I was in Samar for the last two days and some books that I read while in the house of our host in Catbalogan (the Singzons) reminded me of certain important historical events in Samar:
l. The Europeans, headed by Ferdinand Magellan, sighted land in the archipelago on dawn of March l6, l52l; they touched land on March l7, 152l at the island of Homonhon in Samar.
2. The Jesuits stayed in Samar for 172 years. When they were eventually banned in Spain by the Kings court, they had to leave Samar and turn over to the Franciscans in l768;
3. There was Sumuroy rebellion staged in l649. It was the so called Palapag rebellion; Sumuroy speared a priest in protest for the Cavite shipyard forced labor: hard labor, separation from family, little food and difficult conditions. The rebellion was quelled eventually but many died and suffered.
4. When Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence. Gen Lukban was sent in l898 to confiscate the property of the Catholic Church, to which the Catholics objected.
5. The most famous of course was the Balangiga massacre of 1901. In Sept 1901, the residents of Balangiga killed 36 Americans and injured several others as they rebelled vs American soldiers who rounded up 90 Filipinos for insubordination in a facility for only. Those who were confined could not lie down nor sleep and were wet. In retaliation, Gen Adan R Cheffe sent in General Jake Smith, who just quelled Boxer rebellion in China. There was an artillery bombing of Balangiga and Smith order was to kill anyone over l0 years old and "convert Samar into howling wilderness) As a war booty, the Americans took the Balangiga church tower bell. No one for sure how many natives died during this American reprisal.
This is a dark side of the Fil-Am relations; anybody who knows this must feel like the Arabs do.
In Balingaga, foreigners, esp. Americans are not welcome/
Was this a war crime? Why was Gen Smith given a heros welcome?
Did the Americans pay dearly for this in 2003? On Sept ll (9/11) Di natutulog ang Diyos
The Balangiga Massacre, getting even (truth about the Fil Am war)
