5. Leon kilat and Cebu revolution – April 3, Palm Sunday

5.  Leon kilat and Cebu revolution – April 3, Palm Sunday

By Emil Justimbaste The Freeman, 1998

THE untimely arrest and execution of Gonzales and Cavan on April 2 changed a lot of things for the katipuneros of Cebu. Both were deeply involved in the revolutionary movement and knew a lot about its leaders. It was only a matter of time before all of them would be caught and executed.  

So an important meeting took place to change the original plan to start the uprising on April 8, Good Friday. Among those who attended this meeting were Leon Kilat, Eugenio Gines, Arsenio Cabreros, Mariano Hernandez, Francisco Labrador, Justo Cabajar, Catalino Fernandez, Rufo Abella, Francisco Llamas, the Pacaña family, the Abellanas of Dulho, Atilano Lopez, Benito Aves and many others. This meeting was said to have taken place in the house of Isidro Guibelondo at Carreta (possibly near the present Roman Catholic cemetery along Gen. Maxilom Ave.) 
 

In this meeting, one leader forewarned about the danger of being arrested because the list of the revolutionaries was in the hands of Canvan and Gonzales, and this might be discovered by the Spaniards. Thus, it was impossible to wait for Good Friday. 



Change of plans 

Gregorio Padilla suggested the change of date to Arpil 3 in order to rescue Gonzales and Cavan alive from prison. Fernandez and others objected for reasons not explained. But Kilat approved of the proposed date. Luis Flores, chief of Barangay 1, had to be informed only because he was not present. 

With the revolt being on the next day, Leon ordered the making of all the needed weapons. The man incharge of preparing the exact measurements of the dagger was Crispin Echevarre. In charge of printing the words of the anting-anting with the use of a wooden marker was Francisco Labrador, while Anastacio Rama was assigned to take charge of the measurements and shape of the chasuble that bore the magical Latin and Spanish words. 

These were supposed to protect them against the bullets of the Spanish forces. Everyone present was told to inform others about the change of plans. 

Talisay ambush 

Unknown to the Cebuano katipuneros, the group in Talisay could no longer wait for the uprising to begin. This was composed of the Aliño brothers (Potenciano, Florencio, Felix and Januario), Pascasio Dabasol, Silvestre Cañedo, Simeon Cañedo and Wenceslao Capala. They were surprised when someone informed them to get ready. So they waited at the junction of Tabunok until 12:00 noon. 


In Talisay at that time, six guardia civil were assigned, headed by a Spaniard named Sgt. Moscoso, with another Spaniard Engeniero Baldomero and four other natives. That evening of April 2, at around 9:00, three of them were patrolling the area when suddenly they were ambushed by katipuneros coming from Tabunok in barrio San Isidro and their arms were confiscated. These the katipuneros used to kill the two Spaniards who were resting at their headquarters. 


In the meantime, at San Nicolas at 2:00 early morning of April 3, the guardia civil raided the house of Presco Abreu at El Pardo St. (now C. Padilla) corner Aragon st. (now Figueroa). Presco was a neighbor of Teopisto Cavan. He was taken by the guardia civil hogtied. 


When discovered by the katipuneros, a member immediately went to Candido Padilla but he was no longer at his house having gone early to the cockpit. It was Gregorio Padilla who took the responsibility of informing his comrades in the katipunan about Abreu's arrest. 


That very same day, the town officials woke up all the men in the locality to let them attend the first mass and ask their help in raising up the new church bell in place of the broken one in the belfry. But the authorities had other reasons. They wanted to check on all the men in the area. 


Earlier, General Montero was informed by Father Tomas Gimenez about the surprise attack of the katipuneros through a confession of a certain Potenciana from Pardo. Thus, he instructed his cazadores, guardia civil, voluntarios locales and carraveneros to watch the men of San Nicolas grouping themselves together without the presence of soldiers and shoot them if necessary. He had now assumed command of the Spanish forces, not trusting his men completely. 


At the San Nicolas church that morning, people came in their Sunday best. After all, it was palm Sunday. The officials (capitanes, pesados, tinientes and subalternos) were dressed in black "americana abierta con chalico y corbata", "adolfo" hat and "sapatos con charol". While others of lower social classes "igo lang sa sinina nga dublawo, camisa de chino, karsones nga puti." 


After the mass, the Sanicolasnons converged around the new church bell which was to be raised to the belfry that morning. The palms were blessed, while the band played "Marcha de Cadiz". The sponsor of the bell at that time was Ceferina Llamas, who was then a young woman. While outwardly, things seemed normal, those who knew kept their own thoughts to themselves. The arrest of Abreu earlier that morning was already being whispered about. 


At 9:00 o'clock that morning, as Luis Flores, Leon Kilat and Eugenio Gines were about to finish their breakfast, they were startled when Gregorio Padilla on horseback suddenly stopping at the doorstep of the house they slept in at Carreta. The night before, the three leaders had transferred there (probably in the house of Isidro Guibelondo, a Spanish mestizo lawyer who helped the katipunan) because the guardia civil were looking all over Cebu for them. Now Padilla arrived, breathless. They invited him inside and told him to sit down. Then Padilla gave his account of Abreu's arrest, which saddened the three. 


Leon was the first to speak up: "Kon mao kini, kitang tanan mahanaw. Kinsa pa ma'y mopatuman sa atong mga planoñ" (If that is the case, all of us will perish. Who is going to implement our plansñ) 


Flores took it hard upon himself, while Gines was speechless. A lot of questions came to their minds. Who will advance in battle when nobody knewñ Who will come in so short noticeñ Who is going to follow if the agreed time has not arrived yetñ Who will fight unpreparedñ 


Leon who was firm in his resolve said: "Tana, moalsa kita karong adlawa. Kadtong saad ayaw na'g hulata, dili ta kini palabyong adlawa. Kay usa ka gutlo nga paglangan, libo ka dupa ang kadaugan sa atbang."(Come, let us start the uprising today. Let's not wait for the promised help, we will not let this day pass. A moment wasted means a thousand steps victory for the enemy.) 


He ordered Luis Flores to prepare his forces in the city. Eugenio Godines was to go to Tinago, call a meeting and get inside the prison to free the prisoners. They would meet at the intusan (sugar mill) of Paulino Solon at Sambag in the afternoon to consolidate their forces. Leon Kilat himself would take charge of San Nicolas. The uprising would begin before 3:00 in the afternoon.

###