He forgot the ‘howling wilderness’

By

A(Part II)

LLOW

me to continue with Don Eugenio Daza’s sworn statement dated 23 December 1935. He was more than 60 years old when he wrote it, but in his youth, he was major of the Revolutionary Army of Samar, the strategist of the Balangiga massacre, for us a watershed moment in the Philippine-American War, but to the invaders, a dark chapter of their history.

Don Eugenio revealed that they had scheduled their attack against the American troops on 1 October, but fear of betrayal led them to carry out their plan on 28 September.

Don Eugenio wrote: “The very moment the signal for the general attack was given, the rebels who were to proceed to the church had already been waiting for the ringing of the bells to attack the American officers who were caught completely by surprise at the convent. What happened was indescribable: The ringing of the bells, the noise, the shouts of “Courage, brothers, advance!”…which excited the patriotic blood of the rebels. There was disorder and confusion among the American soldiers who, disorganized and horrified, fled in every direction. So powerful was the attack that in a few minutes, the battle ended unfavourably for the Americans who died heroically performing the duty, which their government had imposed on them. But not all of them perished.”

According to the same source (and many others), nine American solders managed to escape though severely wounded. They found a baroto by the shore and were swept towards Tacloban by a fortuitous current. However, the Filipinos caught up with them in Bulusao, a barrio of Balangiga, seven were killed, but two were able to reach Tolosa, Leyte.

In Balangiga, Don Eugenio and his troops found a bounty of 100 rifles, one shotgun, 3 carbines, 5 revolvers, 3 sabres, 2 pairs of field glasses, 7 watches, about 300,000 rounds of ammunition. They raided the commissary and carted away canned food, bottles of liquor, cases of medicines, and other useful goods.

Soon enough, the Americans counterattacked and we all know about Gen. Jacob Smith’s famous command of not taking prisoners, the more they burned and killed, the happier he would be, and that Samar should be left a “howling wilderness,” all males above 10 years old should be killed because the natives, at that young age already knew how to wield weapons and fight. Strangely enough, Don Eugenio forgot to include that in the sworn statement he wrote and signed in 1935.

What he did include is a defense against derisive remarks that described Filipinos as savages with no respect for the dead. Apparently, there were reports; probably by US media, that the churchyard was littered with American bodies with mouths stuffed with food, implying that Filipinos were such disgusting savages, they desecrated dead bodies. Don Eugenio was emphatic about our being deeply Catholic with profound respect for the dead. “Race prejudice, more than anything else, gave rise to such mistaken beliefs, “concluded Don Eugenio, “The American solders were at breakfast when they were taken by surprise so naturally they had food in their mouths when they were killed…” The element of surprise was vital so Daza could not wait until breakfast was over; there was absolutely no intention to profane dead American bodies.

Before the Balangiga massacre, three American soldiers, one surnamed Denton, had deserted and joined the ranks of Filipino revolutionaries under General Vicente Lukban, in the mountains of Samar. As it turned out, there were a few more, according to recent articles written by historians; some of the wounded Americans who were protected by the locals stayed behind and married Filipinas. Don Eugenio wrote: “One of the bells which was rung on that memorable day of the heroic battle was taken by the Americans to the United States. Could we secure its return?”

The project paper of Kaanak 1896 (by its president, retired Gen. Edgardo Aglipay, and chairman, Eugenio Roy Daza) included biographical notes of Don Eugenio that kindled curiosity. Perhaps it was during the “howling wilderness” phase that our chief Balangiga strategist joined Gen. Vicente Lukban in the mountains of Samar. The Americans found out that his wife was sending them rice so they detained her and wanted to perform a pregnancy test to prove that she was in contact with her husband. She resisted, of course.

Eventually, the revolutionaries were overcome by America’s superior military force, so they had to surrender. However, before Don Eugenio laid down his arms, solicitous relatives paid a local tailor to make a new uniform for him as the old ones were in tatters. The designated date was 27 April 1902. Don Eugenio and other Filipino soldiers were transported to Catbalogan to surrender to Gen. Jacob Smith himself. During the ceremony, the “Butcher of Samar” (as Gen. Smith was called) reportedly draped the American flag, the “Stars and Stripes,” on the shoulders of Don Eugenio Daza. I wonder why he did that and why Don Eugenio allowed it. The rest of the troops were emotional and grudgingly surrendered their arms, most of which were the very ones they had captured during the Balangiga massacre.

When George Curry (formerly governor of Camarines Sur, 1901, and Isabela, 1903) became first civil governor of Samar in 1905, he asked Don Eugenio and his former troops to form a volunteer brigade to help with the pacification of Samar by quelling the Pulahanes of Barrio Naptan. Like the Spaniards, the American masters used Filipinos to fight their brother Filipinos. In 1907 when the First Philippine Assembly was established, Gov. Curry decided to forgo elections and instead appoint Don Eugenio as representative of the 3rd district of Samar.

The Americans took three bells, not one, as war booty and turned Samar into a “howling wilderness” upon orders of General Jacob Smith. Though they burnt villages, crops, and and butchered all carabaos in sight, not everyone obeyed orders to kill every male above 10 years old. The “Butcher of Samar” and three officers went through a court martial, after which they were merely reprimanded.

Filipinos are overjoyed that after 117 years, the bells of Balangiga are back, which I find strange because the majority do not know about the PhilippineAmerican War, or perhaps has forgotten because it is not something you learn in most schools. Today, both Church and State are arguing about the chain of custody. People are wondering where the bells were made, in the first place. Everyone wants to touch the bells, take selfies with the bells.

Let us ponder on the deeper significance of the Bells of Balangiga and ask if we will have to ring them again in defense of this endangered Philippine Republic.

(ggc1898@gmail.com)