Diego Silang and Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang

The first major revolution waged against the Spaniards was waged by the Silangs during
the time of the British forces’ military incursion in the Philippines which began in
September 1762. It was the period of the Seven Year’s War between the British and the
French, who were aided by Spain. In October 1762, the British expeditionary forces from
India occupied Manila in retaliation to Spain’s alliance with France, and sought to take
control of the other provinces of the Philippines. Diego Silang saw this as the opportune
time to lead an Ilocano revolt against the weakened Spanish forces. Ilocanos have
suffered long the unreasonable taxes, free labor for the construction of religious and
administrative structures and the suppressive monopolies that the Spaniards imposed
upon the populace. That is why they were quick to respond to the call for revolution.
Diego Silang’s aim was the creation of an Ilocano nation. This vision began when he
personally witnessed the many abuses of the Spanish government and the Roman
Catholic Church not only in Ilocos but wherever he traveled as courier for Vigan’s parish
priest, delivering letters and documents to Manila and back. Having failed in
negotiations with the Spanish authorities to establish a government in Ilocos with
Ilocano functionaries, Diego Silang worked with the British forces to defeat the Spanish
in the North.
He already had control of Vigan in December of 1762. He was promised military
assistance by the British to strengthen his hold and complete his plan, which
unfortunately never came. Diego Silang was later killed by Miguel Vicos, a friend who
was a mestizo (mix blood of Spanish and Ilocano). Vicos carried out his assassination of
Diego during his visit to the latter’s house, accompanied by another of Diego’s friend
Pedro Becbec. The traitorous act was of course instigated by the Spanish church and
government authorities. Diego’s cause did not die with him, however. His wife, Maria
Josefa Gabriela Silang, continued his
leadership. Her valiant efforts were overpowered by massive forces set upon her,
forcing her retreat to Abra. She tried to lead her army back to Vigan but was again
repelled. She was captured and put to death publicly by hanging in September 1763.
Almost a hundred of her followers were also publicly hanged to serve as a warning to
the Ilocanos. She is now remembered in Philippine history as the country’s Joan of Arc
and first female leader for Filipino liberation. Her furious ride towards Vigan is
immortalized in many statues all over the country erected in memory of her courage
and sacrifice. She rejoined her husband only four months after his death.

Tondo conspiracy
According to the Laguna Copperplate Inscription -- a legal document written in Kawi now housed in the
National Museum of the Philippines -- the former region of Tondo has already existed in the year 900
AD; hence, it is over eleven hundred years old. Furthermore, this document claims that Tondo was
ruled by a man called Jayadeva who holds the Sanskrit title Senapati or "admiral".

Tondo became so prosperous that around the year 1500 AD, the Kingdom of Brunei attacked it and
established the city of Maynila on the opposite bank of Pasig River as the new capital of Luzon Empire.
And although the traditional rulers of Tondo, the Lakandula, retained their titles and property, the real
political power resided in the House of Soliman, the Radjahs of Manila.

After the Spaniards conquered the Luzon Empire in 1571, Tondo was included in the creation of the
Province of Pampanga, which at that time, was the first colonial province carved out of the former
empire. Moreover, according to a census conducted by Miguel de Loarca in 1583, the people of Tondo
reportedly spoke the same language as that spoken by the natives of the province of
Pampanga. Institute of National Language commissioner Jose Villa Panganiban once wrote that the
dividing line between Kapampangan and Tagalog was the Pasig River, and that Kapangpangan was
therefore originally spoken in Tondo.

Eventually, Tondo became a separate province in the later half of the Spanish colonial era, but there
was a major reorganization of political divisions under the Americans; the province of Tondo was
dissolved, and its towns given to the provinces of Rizal and Bulacan. Today, Tondo just exists as a
district in the City of Manila.

Although Tondo was one of the first provinces to declare rebellion against Spain in 1896, about three
hundred years earlier, a group comprised of very prominent Filipinos conspired to overthrow the
Spanish rule. It was, however, a failed attempt. Its mastermind was Agustin de Legazpi; nephew of
Lakan Dula and son-in-law of the sultan of Brunei. His first cousin was Martin Pangan, who was then the
gobernadorcillo of Tondo. It was to be known as the Tondo Conspiracy of 1587-88.

Besides Lakan Dula and Martin Pangan, the other major conspirators were Magat Salamat, son of
Lakan Dula and Chief of Tondo; Juan Banal, another Tondo chief and Salamat’s brother-in-law;
Geronimo Basi and Gabriel Tuambacar, brothers of Agustin de Legazpi; Pedro Balinguit, chief of
Pandacan; Felipe Salonga, chief of Polo; Dionisio Capolo (Kapulong), chief of Candaba and brother of
Felipe Salonga; Juan Basi, chief of Taguig; Esteban Taes (Tasi), chief of Bulacan; Felipe Salalila, chief of
Misil; Agustin Manuguit, son of Felipe Salalila; Luis Amanicaloa, chief of Tondo; Felipe Amarlangagui,
chief of Caranglan; Omaghicon, chief of Navotas and Pitongatan, chief of Tondo.

Augustin de Legazpi had made contact with a Japanese sea captain, Juan Gayo, through a Japanese
Christian and interpreter, Dionisio Fernandez, who had also joined the conspiracy. A secret agreement
was concluded in which Captain Gayo would supply arms and Japanese warriors to help the Filipino
rebellion and recognize Augustin de Legazpi as king of the Philippine kingdom. In reciprocity, Captain
Gayo and the Japanese warriors would receive one-half of the tribute to be collected in the Philippines.

There were other secret meetings other than those with the Japanese that had to be concluded before
the final plan of the uprising was to become completely enforceable. First, a secret delegation would
travel to Borneo to secure combat troops and ships from the Sultan of Brunei. Second, obtain the
support and participation of the inhabitants of Laguna and Batangas in this struggle for freedom. Once
a full commitment was received from Borneo, Batangas and Laguna, the armed rebellion would begin
upon the arrival at the Manila Bay of the Sultan of Brunei’s warships with warriors on board. The
conspirators and their armed warriors would then launch a ferocious attack to completely annihilate
the Spaniards and then set the city on fire.

It would have been a good plan climaxed by an epic battle had it not been for a turncoat who betrayed
the conspiracy and reported it to the Spanish authorities.

On the way to meet with the Sultan of Brunei, Magat Salamat, Juan Banal, and Augustin Manuguit
stopped at Cuyo, Calamianes, to meet with its native chief, Sumaclob. The chief was swayed to join the
conspiracy and pledge to contribute 2,000 of his men for the cause. However, Magat Salamat made an
error in judgment by soliciting the participation of another Cuyo native, Antonio Surabao. Upon
learning of the secret plan, Surabao rushed to expose it to his master, Captain Pedro Sarmiento, the
Spanish encomendero of Calamianes. And once Salamat, Banal and Manuguit were apprehended,
Captain Sarmiento hastily traveled to Manila and informed Governor Santiago de Vera on October 26,
1588 of a brewing conspiracy against Spanish rule.
The governor immediately ordered the arrest of all persons implicated in the revolutionary plot.
Everyone was thoroughly investigated, tried in court, and made to suffer cruel punishments. To the
Spanish authorities, the conspirators were nothing more than traitors, but to the Filipino people, they
were brave liberators — martyrs of a lost cause.

Augustin de Legazpi and Martin Pangan were brutally hanged — their heads cut off and exposed on the
gibbet in iron cages; their properties and assets were seized by the Spanish authorities and the sites of
their homes plowed and sown with salt so that they would remain barren.

The Japanese Christian interpreter, Dionisio Fernandez was hanged and his property confiscated.
Dionisio Capolo (Kapulong), chief of Candaba (Pampanga) was sentenced to exile from his town and
made to pay a heavy fine. Governor Santiago de Vera pardoned him. Later he served as a guide and
interpreter for two Spanish expeditions to the Igorot country in 1591 and 1594.

The other five leading members of the Tondo Conspiracy were exiled to Mexico — Pedro Balinguit (chief
of Pandacan), Pitongatan (chief of Tondo), Felipe Salonga (chief of Polo), Calao (chief of Tondo), and
Agustin Manuguit (chief of Tondo). They were the very first Filipinos to reside in Mexico.

It wasn’t until during the late nineteenth-century when another significant conspiracy in Tondo was
hatched to overthrow the Spanish regime. However, unlike the Tondo Conspiracy of 1587-88, this time
it was the members of Manila’s working class — not the heads of prominent families — who were
mainly the mind and force behind it

HERMANO PULE Y LA COFRARIA DE SAN JOSE'

Apolinario de la Cruz ( Hermano Pule ) was born on July 22, 1814 in Barrio
Pandác in the town of Lucban in Tayabas Province (now Quezon). In 1829, ,
he decided to become a priest and tried to join the Dominican Order in
Manila. During these times, Roman Catholic religious orders were closed
for native people (indios). Apolinario decided to work at San Juan de Dios
Hospital. During this time, he studied the Bible and other religious
writings.
In 1832, de la Cruz founded the Cofradia de San José (Confraternity of St.
Joseph), composed of indios. He was known to his followers as:" Hermano
Pule". The Filipino brotherhood fostered a practice of Christian virtues.
The Cofradia prohibited Spaniards and mestizos from joining without de la
Cruz's permission.
Authorities, including Spanish Governor-General Marcelino Oraa and
Roman Catholic Archbishop Jose' Segui regarded the Cofradia as heresy
and an abomination of universal Christian values, ordering its dissolution.
Despite its religious prohibition, the Cofradia's numbers continued to
grow.
Feeling an attack on their religious freedom from Catholic authorities,
Hermano Pule rallied about 4,000 followers at Barrio Isabang on the slope
of Mount Banahaw and was able to resist an attack by Alcalde-mayor Juan
Ortega and his 300 men on October 23, 1841.However, reinforcements
came on November 1st, with Colonel Joaquin Huet who annihilated the
Cofradia forces, allegedly massacring hundreds of old men, women and
children who joined Hermano Pule in Alitao in defying the Catholic leaders
of the Church.
After the attack Hermano Pule fled to Barrio Ibanga but was captured by
authorities the following evening, and on November 4, 1841 he was
executed by a firing squad at the town of Tayabas. After he was killed, the
authorities cut off his head and placed it on a stake.