Visayan Heroes of 1896 officers inducted

The Visayan Heroes of 1896 Philippine Revolution held an induction of its officers at the Grand Regal Hotel in Bacolod City yest erday.

The group was recently formed by lawyer Jose Malvar Villegas, grandson of Gen. Miguel Malvar, to bring awareness of the Visayan heroes, led by revolutionary propagandist Graciano Lopez Jaena, as well as promote nationalism and patriotism among Filipinos.

Villegas initiated the started the Visayan Heroes of 1896 to also continue the legacy of Malvar, who in the 1898 revolution against Spain, was designated by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo to be the commanding general of the Visayan Revolutionary Force and chief of staff of the Southern Luzon Revolutionary Command.

The Visayan Command, headed by Gen. Pablo Araneta, was composed of Generals Quintin Salas, Martin Delgado, Teresa Magbanua, Mateo Luga, Luis Perez, Arcadeo Maxilion, Traodo Galicano, Vicente Locsin, Pantaleon Villegas, and Marciano Araneta. Col. Eugenio Daza of the Samar Command was also a member of the group.

Villegas said the group officers’ induction, headed by John Chiong, coincided with the 114th anniversary of the end of the 1898-1902 Philippine-American War after the capture of Aguinaldo in Palawan, Isabela in 1900 and the surrender of Malvar to the American Forces on April 16, 1902.

The nation is currently celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Malvar, with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas releasing 14 million P10 commemorative coins with his picture and name to honor the general.