Vicente Lukbán
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Vicente Lukbán y Rilles or Vicente Lucbán Rilles (February 11, 1860 – November 16, 1916) was a
Philippine The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
in the
Philippine Republican Army The Philippine Revolutionary Army, later renamed Philippine Republican Army (Spanish: ''Ejército Revolucionario Filipino''; Tagalog: ''Panghimagsikang Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''), was the official armed forces of the First Philippine Rep ...
. He was also an officer in
Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who is the youngest president of the Philippines (1899–1901) and is recognized as the first president of the Philippine ...
's staff during the Philippine Revolution and the politico-military chief of
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
and
Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has be ...
during the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. Some sources credit him as the strategist of the
Battle of Balangiga The Battle of Balangiga ( es, Batalla de Balangíga; tl, Labanan sa Balangiga; war, Gubat ha Balangiga), also known as the Balangiga Encounter, Balangiga Incident, or Balangiga Conflict, was a battle that occurred during the Philippine–Ameri ...
, in which more that 50 American troopers were ambushed and killed.


Early life

Lukbán was born in Labo,
Ambos Camarines Ambos Camarines ( es, ambos, meaning "both"; commonly known as Camarines), officially the Province of Ambos Camarines, was a historical province in the Philippines found on the northern end of the Bicol Peninsula. It now exists as two separat ...
(now part of
Camarines Norte Camarines Norte ( bcl, Amihanan na Camarines; fil, Hilagang Camarines), officially the Province of Camarines Norte, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Daet, Camarin ...
) on February 11, 1860 to Agustin Lukbán of Ambos Camarines and Andrea Rilles of Lucban, Tayabas. He is the brother of Justo Lukbán. He completed his early education at ''Escuela Pia'' in Lucban, continued his studies at
Ateneo Municipal de Manila , mottoeng = Light in the Lord , type = Private, research, non-profit, coeducational basic and higher education institution , established = December 10, 1859 , religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic (Jesuits) , academic_af ...
, and took up
Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...
at the
University of Santo Tomas The University of Santo Tomas (also known as UST and officially as the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, Manila) is a private, Catholic research university in Manila, Philippines. Founded on April 28, 1611, by Spanish friar Miguel ...
and
Colegio de San Juan de Letran The Colegio de San Juan de Letran, (transl: College of San Juan de Letran) also referred to by its acronym CSJL, is a private Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution owned and run by the friars of the Order of Preachers i ...
. In 1886, he resigned his position as a
justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
to form ''Coorporation Popular'', an agricultural and commercial
cooperative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...
based in Bicol aimed at promoting the business activities of small and medium scale producers in order to increase their income from the lands by selling their products without passing through middle men. He married Sofía Dízon Barba and the union produced four children: Cecilia, Félix, Agustín, and Vicente, Jr. Sofía died after their last child was born. Lukbán then left his children in the care of his siblings so that he could devote his time to the cause of the revolution.


Philippine Revolution

Lukban had been inducted into
Freemasonry Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
, ''Luz de Oriente'' ("Light of the Orient") in 1884. The organization had attracted many intellectuals and middle-class Filipinos to its ranks. Part of the profits of the cooperatives were secretly remitted to the revolutionary movement of
Andrés Bonifacio Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (, ; November 30, 1863May 10, 1897) was a Filipino Freemason and revolutionary leader. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine Revolution", and considered one of the national heroes of the Philippines ...
, the
Katipunan The Katipunan, officially known as the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK; en, Supreme and Honorable Association of the Children of the Nation ...
. The cooperative also served as an effective covert means of spreading the ideals of the revolution. Their members could move around freely without arousing the suspicion of the Spanish authorities. By 1896, Lukbán had centralized the funds of the cooperatives into the coffers of the revolution. He periodically remitted money to the evolving revolutionary movement. At the same time, he acted as an emissary of the
Katipunan The Katipunan, officially known as the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK; en, Supreme and Honorable Association of the Children of the Nation ...
unit in Bicol to gather information about the Spanish movements in Manila and to determine how such movements affected Bicol provinces. On one of his trips to Manila, he was arrested by the ''guardia civiles'', ("civil guards") and charged with conspiring to overthrow the government, imprisoned in Bilibid prison, and tortured at
Fort Santiago Fort Santiago ( es, Fuerte de Santiago; fil, Kutà ng Santiago), built in 1571, is a citadel built by Spanish navigator and governor Miguel López de Legazpi for the newly established city of Manila in the Philippines. The defense fortress is lo ...
. He was released from prison on August 18, 1897. The Philippine Revolution had begun while he was in prison. He was commissioned as one of
Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who is the youngest president of the Philippines (1899–1901) and is recognized as the first president of the Philippine ...
's officers and was among the few who assisted Aguinaldo in planning war strategies and activities. When the
Pact of Biak-na-Bato The Pact of Biak-na-Bato, signed on December 15, 1897, created a truce between Spanish colonial Governor-General Fernando Primo de Rivera and the revolutionary leader Emilio Aguinaldo to end the Philippine Revolution. Aguinaldo and his fellow rev ...
was signed, he was asked by Aguinaldo to be one of the members of his party going into
exile Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...
with the
Hong Kong Junta The Hong Kong Junta was an organization formed as a revolutionary government in exile by Filipino revolutionaries after the signing of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato on December 15, 1897. It was headed by Emilio Aguinaldo and included high-level figures ...
, In Hong Kong, he studied
military science Military science is the study of military processes, institutions, and behavior, along with the study of warfare, and the theory and application of organized coercive force. It is mainly focused on theory, method, and practice of producing mil ...
under the Lord Commander Joseph Churchase of the British Naval command. This enabled him to master the arts of soldiery —
fencing Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, s ...
,
shooting Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or blowpipe). Even the acts of launching flame, artillery, darts, harpoons, grenades, rockets, and guided missiles can ...
,
gunpowder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal) and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). ...
and
ammunition Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...
s preparations, and the planning and execution of war strategies and tactics. Shortly after Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine Independence in 1898, Lukbán was sent to the Bicol region to direct military operations against the Spaniards. His successes in Bicol ushered him into a new and challenging assignment: as
Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has be ...
and
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
's politico-military chief. Lukbán married his second wife Paciencia Gonzales in Samar. This union produced eight children: Victoria, Juan, María, Fidel, Rosita, Ramon, José and Lourdes.


Philippine-American War

On December 31, 1899, a hundred Philippine soldiers under Lukbán gathered and he proclaimed himself the new governor of
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
under the
First Philippine Republic The Philippine Republic ( es, República Filipina), now officially known as the First Philippine Republic, also referred to by historians as the Malolos Republic, was established in Malolos, Bulacan during the Philippine Revolution against ...
. When the U.S. 1st Infantry Regiment landed on Samar’s shores in January 1901, they were met by infantry charges under Lukbán’s command. Nevertheless, Lukban was soon forced to retreat into the island's interior, leaving behind an organized resistance network. Samareños caught cooperating with the Americans were executed swiftly and dramatically. When U.S. General
Arthur MacArthur Arthur MacArthur is the name of: *Arthur MacArthur Sr. (1815–1896), lieutenant governor of Wisconsin and acting governor for four days; United States federal judge *Arthur MacArthur Jr. (1845–1912), his son, general in the United States Army an ...
offered Lukban amnesty in exchange for his surrender, he turned it down and swore to fight to the end. Some sources credit Lukban as the strategist behind the
Battle of Balangiga The Battle of Balangiga ( es, Batalla de Balangíga; tl, Labanan sa Balangiga; war, Gubat ha Balangiga), also known as the Balangiga Encounter, Balangiga Incident, or Balangiga Conflict, was a battle that occurred during the Philippine–Ameri ...
, in which more than 50 American troopers were ambushed and killed. Other sources, surmise that, although Lukbán may not have played an actual part in the planning of the attack, he approved the operation which was planned by his Chief of Staff Captain Eugenio Daza. After
Baldomero Aguinaldo Baldomero Aguinaldo y Baloy (February 27, 1869 – February 4, 1915) was a leader of the Philippine Revolution. He was the first cousin of Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippines, as well as the grandfather of Cesar Virata, a ...
’s capture in 1901, Samar, under Lukbán's leadership, remained one of the few areas of Philippine resistance. American troops encountered few enemies to fight in the open, finding themselves constantly harassed by Philippine soldiers. However, two
prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold priso ...
later revealed the location of Lukbán’s headquarters along the Cadac-an River,
Basey, Samar Basey, officially the Municipality of Basey ( war, Bungto han Basey; tl, Bayan ng Basey), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 56,685 people. On 8 November 2013 ...
. The prisoners warned that the fort was impregnable, but Major
Littleton Waller Littleton Tazewell "Tony" Waller (September 26, 1856 – July 13, 1926) was a career officer in the United States Marine Corps, who served in the Spanish–American War, the Caribbean and Asia. He was court martialled and acquitted for acti ...
sent scouts to investigate. On November 17, 1901, Waller attacked with an amphibious assault team up the river, as Captains Bearss and Porter attacked by land with forces from
Basey Basey, officially the Municipality of Basey ( war, Bungto han Basey; tl, Bayan ng Basey), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 56,685 people. On 8 November 2013 ...
and Balangiga. The amphibious assault was thwarted by a carefully laid out ambush by Philippine forces, and Porter attacked alone. The Philippine soldiers retreated when they started to receive heavy
machine gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...
fire from American
Gatling gun The Gatling gun is a rapid-firing multiple-barrel firearm invented in 1861 by Richard Jordan Gatling. It is an early machine gun and a forerunner of the modern electric motor-driven rotary cannon. The Gatling gun's operation centered on a cyc ...
s, leaving scaling ladders behind for the Americans. The retreating Philippine soldiers were gunned down from behind as the American flag was raised above the garrison. It was a victory for the Americans, with 30 Philippine soldiers dead. The war on Samar, however, would not truly be over until the rugged interior, controlled by the Pulahanes was conquered. Lukban was captured on 18 February 1902 in Catubig, Samar.


Post-captivity

Lukbán's career did not end with his captivity. He was elected governor of Tayabas (now
Quezon province Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon ( tl, Lalawigan ng Quezon), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Kalilayan was the first known name of the province. It was later renamed Tayabas. In honor of the ...
) in 1912 and re-elected in 1916. He died at his Manila residence on November 16, 1916.


Memorials

*
Camp Lukban Camp General Vicente Lukban (CGVL) is the military headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and is located in the city of Catbalogan in the Philippines. It is located along Pan-Philippine Highway in Brgy Maulong. The military bas ...
, military base of the
Philippine Army The Philippine Army (PA) ( Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of the Philippines''; in literal Spanish: ''Ejército de la Tierra de la Filipinas'') is the main, oldest and largest branch of the ...
's 8th Infantry Division (8ID) in Brgy Maulong,
Catbalogan City Catbalogan, officially the City of Catbalogan ( war, Siyudad han Catbalogan; fil, Lungsod ng Catbalogan), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 106,4 ...
,
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
, is named after him. *A street in Gagalangin, Tondo in
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
is named after him. *A species of Philippine
lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...
, ''
Brachymeles lukbani ''Brachymeles lukbani'' is a species of skink endemic to the Philippines. The skink species ''Brachymeles lukbani'' has a unique pattern of limb reduction; as an adult, it seems to be limbless on the outside but has a concealed limb rudiment, whi ...
'', is named after him. *A monument in honor of him was built inside the Philippine National Police Samar Provincial Office.


Footnotes


References

* Dr. Reynaldo Imperial, LEYTE, 1898–1902, The Philippine-American War, 2;40 * Dr. Reynaldo Imperial, SAMAR, 1898–1902, The Revolutionary Career of Gen. Vicente R. Lukban * Who's Who in Philippine History, National Historical Institute * Jose Calleja Reyes, BICOL MAHARLIKA, 21;281 * Philippine Insurgents Records (PIR), microfilm section, National Library


External links


Lukban and his Camp


{{DEFAULTSORT:Lukban, Vicente 1860 births 1916 deaths 19th-century Filipino lawyers People of the Philippine–American War Paramilitary Filipinos Filipino generals Colegio de San Juan de Letran alumni People from Camarines Norte Bicolano people Ateneo de Manila University alumni University of Santo Tomas alumni Governors of Quezon