HUGO PEREZ was the only physician among the Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite. Although he was well known throughout the province, there is actually very little biographical information about him in available documents. He was a Freemason.

Born in Binondo, Manila, in 1856, it is presumed that he transferred residence to Cavite after he had received his licentiate in medicine. Practicing his profession in Cavite, he endeared himself among many Caviteños.

According to the declaration of ...

A CHINESE foundry man, Jose Ignacio Pawa was born in Lamua, China, circa 1856. He spent he most fruitful years of his life in the Philippines fighting for the country independence. He is considered a Caviteño by reason of his marriage to Antonia Jamir of Binakayan, Kawit, reportedly as a cousin of General Emilio Aguinaldo.

That Pawa was at the bottom of his heart as a true Filipino, perhaps better than many native Filipinos, is ...

HIS DATE and place of birth are unknown. So are the names of his parents. Neither is there a document telling the date and place of his death. A foreign observer may dismiss him as an outlaw. But his achievement in Philippine history can’t be ignored.
Luis Parang, a Caviteño, is probably the only man in history who was able to force Malacañang to make an "individual treaty” with him to end an agrarian revolt. ...

OF THE Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite, Francisco Osorio had the best chance of being saved from death from firing squad – if only wealth could buy his acquittal.

Osorio was neither a Freemason nor a Katipunan member. No arms nor incriminating documents were found in his possession. As de from Alfonso de Ocampo’s declaration that he was one of the leaders of the projected uprising, the Spanish investigators found nothing against him.

On the other ...

LIKE Antonio Luna, the ilustrado general, Alfonso de Ocampo, assistant warden of the Cavite provincial jail, could no longer endure the tortures afflicted on him by his Spanish investigators. He had reached his breaking point so he revealed the names of his companions in the projected uprising in Cavite. Stricken with remorse while under detention, de Ocampo attempted suicide by slashing his stomach with a piece of broken glass.

Parenthetically, Antonio Luna and his elder ...

A NATIVE of Bacoor, Cavite, General Mariano Noriel was born in 1864. There is no available information about the exact date and place of his birth, nor about his parents, education, and other personal data.

Noriel was the president of the Council of War that tried the Bonifacio brothers (Andres and Procopio) in Naik and later in Maragondon in May 1897. Convicted of sedition and treason, Andres and Procopio were sentenced to death but Gen. ...

THERE IS a street in Kawit, Cavite, starting from the Poblacion to barrio Tabon that bears the name “Gregoria”. It has no surname or qualifying prefix to identify it. Consequently, few people in Kawit, Cavite except perhaps the octogenarians and over know after whom the street is named, Gregoria, who?

The truth is that the street is named after Gregoria Montoya the town’s counterpart of Joan of Arc (1412-1431), the famous Maid of Orleans. To ...

DIEGO MOJICA, a native of San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias) was the original big boss of the Katipunan chapter in his town. He was the opposite number of Mariano Alvarez in Noveleta before the Katipunan chapters in both towns decided to merge into one provincial council popularly known as the Magdiwang Council. The original Katipunan chapter in San Francisco de Malabon was called the Sangguniang Balangay Nang Bayang Mapagtiis whose officers were the ...

GENERAL Ambrosio Mojica was a Caviteño who won the love and respect of Leyteños. As military governor of Leyte during the First Philippine Republic, Mojica spent his time undertaking public works projects in the province, and soon the Leyteños began to trust him as if he was a native son of the province. He won the complete cooperation of the people, scoring a point for the Republic at Malolos.

A native of barrio Buna, Indang, ...

LITTLE known by Filipinos is the fact that one of the Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite was a promising scientist. His name: Victoriano Luciano, 33, a pharmacist. He was one of the 13 residents of Cavite who were rounded up by order of Governor Fernando Pargas, given a summary trial, and shot by a firing squad on September 12, 1896.

Luciano was no ordinary pharmacist. In March 1889, at the age of 26, he was graduated ...