The Maniago of Revolt

(1660’s)
Presented by: Cj Magleo
 Francisco Maniago

Maniago Revolt led by Don Francisco

Maniago, initially caused by natives’ protest
against the polo and bandala (“polo” was
forced labour and “bandala” was tribute in the
form of food stuff. bandala was the
Kapampangan word for food basket.) , later
became a struggle to free the natives from
Spanish rule. The rebels were weakened by
Gov. de Lara’s cooperation of Arayat chief
Macapagal.
The Maniago Revolt was an uprising in Pampanga during the
1660s. It was a revolt against the Spanish during the colonial
period and was named after its leader, Francisco Maniago. During
that time, Pampanga drew most of the attention from the religious
group because of its relative wealth. They also bore the burden of
more tribute, forced labor, and rice exploitation. They were made
to work for eight months under unfair conditions and were not
paid for their labor and for the rice purchased from them. Their
patience was put to the limit and they signified their intention to
revolt by setting their campsite on fire. The fight soon began and
because the Spaniards were busy fighting against the Dutch, they
were badly depleted by the Kapampangans. Maniago was very
clever and was able to make his fellows believe in the idea of
attaining freedom if they revolt. He succeeded not only in the
attempt of having his natives believe in his propaganda but also
the Pangasineses, Cagayanons and the Ilocanos. But sometimes,
Maniago lied and exaggerated his claims. 
The Maniago Revolt was an uprising in Pampanga during the 1660s. It was a revolt against the
Spanish during the colonial period and was named after its leader, Francisco Maniago. During
that time, Pampanga drew most of the attention from the religious group because of its relative
wealth. They also bore the burden of more tribute, forced labor, and rice exploitation. They were
made to work for eight months under unfair conditions and were not paid for their labor and for
the rice purchased from them. Their patience was put to the limit and they signified their
intention to revolt by setting their campsite on fire. The fight soon began and because the
Spaniards were busy fighting against the Dutch, they were badly depleted by the
Kapampangans. Maniago was very clever and was able to make his fellows believe in the idea
of attaining freedom if they revolt. He succeeded not only in the attempt of having his natives
believe in his propaganda but also the Pangasineses, Cagayanons and the Ilocanos. But
sometimes, Maniago lied and exaggerated his claims. 
The Revolt Of Malong
Malong’s Revolt
Andres Malong
Leader of the Pangasinan Revolt

Andres Malong was the leader of the short-lived but devastating revolt in Pangasinan in 1660-1661.A native
of Binalatongan, Pangasinan, Malong was the province’s master -of-camp, thegovernor’s right-handman in
dealing with the natives. He was a timawa. An Augustinian account described him as highlyintelligent and
clever. Although it was his job, as master-of-camp, to impress upon his fellow Pangasinensesthe advantages
of having the Spanish overlord, he had other ideas. Unknown to his Spanish masters, he wassowing the seeds
of revolt in the minds of the people.

It was the time of the Dutch invasion of the Philippines. A thousand natives were employed inPampanga
and Bataan to cut timber for the building of ships. They were recruited not just from those provinces but
also from Pangasinan, the Ilocos, and Cagayan. After working for eight months away from their families and
without being paid their meager salaries, they had grown agitated.

The mutinous situation was turned into an open revolt by Pampangos, led by Francisco Maniago, amaster-of-
camp like Malong. However, this revolt in Pampanga was easily quelled, without any blood beingspilled on its
soil. The one that spread to Pangasinan by Andres Malong, was something else.
 Malong’s revolt targeted only the Spanish government officials, not the Spanish priest. Obviously,Pangasinenses had
a deep reverence for all things Christian. Malong ordered the people not only to attendmasses and to pray, but also
to guard churches and convents to keep them from harm. This attitude reflectedthe sincere appreciation of the
people towards priests in the province who, according to Spanish chronicles,were dedicated to their mission of
Christianizing the natives and assimilating them into a civil society. It waseven recorded that these priests regarded
the natives as their brethren and jealously guarded their safety asmembers of the flock. It was the abuses committed
by the lay Spaniards, including encomenderos andalcaldes that actually fueled the revolt. The first stirrings of the
revolt occurred in Malangue (Malunguey inother accounts), but the authorities quickly suppressed these with the aid
of soldiers from Pampanga.However, it was to take a violent and bloody turn soon enough.

On December 15, 1660, a mob led by Malong raided the house of the alguacil mayor of Lingayen, Nicolas de Campos,
killing him and his family and setting fire to the house. The force of the discontentedincreased each day, in each town. Any
town, which refused to join the revolt, was razed to the ground. Fordilly-dallying, Bacnotan was besieged by the rebels.
The town’s alcalde mayor and his family tried to escape by the river, but they were overtaken when their boat hit a sandbar,
and were massacred. Only the town priests were spared.

With the death of Spanish town officials, Malong proclaimed himself “King of Pangasinan.” Hisrebels were
then in control of the whole provincial territory, from Bolinao in the west to the Ilocano- populated towns of
present-day La Union. Even the Zambals, a mountain people who refused to heed the callof civilized life, were
enticed to join the revolt.
With the people of Pangasinan united under him, Malong thought of spreading and consolidating theforces of rebellion
in all of Luzon under his command. He sent 6,000 men under Melchor de Vera toPampanga and another 3,000 men to
Ilocos under Pedro Gumapos, retaining only 2,000 men under hisimmediate command. Unfortunately, Pampanga was,
by this time, already at peace with the Spaniards. ThePampanga leader Maniago, who had initiated the revolt in the
province, was for Spanish rule once again.

The Spaniards respondedto Malong’s revolt with a two-pronged attack, both river-borne and byland. Their troops
were augmented by Pampangos, mestizos, Japanese (from Dilao, now Paco), Zambals, andPangasinenses from
Bolinao. Having sent the bulk of his army away, Malong faced the Spaniards with a depleted force,which proved no
match to them in firepower and military training. The Spaniards overcame the rebel’s chief town, Binalatongan,which
the rebels themselves had already burned to the ground. They had retaken Lingayen earlier without a fight.
The rebels retreated to the forest,hoping to get back at their enemy in an ambush, but the wary Spaniards did
not fall into the trap. Meanwhile, Melchor de Vera’s army was defeated at Magalang. He was captured and
hanged in Binalatongan. That of Pedro Gumapos met a similar fate in the Ilocos. He was hanged in Vigan
Soon, scores of rebels deserted King Malong and disbanded, asking the Spaniards for forgiveness. Some of
them offered to help the Spaniards track down Malong. Malong was captured on February 6,1661 in a hut
between Calasiao and Bacnotan. He was with his mother. He was brought to Lingayen for trial and executed
there,by firing squad. (Some accounts say it was in Binalatongan that he was tried and executed- short as he
was sitting on a rock.) In the aftermath,most of his ardent followers were hanged-the usual penalty for
treason. It is said that Malong died a Christian,implying that despite initiating a revolt against the Spaniards,
he never renounced the Christian faith.
The rebels retreated to the forest,hoping to get back at their enemy in an ambush, but the wary Spaniards did not fall
into the trap. Meanwhile, Melchor de Vera’s army was defeated at Magalang. He was captured and hanged in
Binalatongan. That of Pedro Gumapos met a similar fate in the Ilocos. He was hanged in Vigan Soon, scores of
rebels deserted King Malong and disbanded, asking the Spaniards for forgiveness. Some of them offered to help the
Spaniards track down Malong. Malong was captured on February 6,1661 in a hut between Calasiao and Bacnotan. He
was with his mother. He was brought to Lingayen for trial and executed there,by firing squad. (Some accounts say it
was in Binalatongan that he was tried and executed- short as he was sitting on a rock.) In the aftermath,most of his
ardent followers were hanged-the usual penalty for treason. It is said that Malong died a Christian,implying that
despite initiating a revolt against the Spaniards, he never renounced the Christian faith.
The Revolt Of Sumoroy
Agustín Sumuroy (better known as Juan Sumuroy) was a Filipino
hero and Waray leader of the Sumuroy Rebellion, a rebellion of
native Filipinos against colonial Spanish forces that occurred in
eastern Visayas in 1649-1650.

Agustin Sumuroy is referred to by many as the Waray hero of the

Palapag, Northern Samar rebellion during the Spanish time around
1649 to 1650.
The Sumuroy Rebellion of 1649-1650 was one of the earliest uprisings against the Spanish regime in the Philippines. It
was orchestrated by Agustin Sumuroy, a Waray, who rose in arms on 1 June 1649 over the polo y servicio or forced labor
system by the Spaniards. The rebellion started in Palapag, Northern Samar and spread to adjacent areas in Luzon,
Visayas, and Mindanao before they were effectively crushed by the Spanish authorities.

Cause of the Rebellion

As one of the world’s leaders in navigation, Spain had many shipbuilding sites in the Philippines during the early
colonial period, where they employed Filipino natives from within the area. Due to losses of galleons, however, some
of the shipyards were closed. Others which were left to operate included the Cavite shipyard. Through a decree issued
by Governor-General Diego Fajardo, carpenters from Manila were drafted and additional carpenters and laborers
from each province were demanded. The carpenters of Palapag, Samar resented the decree because it would mean
spending indefinite time away from their families.As soon as the inhabitants of Palapag saw men being collected and
sent to the harbor of Cavite, they began to meet in the house of Sumuroy and his father to organize their
insurrection. Don Juan Ponce a very influential man; Don Pedro Caamug; and Sumuroy were appointed leaders.In
response to the decree, Sumuroy and his men killed Father Miguel Ponce Barberan, the local parish priest of Palapag.
They hurled a javelin at him on I June 1649, which sparked the start of the rebellion. Most of the neighboring villages
in Ibabao, Samar burned churches in solidarity with the rebellion.
The Spread of the Rebellion
Inspired by the boldness of the Waray rebels, the natives of Camarines, Sorsogon, Masbate, Cebu, Iligan, Cagayan, and
Mindanao followed suit. Camarines denounced the presence of the Spanish forces in the area while in Sorsogon, the
father guardian of the Franciscan order was banished and the alferez (military personnel) was executed. Moreover, the
natives of Cebu pulled off attacks on the Spanish authorities while in Iligan, the Manobos seized the neighboring city of
Cagayan. Finally, the natives of Mindanao region who were inspired by the attacks, orchestrated revolts of their own. In
the mountains of Samar, Sumuroy and his men established a rebel government.
The Crushing of the Rebellion
Surprised and threatened by the looming strength of the rebels, the Spanish government decided to dispatch an army
from Zamboanga to subdue the Sumuroy rebellion. One of the captains of the fleet was Juan de Ulloa. He
commanded Lutao soldiers along with his sergeant-mayor, Francisco Macombo.Meanwhile, the position of Father
Barberan as the local parish priest of Palapag was given to Father Vicente Damian. Don Pedro Caamug , one of the
masterminds and leaders of the uprising, decided to descend from the mountain and murder Father Damian along
with his two aides. On 11 October 1649, they burned the newly built church that the rebels had burned before.On the
evening of 2 July 1650, Macombo led an assault to the fortified hideout of the rebels in the mountains called “palapag
mesa.” There, the rebellion was ended, and the hideout was set on fire.Pardoning of the Rebels and the Death of
SumuroyDon Gines de Rojas, a Spaniard, pardoned those who have been insurgents before, including Don Pedro
Caamug. He then lived a quiet life and even served as governor of his village.However, even as Sumuroy and his father
survive the assault, he refused to surrender and was beheaded by his own men as demanded by Don Gines de Roxas.
The Revolt Of Bancao
(1621-1622)
The Bankaw Revolt was a religious uprising against the Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines. It
was led by Bankaw, the ruling datu of Limasawa, Carigara, and other towns in modern-day Southern
Leyte, who decided to return to his old religion. He was said to have been inspired by the religious
uprising led by Tamblot, a babaylan who fought against the conversion of the Boholanos to the
Catholic faith.
Brief Background Before the Revolt
In 1565, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and his men had set foot in the Philippines and Datu Bankaw was
one of the local chieftains who congenially welcomed them. Since then, he had maintained strong
and close ties with Spain. His hospitality and generosity to the Spaniards put him in King Philip II’s
good graces who, according to some sources, even gave him a thank-you letter. However, this
narrative was considered inconclusive as this was not cited in the chronicles of Legazpi.
In 1571, Legazpi had designated the town of Carigara to abide by the encomienda system under the
governance of Juan de Trujillo. In 1591, Trujillo sent a request letter to the Governor General and
asked for parish ministers in his town. The proposal was granted, and a group of missionary priests
were sent to Carigara. The spread of Christianity began when Jesuit Missionaries arrived and
settled in Leyte in 1595. The group was headed by Father Pedro Chirino but his leadership was cut
short because he had to travel to Cebu for his new missionary duties. Consequently, Father Alonzo
Humanes and Father Mateo Sanchez became the parish leaders of Leyte. Humanes had assigned
two groups to oversee the towns of Carigara and Dulag, respectively. [1] A few years later, some
sources indicated that about two-thirds of the townsmen had been baptized and converted to
Christianity in 1596. Datu Bankaw belonged to one of the earliest groups to be baptized.
The History of the Revolt
This revolt was ignited by the intent of the local residents of Leyte, headed by Datu Bankaw, to return
to their native religion. Bankaw had been previously converted to Christianity and had amicable ties
with the Spaniards. His desire to revert to his forefather’s religion was prompted by Tamblot’s uprising
in Bohol.
Bankaw and his sons, together with a native priest named Pigali, led the people of Carigara, Leyte to
resist the emergence and spread of Catholicism in their region. Consequently, the locals flocked in
unison to protect their native religion. They grew in numbers and the whole island joined the armed
resistance. They destroyed a church property and erected a temple that was in reverence of their own
diwata.
When the Jesuit priest, Fr. Melchor de Vera, learned about the uprising, he went to Cebu and warned
the Spanish authorities about the insurgence. Aiming to suppress the rebellion, Alcalde Mayor Juan de
Alcarazo sent a fleet of 40 vessels. They initially offered a peace offering to the Filipino fighters, but
the latter disdainfully rejected it.
A battle ensued and the Spanish forces pursued them in the mountains. The Filipino fighters collapsed
and suffered defeat. Bankaw’s children perished in the combat. His second son was beheaded, and
his daughter was taken as captive. To breed fear among the local residents, Bankaw’s head was
displayed to impose a warning to those who want to instigate another rebellion against the Spanish
oppressors.