LUKBAN
to deal with the newly elected officials. It seemed that Colinares did not know about the real sentiments of Cabañas, the newly elected presidente. 31
But the most intriguing and deadly game of deception would be played out some three months later in Balangiga. For the first time, it was going to be garrisoned following the unwritten resolution made during the junta convened by the Federalistas in Catbalogan on April 5, that year. There it was generally agreed that more troops were needed in the different towns in order to install peace. Balangiga’ s leaders had anticipated that one day, American troops would come to occupy their town, and when that happened, they had to have a clear policy on how to deal with them. In a letter written by its presidente municipal to the revolutionary headquarters, Pedro Abayan reported that they – he and the principales of the town- agreed“ to observe a deceptive policy with them doing whatever they may like, and when a favorable opportunity arises, the people will strategically rise up against them.” The letter was written on May 30, 1901, about four months before the uprising took place. 32
Endnotes
1 Exhibit 1331, p. 650 2 Exhibit 1332, p. 651-652, Issued at Buan, Aug 4, 1900 3 PIR 1055.6 4 Exhibit 1334, PIR 973.4, p. 660 5 Ibid, p. 662 6 Exhibit 1346, p 682 7 Op. cit.,, p. 681 8 Exhibit 1321, pp. 633 9 Ibid 10 Exhibit 1354, 693 11 Ibid, 648 12 In this statement, Lukban seemed to have been prophetic:‘ The Filipino nation would have its political independence only in 1946, when the leaders had long been dead.’ 13 PIR 1141.1 14 Exhibit 1330, PIR 1144.5, 649. Written in Matuginao, July 12, 1900 15 Exhibit, 1344, 675-877. Proclamations like these were usually translated from the original Spanish text into Waray, the language spoken by the natives of Samar, by the Captain-Secretary Florentino Peñaranda, a Manila-educated native of Barugo, Leyte. Here his multi-lingual skills came in handy especially to Lukban who could speak only Spanish and Tagalog. 16 [ http:// countrystudies. us / philippines / 17. htm ] 17 Report of the Philippine Commission, Secretary of War, From December
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