de Oro during the Philippine-American War (Part 1- The Battle of Cagayan de Misamis)
Cagayan de Oro during the Philippine-American War (Part 2- The Battle of Agusan Hill)
Cagayan de Oro during the Philippine-American War (Part 3- The Battle of Makahambus Hill)
Cagayan de Oro during the Philippine-American War (Part 4- American Victory)
Macahambus Cave and Gorge

Cagayan de Oro during the Philippine-American War (Part 4- American Victory)

General Nicolas Capistrano's Troops surrendering to the Americans

In the aftermath of Kagay-anon guerillas’ victory in the Battle of Macahambus, the Americans sent the 28^th Infantry Regiment troops from Zamboanga to Cagayan de Misamis as an augmentation force of the 40^th Infantry Regiment that was already there. This unit was led by General William Kobbe. His subordinates included among others such excellent officers as Major John J. Pershing and Major James Case.

Since the guerillas could not take the American forces head on, they had to resort to unconventional tactics to fight them in a protracted war. They abandoned their stronghold in Macahambus because they could not withstand constant attacks and harassments by the US forces.

The war situation in other parts of the Philippines and the situational developments in Manila would have repercussions in Cagayan de Misamis. In most part of the Philippines, the American forces had been winning battles over that of President Aguinaldo who himself was on the run to avoid capture. Beaten in battles because of insufficient armaments and other logistical needs, a number of Aguinaldo’s soldiers and civil officials surrendered and later allied themselves to the Americans. It would just be a matter of time before the First Philippine Republic would collapse.

On January 1901, in Cagayan de Misamis, General William Kobbe requested Don Manuel Corrales to send letter that asked for a 5-day ceasefire and peace conference to General Nicolas Capistrano. On February 4, 1901 at 9 o’clock in the morning General Capistrano with some of his officers met Major James Case in the house of Julian Gevero in Gusa to discuss the matter. However, General Capistrano did not agree with the terms set by the Americans and refused to make commitments. When he returned to Malaybalay, he was followed by the Americans and an encounter ensued between them and his troops. This resulted to the death of 78 guerillas and the capture of 2,000 others. In addition many firearms were captured. The Americans however were not able to get General Capistrano because he had slipped to Linabo.  

With mounting casualties suffered by his troops and the no let up operations conducted by the Americans, General Capistrano was pushed hardly against the wall, and he had to make his final decision. He sent communication to Major case for the terms of peace. In March, 1901, Capistrano together with Uldarico Akut met again with Major Case in the house of Julian Gevero. Both parties then eventually reached an agreement.  On April 7, 1901, in a small plaza in Sumilao 9 Filipino officers with 160 guerillas laid down their arms and took their oath of allegiance to the United States before Major Case. In addition they also surrendered their 187 rifles and 80 shotguns. As agreed upon, General Capistrano did not anymore attend the ceremony.                                                                                                                                                        

Meanwhile, on March 23, 1901, in Palanan, Isabela in Luzon, the Americans delivered its heaviest blow to the First Philippine Republic. American soldiers led by General Frederick Funston disguised themselves as captives of Filipino “guerillas” who were Macababe collaborators. They successfully entered Aguinaldo’s hideout, and when they were there they neutralized the guards and captured their main target- Aguinaldo. On April 1, 1901, in Malacanang, the seat of US power in the Philippines, Aguinaldo swore an oath accepting US authority. On April 19, 1901, he issued proclamation of formal surrender to the US directing all his Filipino forces to lay down their arms and cooperate with the Americans. However, some of his officers did not agree with his position, and some of them such as General Miguel Malvar swore to fight on. But remaining opposition forces were significantly much weaker than the once solid force Aguinaldo had. Their chance of success was slim.

 On July 1, 1902, the Philippine Organic Act was approved by the US congress. It provided for a bicameral legislature. The lower house or the Philippine Assembly was composed of popularly elected Filipino representatives. The upper house was composed of the Philippine Commission whose members were appointed by the President of the United States. The Philippine Commission also acted as an executive body whose head was the American Governor General of the Philippines. The Philippine Organic Act also extended the US Bill of Rights to Filipinos. Since the Americans already controlled most of the Philippine islands and considered them as pacified, President Theodore Roosevelt, on July 4, 1902, granted general amnesty and pardon to all Filipinos who had participated in the armed conflict.

The end of the war and the magnanimity of the American administration ushered in an era of peace and stability in Cagayan de Misamis and in the whole Philippines. As a matter of fact some personalities of Aguinaldo’s First Philippine Republic became top officials of Cagayan de Misamis and the Philippines during the early years of the American administered Philippine government. General Nicolas Capistrano became an elected member of the Philippine assembly in 1909, and a senator of the Philippines from 1916 to 1919. Colonel Apolinar Velez became the governor of the undivided Province of Misamis from 1906 to 1909 and the mayor of Cagayan de Misamis from 1928 and 1931. Uldarico Akut became the mayor of Cagayan de Misamis from 1912 to 1916. 

Links:

Cagayan de Oro during the Philippine-American War (Part 1- The Battle of Cagayan de Misamis)

Cagayan de Oro during the Philippine-American War (Part 2- The Battle of Agusan Hill)

Cagayan de Oro during the Philippine-American War (Part 3- The Battle of Macahambus Hill)

Cagayan de Oro during the Philippine-American War (Part 1- The Battle of Cagayan de Misamis)

A painting of the battle from the City Archives Museum

Spain’s harsh dealing with the Cuban insurgents and the United States’ interference in the Cuban revolution and its pressure on Spain to grant Independence to Cuba caused bitter friction between the two powers. This was exacerbated when an American naval ship USS Maine was destroyed by an explosion in a port in Havana, Cuba where many American sailors were killed. The US blamed Spain for the incident but the latter denied the accusation. Their contrasting interests and disputes over the situation in Cuba ended with their mutual declaration of war in April 1898. 

   

The event had far-reaching repercussions at the global stage considering that those involved were world powers at the time. The Philippines being a colony of Spain would certainly be greatly affected. Even before the war declaration, Filipino revolutionaries, the Katipunan, under Emilio Aguinaldo waged an armed rebellion against Spain. Philippine Spanish Governor General Fernando Primo de Rivera successfully persuaded Aguinaldo and his forces to lay down their arms on a promise of 800,000 Mexican Pesos to be paid in three equal installments and for Aguinaldo to be exiled in Hong-Kong.  

                                                                 

The outbreak of Spanish-American War however would in a way nullify what Primo de Rivera and Aguinaldo had agreed upon. In Hong-Kong, Aguinaldo was approached by US consul E. Spencer Pratt convincing him to continue his armed struggle in the Philippines. He also promised him of American support in the revolution and in the Filipinos’ desire for independence.  

                      

American Asiatic Squadron under Admiral George Dewey entered Manila Bay on May 1, 1898 and defeated the Spanish naval fleet under Admiral Patricio Montojo. Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines in June 1898 and soon thereafter his revolutionary forces joined the battle against the Spaniards. The Filipinos were able to defeat their enemy in many of the battles that resulted to the surrender of large number of Spanish soldiers. On August 13, 1898, US infantry troops arrived in Manila and captured the city.

Embattled Spain which confronted not only the might of US armed forces but also the armed rebellions from its remaining overseas territories sued for peace, and a treaty was signed between it and the United States in Paris on December 10, 1898 to end the war. In the Treaty of Paris Spain agreed for an American administration of Cuba and the cession of Guam and Puerto Rico. The Philippines was ceded to the United States with an amount of $20,000,000 as compensation.

With the Treaty of Paris further armed confrontations between the American and Spanish forces ended. And Spanish soldiers, civil servants and residents were ordered to converge in Manila for their eventual repatriation to Spain. The treaty also gave the Spaniards the opportunity to save face by avoiding defeat and surrender to the Filipinos, and as a matter of course they surrendered to the Americans rather than to the Filipinos.                                                                                                                                                              

 In the wake of US victory against Spain and the impending clean up of remaining opposition forces, President William McKinley on December 21, 1898 proclaimed of Benevolent Assimilation in which he declared the annexation of the Philippines with all possible dispatch.

 When Aguinaldo’s forces tried to enter Manila to proclaim victory, the Americans blocked them, and warned them of a shot out if they insisted. The shooting by an American sentry of an Aguinaldo soldier on February 4, 1899 resulted to a full blown armed conflict. Feeling betrayed by the Americans, Aguinaldo waged another armed struggle against his erstwhile ally. Despite the state of war, he proclaimed victory and independence, and on January 1, 1899 in Malolos, Bulacan he made himself president of the First Philippine Republic. Aguinaldo declared war against the US on June 2, 1899.                                                                                                                                                                  

In Cagayan de Misamis (the original name of Cagayan de Oro which included the present day Opol and El Salvador), the Kagay-anons during rebellion against Spain remained loyal to the Spanish authorities. They even sent personnel to Luzon to help the Spaniards quell the rebellion. However, the cession of the Philippines to the United States and the departure of the Spanish authorities made them give their full support and allegiance to the First Philippine Republic of President Emilio Aguinaldo.

Lieutenant Colonel Cristobal de Aguilar, the last Spanish military governor of Misamis Province and Cagayan de Misamis organized an interim five-man committee composed of prominent citizens that would govern those places to fill the void of leadership when the Spanish officials were gone.  During the advent of the First Philippine Republic, town and provincial officials were elected in 1898 under the auspices of that government. Some of the officials that were elected were Pedro Roa y Casas as provincial president and Toribio Chavez as municipal president. The Philippine flag was flown on January 10, 1899 at the Casa Real, the former admin building and residence of the Spanish military governor of the province which is now the site of the present day city hall.

Torn between the issues of American occupation of the Philippines and their allegiance to the First Philippine Republic under Aguinaldo, civil officials and prominent citizens of Cagayan de Misamis met on January 1, 1900 in Club Popular, the present day location of Saint Augustine Maternity and General Hospital, to take a common stand on the matter. In that meeting they agreed to sign the Pact of Resistance to American colonial rule.

General Nicolas Capistrano and his wife

American forces with warships arrived in Cagayan de Misamis on March 30, 1900. They established their headquarters with four barracks in what is now the site of the present day Gaston Park. The presence of the American soldiers undermined the authorities of Kagay-anon officials who based their legitimacy to Aguinaldo’s First Philippine Republic. Kagay-anons’ aspirations were essentially incompatible with the Americans’ desire to annex the Philippines. Watching in the sidelines were the armed components of Aguinaldo’s government which was called the “Liber Army “or the Liberation Army headed by General Nicolas Capistrano. An armed confrontation between the Liber troops and the US forces was very imminent.

On the dawn of April 3, 1900, bells of Saint Augustine Cathedral pealed for the first mass. At the vicinity of the church in the seemingly serene morning lurked the Filipino forces under the leadership of General Nicolas Capistrano who were preparing to attack the American position in an area by the church. The American soldiers were in the existing buildings which they converted into barracks. Capistrano’s forces were composed of the macheteros (bolo-armed warriors), infantry and cavalry.

For lack of sufficient number of rifles and other modern weapons, the Filipinos had still to use bladed weapons to compensate for their lack of armaments. The macheteros who were armed with bolos were the first to attack the American positions. They had to bring with them ladders to scale the buildings where the Americans slept. An element of surprise was a key for their success; otherwise, without it they would be mowed down right in their tracks by the better armed enemies.                                                                                                

Leading elements of macheteros were able to sneak near the buildings and neutralize some of the American sentries and penetrate the buildings occupied by the Americans. However, a warrior from Bukidnon made a loud battle cry when he killed an American soldier. The sound awakened other American soldiers who then quickly got up to repulse the attackers. They engaged the macheteros in a close hand to hand combat. The local warriors’ bolos pitted against the bayonets of American soldiers. Prominent macheteros who died in the encounter were the commander, Captain Apolinario Pabayo, Clemente Chacon and Casiano Neri who died of multiple bayonet wounds.  

                                                                                                          

A few seconds after the macheteros’ assault, there was a firefight between the Filipino infantry and cavalry on the ground and the American soldiers who were well positioned in the windows of the buildings, church bell tower and other places. Capistrano directed the attack through couriers and hand signal at the place that is now the old water tank that is turned into a city museum. The well equipped Americans had the better of the battle. General Capistrano, sensing that a continued fighting would be untenable, ordered a retreat of his troops. They escaped to the edge of the town with the Americans chasing them. 

The Americans were able to beat back General Capistrano’s forces in their first encounter in Cagayan de Misamis. The hour long battle resulted to 52 killed, 9 wounded and 10 captured Filipinos. On the American side there were 4 killed and 9 wounded.

On that day the streets of Cagayan de Misamis and the ground which is now Gaston Park were filled with the dead bodies and blood of the dead Kagay-anon warriors. Most of them were young and at the prime of their lives. These brave men gave the ultimate sacrifice of their life for the freedom of their countrymen and the independence of their country.

Links:
Cagayan de Oro during the Philippine-American War (Part 2- The Battle of Agusan Hill)
Cagayan de Oro during the Philippine-American War (Part 3- The Battle of Macahambus Hill)
Cagayan de Oro during the Philippine-American War (Part 4- American Victory)