José Torres Bugallón
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José Torres Bugallón y Gonzales (August 28, 1873 – February 4, 1899) was a
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
military officer who fought and served the Spanish Government during the Philippine Revolution against the
revolutionaries A revolutionary is a person who either participates in, or advocates a revolution. The term ''revolutionary'' can also be used as an adjective, to refer to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor. ...
and joins the
Philippine Revolutionary 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 Repu ...
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 ...
. He is known as the "Hero of the Battle of La Loma", where he was fatally wounded that led to his death.


Family background

Bugallón was born on August 28, 1873, in Salasa, Pangasinan. His father, José Asas Bugallón, came from
Baliuag, Bulacan Baliwag or Baliuag, officially the City of Baliwag ( fil, Lungsod ng Baliwag), is a component city in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 168,470 people. Baliuag was founded in 1732 by Augu ...
, while his mother was from the Gonzales family of
Pangasinan Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan ( pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Pangasinan, ; ilo, Probinsia ti Pangasinan; tl, Lalawigan ng Pangasinan), is a coastal province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capit ...
.


Education

After elementary schooling in Salasa, Bugallón went to
San Isidro, Nueva Ecija San Isidro, officially the Municipality of San Isidro,( tgl, Bayan ng San Isidro), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 54,372 people. The municipality is bo ...
, where he studied under Don Rufino Villaruz. He finished his first and second years of secondary schooling in 1882. In 1886, he enrolled at the
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
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 ...
, where he completed his secondary course and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1889, with high scholastic ratings. After his graduation, Bugallón entered the Seminary of San Carlos with the intention of becoming a priest. However, he passed the validation examination given by the
Spanish government gl, Goberno de España eu, Espainiako Gobernua , image = , caption = Logo of the Government of Spain , headerstyle = background-color: #efefef , label1 = Role , data1 = Executive power , label2 = Established , da ...
in 1892, and he was sent abroad as a pensionado of the government to the Academia Militar de Toledo. As a result, Bugallon spent three years of his life studying military science and warfare.


Philippine Revolution

In 1896, Bugallón graduated from the Academia and was commissioned in the
Spanish Army The Spanish Army ( es, Ejército de Tierra, lit=Land Army) is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies — dating back to the late 15th century. The ...
with the rank of
second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
. He was dispatched to the
Philippines 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 ...
where he joined the 70th Infantry Regiment. When Philippine Revolution broke out, he and his regiment were posted in
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
and
Batangas Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Its capital is the city of Batangas, and is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and La ...
. Bugallón exhibited exemplary heroism at the Battle of
Talisay, Batangas Talisay, officially the Municipality of Talisay ( tgl, Bayan ng Talisay), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 46,238 people. Geography Talisay is located at ...
, on May 30, 1897; as a result, he was awarded the Cross of María Cristina and the Cruz Roja del Merito Militar (Red Cross for Military Honor).


Treaty of Paris

On December 10, 1898, the
Treaty of Paris Treaty of Paris may refer to one of many treaties signed in Paris, France: Treaties 1200s and 1300s * Treaty of Paris (1229), which ended the Albigensian Crusade * Treaty of Paris (1259), between Henry III of England and Louis IX of France * Trea ...
was signed, ending the
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...
. Bugallón was able to obtain his clearance papers at this time. During this period, relations between 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 ...
and the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
began to sour, especially with the American occupation of Manila. On January 23, 1899,
Antonio Luna Antonio Narciso Luna de San Pedro y Novicio Ancheta (; October 29, 1866 – June 5, 1899) was a Filipino army general who fought in the Philippine–American War before his assassination in 1899. Regarded as one of the fiercest generals of his ...
was appointed as head 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 ...
. Realizing possible American hostility, he began to reorganize the Filipino revolutionary forces. Luna recruited many officers and soldiers of the former Spanish colonial army, one of which was Bugallón, who apparently already held the rank of
major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
. As aide-de-camp to Luna, Bugallón was responsible for the recruitment of Spanish war
veterans A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that has ...
, and he was very instrumental in reorganizing the Philippine Army, particularly as a faculty member of the Academia Militar established by Luna in
Malolos, Bulacan Malolos, officially the City of Malolos ( fil, Lungsod ng Malolos), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 261,189 people. It is the capital city ...
in October 1898. As a result, Bugallon became an invaluable officer to Luna.


Philippine–American War and death

On February 4, 1899, 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 ...
erupted. Bugallon rejoined Luna in the field immediately. The next day, February 5, saw them in La Loma hill, the present-day site of
La Loma Cemetery The La Loma Catholic Cemetery (Spanish: ''Campo Santo de La Loma'') was opened in 1884 and is largely located in Caloocan, Metro Manila. A portion of the southern part of the cemetery is located in Manila. The La Loma Cemetery is the oldest ceme ...
, between Manila and
Caloocan Caloocan, officially the City of Caloocan ( fil, Lungsod ng Caloocan; ), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 1,661,584 people making it the fourth-most ...
. While holding the line, American troops under General
Arthur MacArthur, Jr. Arthur MacArthur Jr. (June 2, 1845 – September 5, 1912) was a lieutenant general of the United States Army. He became the military Governor-General of the American-occupied Philippines in 1900; his term ended a year later due to clashes w ...
charged and outflanked them. As a result, Bugallon and his men were exposed to enemy fire, and he sustained a bullet in his thighs. Upon learning from that Bugallón was wounded, Luna ordered: Luna found Bugallón severely wounded and prostrate in a ditch along the road. "Don't expose yourself so much. Don't advance any farther," Bugallón said. For his bravery, Luna instantly promoted Bugallón to
lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
. The wounded hero was rushed by train to the medical station in Caloocan, hoping that he could be kept alive until he could be brought to the hospital in Malolos. However, it was too late; after inquiring if the Filipino reinforcements had arrived, he then expired in Luna's arms. Allegedly, Luna unashamedly wept for Bugallón.


Burial and perpetuation of memory

Arrangements were made to bury his remains in Bigaa but it was decided later to inter the corpse at the
Malolos Malolos, officially the City of Malolos ( fil, Lungsod ng Malolos), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to th ...
cemetery. There a tomb with a modest stone slab marked his final resting place. In 1921, to perpetuate his memory, Congressman Mauro Navarro of
Pangasinan Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan ( pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Pangasinan, ; ilo, Probinsia ti Pangasinan; tl, Lalawigan ng Pangasinan), is a coastal province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capit ...
sponsored a law that changed the municipality of Salasa, the hero's birthplace, to Bugallon. His remains are now buried in the
Sampaloc Church Sampaloc Church ( fil, Simbahan ng Sampaloc) or the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto ( fil, Dambanang Pang-Arkidiyosesis ng Mahal na Birhen ng Loreto) is a Roman Catholic Church located along Figueras Street (formerly Bustillos) in the di ...
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 ...
.


References

*
"Major Jose Torres Bugallon 133rd birth anniversary"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bugallon, Jose Torres 1873 births 1899 deaths Colegio de San Juan de Letran alumni Filipino military personnel People from Pangasinan Military personnel killed in the Philippine–American War