The Life of Eusebio Roque as a Religious and Revolutionary Man (2016)

THE LIFE OF EUSEBIO ROQUE AS A RELIGIOUS AND REVOLUTIONARY MAN
A Thesis Paper Presented to the
Department of Social Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Baliuag University
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree in
Bachelor of Arts in History
YOSEF ERIC C. HIPOLITO
October 2016

CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction
There are very few and limited literature that study the lives of unknown heroes in the
Philippine history that used the concept of religion to fight the colonizers like Apolinario Dela
Cruz, Tapar, Bankaw, Macario Sakay, Felipe Salvador, etc. Those “unsung” heroes have written
personal information/records published in books and other reading materials but still, the scarcity
of information regarding their achievements and the effects of their contributions were limited,
not documented and not given attention to be the focus of thesis/research papers in academe.
Aside from being one of the most memorable provinces in the Philippine history that
showed the spirit of nationalism (Almario, 2002), Bulacan was considered to be the “Cradle of
Filipino Heroes” in agreement with Veneracion (2007), since many of our country’s heroes
came from the province like Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Gregorio Del Pilar and Mariano Ponce. As
Zaide and Zaide (2008) mentioned, people must remember and honor these heroes who
responded to the situations placed before them. Thus, their acts were based on their thoughts
through fighting for our freedom (Halili, 2004), that is why Filipinos must know their lives and
imitate their cultures as they sacrificed their time, effort and life so that the today’s generation
could enjoy a better living today.
On the other hand, there were some unknown heroes from the province that also shaped
in the history, like Eusebio Roque, commonly called as “Maestrong Sebio” of the Philippine

revolution who has not become yet a topic of an academic paperwork. As claimed by Alfredo
German, writer of Roque’s comics in 1998, the mentioned hero was usually seen in some
drawings and paintings as a long haired person based on the first artist who drew his face,
Godofredo Reyes.
In line with the comics written by German and drawn by Gutierrez (1998) entitled
“Heneral Eusebio Roque, Mala-republika ng Kakarong de Sili” that became one of the major
sources of the present study, the following information of this introduction were discovered by
the researcher. He was the only son of Pascual Roque and Elena Dela Cruz who was born on
August 14, 1865, in the fourth house before entering Barrio Taal in Barrio Caingin of Bocaue,
Bulacan and was named “Eusebio” as tribute to his grandfather’s name who was an expert in
“arnis de mano.” He came from a poor family since his father was a magyayantok (hunter of
yantok, a kind of rattan wood), which was a common livelihood in Bocaue during that time to
produce silyang yantok (rocking chair made from yantok) or kamang yantok (bed made from
yantok).
After a week, he was baptized by the current “cura parroco” (parish priest) of Saint
Martin of Tours church in Bocaue during those times (1858-1866), Fray Benito de Madridejo,
conforming to the parish records. At an early age, his parents died because of Cholera, hence, he
was adopted and raised by his godfather, Ireneo (Tata Nayo) in Angat with his wife Sima and
their two children, named Cecilia and Crispin. Ireneo and Pascual became friends because of
their livelihood transactions in Norzagaray and Angat where plenty of yantoks could be found
aside from Bocaue.

Upon reaching the adulthood, Roque joined the Masonry and Katipunan in Manila and
thereafter, authorized by Andres Bonifacio to lead a Katipunan chapter (Balangay Dimasalang)
in Bulacan to strengthen the revolutionary forces in the entire province. He faced different
attacks to Spanish barracks in the province that made him an experienced leader of a huge
battalion of revolutionaries. On January 1, 1897, he led the Katipuneros in the Battle of
Kakarong de Sili in Pandi (where his Katipunan chapter was established) but they were defeated,
which caused them to escape in different places in Bulacan. After the battle, he visited his
girlfriend, named Loring at her house in Bonga Mayor, Bustos and promised her that they will
marry after the revolution.
Unfortunately, while Roque was in Bustos, he was betrayed by his co-Katipunero to
Spanish authorities and was then caught helplessly. Consequently, he was imprisoned and had
been judged in Bulakan, Bulacan (the provincial capital of Bulacan province during that time),
but after few days, on January 16, 1897, he was sentenced to death by means of firing squad at
the plaza of Bulakan. The detailed information regarding his capture and death can be seen in
Chapter 4 (Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data) of the study.
The researcher hopes to contribute to the overall history of the Philippines by writing a
portion of the history of Bulacan through a biography of an unknown hero “Eusebio Roque.” He
is one the “unknown” heroes who had been mentioned in different reading materials but not
documented as other heroes and don’t have any published chronological narrative of experiences
as heroes. These gaps led to the research question of this study as it aims to be the first study that
focuses the life of Roque.
Statement of the Problem

The researcher aims to answer the central question:
What were the experiences of Eusebio Roque, before and after he became a religious and
revolutionary man?
Significance of the Study
The present study gave the researcher encouragement to contribute something to the
province where he lives by means of showing the hero’s nationalism through his kind of work.
Furthermore, the researcher also believes that the study and writing of a country’s history gives
people a chance to appreciate the essence and effects of nationalism, origin and respect of
different cultures in the world.
Likewise, this study can be beneficial to the following:
Students. This study helps students to be aware and become knowledgeable about the
life and works of Eusebio Roque who is an unknown hero not only of Bulacan but also of the
entire country.
Teachers. As the educators of learners, through the present study, it will help them to
educate students not only the content of history that are written in the textbooks but also the
essence of nationalistic values of Filipinos, in fact that its presence is not alive in the hearts of
today’s people. Besides, the study could also be an integration for the new aspects of teaching in
the Philippines inclining with K to 12 Basic Education program wherein the local history of the
students’ home town is being studied.
Historians. As the writers and preservers of history, this study urged them to give
attention also to those heroes who are not as well-known as Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio by

means of writing books and conducting researches and seminars about local histories of different
provinces in the country.
Other researchers. This study will add to the growing body of information in the field of
Philippine local history and it will serve as a guide for other researchers who would like to
conduct several studies of similar natures.
Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The study covers the life of an unknown Filipino hero from Bulacan, named Eusebio
Roque also known as “Maestrong Sebio.” It tackles his experiences before and after he became a
religious and revolutionary man. It also gives the readers an opportunity to see how the hero
attained his goals and also how his journey ended and is commemorated by the present
generation of Filipinos. Additionally, the study connects the past events of the hero’s life to the
present scenarios of Philippine society.
Definition of Terms
For the purpose of clarification, the important terms used in the study have been defined.
The following terms are:
1. Babaylan. Philippine Visayan priestess who functions as a healer, a shaman, a seer,
also known as “miracle-worker” in Pre-Spanish community (Maguigad, et al., 2009).
2. Balangay. Branch of Katipunan outside Manila, especially in nearby provinces
led by a general chosen by its members (Halili, 2004).

3. Colorum. Lower-class or unregistered aspects of a particular being (Guerrero, 1967).
4. Ethos. Spiritual characteristic/side of a certain culture in society (Ileto, 1979).
5. Ilustrados. Educated class of Filipinos in 19th century, basically came from well-
to-do families and studied in European countries (Agoncillo, 1990).
6. Militia. Spanish soldiers raised from civil to regular army in an emergency
operation (Agoncillo & Epistola, 1963).
7. Messiah. Savior or liberator of a religious group in a distinct community (Ileto, 1979).
8. Reals (Katipunan). Huge portification of Katipunan in different areas of Luzon
during Philippine revolution of 1896 (Veneracion, 2007).

CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
This chapter of the study presents the relevant theories, and related literature and study
that support the present research.
Relevant Theories
This study is conceptualized and anchored on the two popular theories in the field of
history; Challenge and Response Theory and Religion-Violence Theory. The theories’ principles
hinted a single direction that tackled history with its different aspects that influenced different
people from different time and places to possess heroism and to be reckoned as part of history
itself.
Challenge and Response Theory. Toynbee (1948) developed this theory which states
that the majority of the personalities shaped in the history were recognized because of the
“challenge” that they experienced within a certain period in history and the respective “response”
on how they solve it, whether it is a success or failure. It also ponders the significance of a hero’s
approach in coping with the challenges that would determine his part in history. The core of this
theory could be applied on the present study, since Eusebio Roque experienced the
maltreatments and injustices of Spaniards during the time of colonization as his “challenge”
while being a religious revolutionary leader in Bulacan who fought several battles became his
corresponding “response.” Nevertheless, his part in the Philippine history (specifically in
Bulacan’s local history) determined through his “response” with the mentioned “challenge” on
that particular time frame of the past.

Religion-Violence Theory. Bromley and Melton (2002) drew up the theory which
denotes many social movements in the past that used the combination of religion (religious
philosophies) and violence (rebellious acts) in order to achieve their socio-political aims like to
attain freedom, to be free from taxes, to own private lands, etc., likewise, this theory also
modifies that religious acts were connected to revolutionary groups during those colonial years.
In fact, the leaders of these religious revolutionary groups owned different amulets to possess
powers and protection from dangers as part of their faith to accomplish their desires. The present
study is aligned with the main idea of the theory due to its focus on the relation to the violence
made by revolution and religious aspects of a hero. Being a Katipunan leader, Eusebio Roque
resisted against the Spaniards through revolutionary acts (rebellion, surprise attacks, etc.) with
the touch of religious beliefs since he used and distributed amulets to his followers to serve as
protection from ammunitions and to possess magical powers.
RelatedLiteratures
Bromley and Melton’s “Cults, Religion and Violence” (2002) gave the researcher a better
understanding of the concept of rebellious cults raised in the history. They mentioned that if a
certain rebellion had a high demand organization, uses violence to oppose governmental control
and charismatic leadership, it will be considered as a “religious movement” or a “cult.” These
groups usually have negative connotations as its leaders are someone who assume having a
power or control over a number of people that benefit from his followers. But in the case of
Roque’s cult, it aimed not only religious expansion but also their wants to unleash political and
social reforms, especially to seek freedom by means of resisting against the Spaniards through
revolt.

As a related literature, the researcher pondered the biography of Apolinario dela Cruz, a
religious man who established a revolutionary cult at Tayabas, Quezon in 1841 named “Cofradia
de San Jose,” the life of an Ilonggo babaylan, Tapar who found religion with a mixture of
Catholicism and Paganism in 1663 and the exploits of Bankaw, a charismatic chieftain from
Limasawa who led an insurrection in 1622. These three personalities are identical with Eusebio
Roque because he also established a rebellious group that was considered as a religious cult (as
they used anting-anting, prayers, and practices that were not accepted by the Catholic church)
since they were all recognized as founders of rebellious cults that were not aligned with more
accepted religion. Both groups were regarded as dangerous, opposing the Spanish-imposed
religious activities (Bromley & Melton, 2002). But the difference was the three mentioned
persons (Dela Cruz, Tapar and Bankaw) who rebelled before the 1896 Philippine Revolution,
which was considered as the three of the earliest revolts in the Philippine history as reported by
Maguigad, Galicia, Mazo and Sopoco (2009).
Agoncillo (1990) considered the continuous hispanization of the Filipinos by dint of
religion in line with Spain’s policy of “Gospel, Gold and Glory” as the main reason behind
religious rebellions which then became popular during the colonial period. Various attempts
were made to proselytize different cultural communities by employing a newly Christianized
chieftain or his children and family as shining models for other barangay members to follow or
by using a Christianized member of a converted ethnic community to evangelize their
neighboring unconverted groups. Yet, majority of these religious rebellions had existed among
the masses of the Tagalog region that joined the revolution like the one that Roque did. On the
other hand, Pilario (2005) considered these popular peasant uprisings (dubbed as fanatic,
religious and backward) as “romantic” rebellions because they were led by charismatic

personalities not like the rational and secular revolutions of the Ilustrados in 1880’s such as the
Propaganda and La Liga Filipina.
Moreover, “Popular Uprisings in the Philippines; 1840-1940” of Sturtevant (1976), cited
the variations of Philippine revolts in the history. The Katipunan version of Roque was
considered as one of the rebellious groups with a “Little Tradition”, because of the fact that it
was a peasant-led unrest or a revolt that was led by a man who came from the lower-class of the
society. All sects of Katipunan during those days were urban phenomenon with a leadership
from the “minute, lower, middle class” of white collar employees including Roque.
In line with the book “Kasaysayang Bayan, Sampung Aralin sa Kasaysayang Pilipino”
(2001) of National Historical Institute, the researcher came upon why foreign colonizers
indicated that these religious/rebellious cults in the country during their colonial years could
bring danger to people. Spanish friars saw these groups as secret societies that facilitate anti-
Christian activities and forced people to join their group to be members of their religious
“salvations” which were then considered as fruits of their leaders’ own interpretation and not
based on biblical references that are against on the teachings of Catholicism. In addition with
this, is the more dangerous reason - these groups also aimed to separate Filipinos from Catholic
church and were taught to be bandits and rebelled people that would fight the Spanish
government to seek freedom and justice with the help of their magic and sorcery. Lastly,
majority of the followers were males, hence, as a result of that perspectives, the Spaniards
thought that they can form a huge battalion of forces to desolate the places where the Spaniards
settled.

As stated in Ileto’s book entitled “Pasyon and Revolution: Popular Movements in the
Philippines, 1840-1910” (1979), historical circumstances have given a unique shape to Filipino
beliefs and practices because the point of the proximity of anting-anting enable the ruler to
absorb some of their powers that played a significant role in the thought and motivation of
peasant rebels, bandits, soldiers and generals of the revolutionary army. It gave the researcher
clarification that those Filipino heroes who used amulets and talismans as protections to harm,
had their faith in their own version of religion as intimately connected with the ideas of power,
leadership, nationalism and revolution.
Another point of the mentioned book was the story of Jesus Christ’s sufferings which
gave inspiration to revolutionaries who also had sufferings during those times, in which they
urged many people to join their religious-rebellious forces. Through that perspective, the
researcher also saw the similarity between the situations of Jesus Christ who was considered as a
danger to the Romans whom in those times conquered the land of Jews; whereas, the
Katipuneros like Roque who also touted as dangers by the Spanish colonizers in the country.
In addition, the researcher discovered that some of those heroes used amulets for their
specific reasons like to ward-off bad luck, to attract money and good fortune, and to make them
invulnerable to bullets (Ocampo, 2012). Furthermore, Salazar (1999) reported on his book; “Mga
Pag-aaral sa Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas; Ang Kartilya ni Emilio Jacinto at ang Diwang Pilipino sa
Agos ng Kasaysayan,” that even in the peak of Christian religion in the country, many people
still prevailed amulets and myths because of its powers, simply by uttering magical prayers in
Latin language to unleash its effects and potentials.

In 2008, according to Zaide’s book, entitled “Philippine History and Government,”
majority of our revolutionary heroes believed in the concept of animism with the fact that during
the time when they were battling, they were armed with amulets called anting-anting and
partnered with paltik, old rifles , and bamboo spears despite of high-class arms of the Spaniards.
Being a relevant literature, the researcher reviewed the religious side of Katipunan
(including Roque as one of its leaders), sometimes referred to as “men of anting-anting” and
found out that the Supremo, Andres Bonifacio used the Santiago de Galicia and Virgen del Pilar
amulet, General Emilio Aguinaldo possessed the medallion of the Santissima Trinidad, Generals
Miguel Malvar and Antonio Luna had the same anting-anting called Virgen Madre, Emilio
Jacinto blessed with a necklace’s pendant that has a shape of a book and a sword, Pantaleon
Villegas (Leon Kilat) held a magical handkerchief called “kilat” which made him invisible and
Macario Sakay owned a vest with Latin prayers as inscripted, called as “Carvaca.”
A news correspondent in February, 1897 noted that all those men in General Aguinaldo’s
army had their scapulars and crucifixes around their collars and also a band of red cotton cloth
having another anting-anting inside. Besides, Katipuneros in Visayan region, such as Elpidio,
Anastacio Rama, and Simplicio Alaura used Vistidora, a chasuble like cloth worn over one’s
clothes with printed images of God the Father, resurrection of Jesus Christ, heads of the Three
Persons, heads of the 12 Apostles in front and some corrupted Latin-Spanish words at the back,
like “Cruz passion y muerte cruz de Cristo salva mi tress Ave Maria, Adit Dium Empacturom en
visto virgo Jesus.” They had also their own version of cloth amulets, its first kind was a triangle-
shaped clothing inscribed with several words like "Gibison Gaodio magnobaldi contra bala
epica egosom pactom Dominom Diom Pactom Jesom Pleom Tom Jesus," and the second one was
a two fingerbreadths of cloth with an image of an angel carrying a kris sword with Spanish

words, "Salvate Deus, Los que defienden de la patria como nuestro defensa en la patria celestial
contra los demonios” (Ileto, 1979).
According Schumacher (1991) on his book, “The Making of Nation: Essays on
Nineteenth-Century Filipino Nationalism,” Katipunan had traditional imagery and its ethos of
brotherhood, encouraged by this fusion of popular “religious” aspirations and new patriotic
goals. But Ileto (1979) added to Schumacher’s claim that the main reason of the secret society’s
pious beliefs in magical amulets was the part of the so-called “Revolt of the masses”, which gave
birth in some social movements that was initiated by largely rural and uneducated Filipinos like
petty clerks, laborers and artisans in Manila who did not have any established source of strength
to have the courage to fight against the better forces of colonizers.
The lives of Baliwageño cult leader of “Santa Iglesia” who fought the American
colonizers in Pampanga during 1900’s named Felipe Salvador, the Ilocano religious founder of
“Kapisanan Makabola Makasinag” in Nueva Ecija during 1923, Pedro Kabola and the Tayug
Colorum group leader of Pangasinan in 1929, Pedro Calosa, are congruent profiles with the main
person (Eusebio Roque) of the present research. They were all politically unsophisticated who
failed to sensitize the people to a new spectrum of possible identities and apply religious ideas in
opposing their foes because they believed to be fanatics. Nevertheless, the dissimilarity is that
the three indicated heroes had shown their heroism to object during the occupation of the
Americans in the Philippines.
Guerrero’s book, “The Colorum Uprisings, 1924-1931; Asian Studies Vol. 1” (1967)
noted that Colorum groups during the colonial years in the Philippines were borne out by the
general apathy to the government and the condemnation, it received from the public officials like

what had motivated Roque to join Katipunan. The book also pointed- that these uprisings did not
have any significant political effects because they were led by peasants or lower-class
personalities like what Katipuneros experienced in the past.
Other paralleled life stories that the researcher deciphered were the backgrounds of
Simon Tecson, the San Miguel, Bulacan native who led the Filipinos in the siege of Baler in June
1899 and Faustino Quijano, the Cabeza de Barangay who led a Katipunan chapter in San
Ildefonso, Bulacan during 1896 revolution. Resembling with the topic (Eusebio Roque) of the
present research, these two local heroes of Bulacan were unknown for many Filipinos despite
their contributions. As a matter of fact, they were not mentioned in Social studies textbooks and
they were not given any widespread recognition as part of national history.
Moreover, the book of Renato Constantino, entitled, “Veneration Without
Understanding” (1969) depicted that history was made by both by known and unknown heroes
who confronted the problems of social progress and tried to solve them with the historic
conditions of their epoch. It also stated that the deeper the hero’s commitment to the people’s
cause in his own time as evidenced by his life and deeds, the more heroic he becomes as a leader
of his men and the closer the correspondence between a man’s perception of reality and reality
itself, the greater a man he is complying with the exploits of Roque. However, the two
mentioned persons (Tecson and Quijano) led their respective rebellious troops in the Northern
part of Bulacan while Roque led in the Southern part.
The presented profiles and books as related literature aided the researcher to describe the
hero being pointed on this paper. The researcher included the mentioned personalities as related
literature because it clearly traced a single path; they were unknown heroes who used the concept

of combined religion and revolution to oppose foreign colonizers. Despite the similarities, the
researcher surmised that these surveyed personalities lack in different aspects that formed gaps to
complete their written identity. This study wants to fill the gap between them with regards to the
life of another person who is actually related with those personalities mentioned in the related
literature.
RelatedStudy
Firouzkouhi and Boroujeni’s (2015) study, “Data analysis in oral history: A new
approach in historical research” was a parallel research to the present study as it focuses the
application of Oral history technique in data analysis as one of the new discovered ways on how
to analyze the answers in the questions in a Qualitative type of study like historical research. As
this related study aimed to introduce an ethical approach of data analysis obtained, its results
pondered that the Oral history technique as a new approach of data analysis is suitable for this
kind of research. Another finding of the study pointed-out that the mentioned analytic method
would assist qualitative researchers effectively regarding analysis of qualitative data from Oral
history studies like the present study about Roque. The related study also pointed the procedures
on how to deal with this new kind of data analysis where the method on how to analyze the data
of the present study was patterned: (1) Data gathering through interviews with the oral witness
and first-level coding, (2) Second-level coding or determining the sub-categories (codes), (3)
Third-level coding or determining the main categories (themes) and (4) Connecting the main
categories to each other and writing the narrative with support of reading materials.
However, as the study mentioned that the gathered data through Oral history technique
must be supported by reading materials, it did not mentioned the method on how to analyze those

materials that help to verify its contents. This method is known as Documentary analysis in
consonance with Annum (2016). Through that gap, the present study mentioned the
Documentary analysis in order to have a distinct analytic tool for those materials as he followed
that strategy in analyzing and presenting data.

CHAPTER III
METHODS OF RESEARCH
This part of the paper deals on the methodology, data sources that the researcher used to
answer the research question settled on the statement of the problem. Furthermore, it also
discusses the analytical tool which the researcher utilized for the data analysis procedure of the
study.
ResearchDesign
The researcher applied Historical research, a kind of study that systematically examines
the events to give account of whatever happened in the past. According to the book of Hegel
(1990), “The Philosophy of History,” the gathered data that are suitable to answer the research
questions in this type of study are not statistically treated as they follow the steps, such as (1)
identification of the topic and formulation of the problem or question, (2) gathering of
information that can be captured that is not numerical in nature, (3) data analysis and (4) report
or preparation of the narrative exposition (Trochim, 2006).
The researcher used two common approaches in gathering data based on a Historical type
of research; the Oral history technique and Documentary analysis. Oral history technique is a
systematic collection of living people’s testimony (interview) about their own experiences and
manner of attempting to verify and analyze the findings to place in an accurate historical context
(Moyer, 1999). Likewise, the Documentary analysis in line with Annum (2016) is a method used
to obtain relevant documentary evidence through reading and searching books that are related to

the topic as the part of literature review just to support and validate facts in the presentation of
data.
Furthermore, a Historical research demands the historian to demonstrate the gathered data
in detail to bridge the gaps between the documentation and the conclusions that he draws, as
Schumacher (1991) mentioned. Besides, the present study also emphasized a biographical form
of historical research that aims to present data regarding the experiences of a remarkable
personality from the past.
Participants of the study
Since the present study implemented the process of Oral history, the persons that served
as the participants during the interview were Joy Sison, Tourism Officer of Pandi Municipal
Hall, Noemi Fuentes, retired teacher from Kakarong Elementary School, Engr. Alfredo German,
local historian and writer of a comic for commemoration of Roque’s heroism and Maricel
Roque, descendant of the Roque. The first two mentioned persons were legitimate residents of
Pandi, Bulacan who had their knowledge about the history of the town, which is also the place
where Roque led his Katipunan chapter.
ResearchMaterials
Usually, the materials or sources in a historical research are classified into two in
agreement with Key (1997); the primary sources which are direct outcomes of scenarios or the
records of eyewitnesses like original documents, artifacts, remains etc. and the Secondary
sources that contains information provided by a person who did not directly observe the event,
such as textbooks, periodicals, newspaper, etc. Due to the lack of primary sources that will

constitute the present study, all sources used by the researcher in the introduction, literature
review and presentation of data were secondary sources.
As sources in the review of related literature, the researcher consulted the written
documents about the lives of other unknown heroes written in rare books like “Bulac noon, San
Ildefonso ngayon” of Delos Reyes and Delos Reyes (1983), “Filipinos in History; Vol. 1” of
Aguilar (1989), “Pasyon and Revolution: Popular movements in the Philippines, 1840-1910” of
Ileto (1979), “Philippine History” of Halili (2004), “Remembering my lolo Simon Ocampo
Tecson; Leader in the Siege of Baler” of Tecson (2011), “The Buenavista Estate and the Peasant
Movement in San Ildefonso, Bulacan” of Veneracion (1981) and “The Colorum Uprisings, 1924-
1931, Asians studies; Vol. 1” of Guerrero (1967). In addition with these, the researcher scanned
some internet sources that discuss the experiences and achievements of Apolinario dela Cruz,
Bankaw, Felipe Salvador, Macario Sakay, Tapar Pedro Calosa and Pedro Kabola which are
similar to the exploits of Eusebio Roque to serve as the guide of the researcher in interpreting the
entire life of the subject (hero). One encouraging reason for the researcher to write the historical
biography of Roque was the fact that the subject is not as popular as most heroes in the country
like Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini and many others.
The writer read books on general references on history and writings of history, as
“Methods of research” of Good and Scaster (1972), “Philosophy of History” of Hegel (1990),
“Some Reflections about Cofradia de San Jose as a Philippine Religious Uprising; Asian
Studies” of Lee (1967) and some internet sources that discusses Oral History Technique and
Documentary analysis.

Similarly, the books, “Anting-anting (O kung bakit nagtatago sa loob ng bato si Bathala)”
of Pambid (2000), “Bulakan ng mga bayani; Mga sanaysay tungkol sa rebolusyon ng 1896 at
digmaang pilipino-amerikano ng 1899” of Veneracion (2007), National Historical Institute’s
“Kasaysayang bayan; Sampung aralin sa kasaysayang Pilipino (2001)” and “Minutes of the
Katipunan (1978),” “Looking back 6: Prehistoric Philippines” of Ocampo (2012), “Philippine
History and Government” of Maguigad, Galicia, Mazo and Sopoco (2009) and “The Katipunan
and the revolution, Memoirs of general Santiago Alvarez” of Malay (1992) served as materials
where the researcher looked for some insights and data that answered the question of the study.
Just as Good and Scates (1972) stated, history means the search for knowledge and truth
but basically, “a searching to find out.” Further, it is also an integrated description of the past
events written in a spirit of critical inquiry for the whole truth. The related literatures mentioned,
like “Popular Uprising in the Philippines 1840-1940” of Sturtevant (1976), “History of the
Filipino People” of Agoncillo (1990) and “Philippine History and Government” of Zaide (2008)
helped the researcher to write and express the significance of an “unknown” hero who were
forgotten by time or not acknowledged by people as great personalities not only in the province
of Bulacan but also in the entire Philippines.
ResearchInstruments
As the researcher used the Oral history technique, he formulated two sets of questions;
the first interview schedule (A) contained 20 open-ended questions about Roque’s religious and
revolutionary experiences, the kind of his Katipunan chapter in Bulacan, history of Kakarong de
Sili and lastly, about the commemoration and significance of his contributions in history.
However, items one to five in the interview session have two to three sub-questions. While the

second interview schedule (B) contained 14 open-ended questions about Roque’s personal
profile, early life experiences, love life, heroism and some philosophical insights about his
contributions to history but the items one, six, and seven have one to two sub-questions.
Interview schedule A was prepared for the two legitimate residents of Pandi, Bulacan who are
knowledgeable about the religious and revolutionary experiences of Roque while interview
schedule B was prepared for the relatives and the writer of Roque’s biography.
Data Gathering Procedure
The study wants to fill the missing data on the hero’s personal profile as a component of
the introductory part; to do so, as mentioned, the researcher sent a letter addressed to the parish
priest of Saint Martin of Tours church in Bocaue, Bulacan (the church where the hero was
baptized as Catholic) and allow him to find the baptismal records of the hero but the records are
very fragile and the contents are not in good condition, and as a matter of fact, they are century
old documents; however, the researcher got the name of the priest who handled the parish church
when Roque was born in 1865 who supposed to be the priest who baptized him. The researcher
also went to the Mormons Family History Center to determine the hero’s personal information
(parent’s names, baptismal date and name of the priest who baptized him) from his birth
certificate that those Mormons painstakingly photocopied and put into microfilms as their
collections in their genealogical vaults at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in
White Plains, Quezon City. But when the researcher went to their office, the officer-in-charge
told that the Microfilm no. 1128441 (Bautismos 1857-1866) where the photocopied baptismal
certificate of a person named “Eusebio Roque” in Bocaue, Bulacan was out of order.

When the researcher read the work of a local historian of Bulacan, Engr. Alfredo German
in a comics form, made by Emidio Gutierrez as a centennial souvenir in the Kongreso ng
Malolos anniversary celebration in 1998 entitled “Heneral Eusebio Roque, Mala-republika ng
Kakarong de Sili,” he finally determined the personal information and some religious and
revolutionary experiences of Roque that are essential to the study.
Consequently, majority of Roque’s experiences in terms of his religious side and journey
to Katipunan, were discovered by the researcher in the book, entitled “The Katipunan and the
revolution, Memoirs of general Santiago Alvarez” of Malay (1992). This book compiled and
translated the memoirs of General Santiago Alvarez, a Katipunan general who encountered
Roque during those days in Cavite and Bulacan and wrote some of their experiences with the
hero, including some memoirs of General Felipe Estrella and General Artemio Ricarte about
their experiences with Roque.
To make some clarifications about the comics and to answer the first set of interview
schedule, the researcher personally interviewed Engr. Alfredo German about the life and
experiences of Eusebio Roque on the interviewee’s house in Barrio Lolomboy, Bocaue. Through
a casual conversation, the researcher discovered that Engr. German got majority of his data in
writing the mentioned article through an interview with Roque’s oldest grandson from his cousin
in Bocaue and the personal hostler (a person who take care of horses) of Roque who knew the
hero personally and known for his alias, “Laurong Kamagong” in Tala Leprosarium (now Dr.
Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital) at Caloocan City. Due to that person, who was already 93
years of age when Engr. German interviewed him in 1993, he had known the physical attribute
of Roque including the height, body built and length of hair, and as well as some early life
experiences of the hero.

All throughout, Engr. German and the researcher met and interviewed a descendant (great
granddaughter from his cousin in father side) of Roque on the exact place where the hero was
born in Barrio Caingin, Bocaue.
With the use of the first interview schedule, the descendant answered all our questions
and told some stories regarding her revolutionary ancestor. The researcher also went to Pandi,
Bulacan where the Katipunan chapter of Roque was founded and interviewed two legitimate
residents of the town; a Tourism officer of Pandi Municipal Hall and a retired teacher from Pandi
Elementary School with the use of the second interview schedule (centered about Roque’s
heroism on the town). Hence, the researcher jotted down the facts and insights that all of those
interviewees had shared but in order to have a clarified source, he also used a mobile recorder in
recording the conversations (during the interview) for easy retrieving and transcribing the data.
The researcher also visited the National Archives in National Library of the Philippines
in Manila to find some rare books that are related in Roque’s life for being a Katipunero and to
find original Spanish documents parallel with the study but the archivist found a Spanish
document (a Spanish newspaper) regarding the hero’s capture after the revolution on their
microfilms and sent a copy to the researcher through internet and classified as the only primary
source of this study. The important parts of the document were translated by the researcher to
English with the aid of other person (researcher’s mother) who is capable of understanding the
mentioned language as an additional content of the study.
The Provincial Library of Bulacan in Malolos Capitol, the Center for Bulacan Studies in
Bulacan State University (Malolos Campus), the Municipal Library of Baliwag and the Baliuag
University Library Archives and Museum as well as Baliuag University’s Graduate Studies

Library were all visited by the researcher for data gathering through rare books, theses and
documents that constituted the facts needed. Consequently, the researcher sought some historical
articles and issued materials in the internet for some data about the hero that were published
there.
As first-hand experience, the researcher visited important places that are related to
Eusebio Roque such as his birth place in Barrio Caingin in Bocaue during the interview with his
descendant, the location of his heroism in Pandi (Inang Filipina Shrine also known as Kakarong
de Sili Shrine) and his execution site in Bulakan, Bulacan (front of the Nuestra Señora de la
Asuncion Parish). This kind of travel contributed the study in fact that the researcher believes
that it is very difficult to write historical events when you’re not in the exact place where those
scenarios happened. In fact, that research involves the researcher’s personal exposure to those
collaborative places in accordance with their topic being surveyed (Mortensen, 2009). The
researcher observed the mentioned places to reflect the memorable scenes not only in the life of
the hero but also to the local history of Bulacan.
Data Analysis Procedure
The researcher utilized an analytical tool that helped to interpret the gathered data. As a
historian’s duty to study the past events on what history had left (Perez, 1986), the researcher
used the Oral history technique of data analysis to the gathered data. To clarify the obtained data
from an interview, this kind of analysis is suitable to produce a good narrative because a
historical research methodology is required to be applied with proper data analysis as cited in the
study of Firouzkouhi & Boroujeni (2015).

The researcher followed the stages on how this kind of study is done. First, after the data
gathering procedure, the researcher read all the responses (data) from the interviews; second, he
transcribed the things that had been conversed throughout the interview. Third, he identified the
codes emerged. The formulated codes were from the common ideas which traced a single path in
the responses of the interviewees. Moreover, the researcher verified the codes by supporting
them with related data from reading materials used in the study; this method is called as
Documentary analysis as mentioned in the previous part. Next, the researcher distinguished the
respective themes that the emerged codes are suitable, namely religious and revolutionary
experiences. Lastly, he wrote the narrative that presents the data of the study based on the
chronological order (before and after) of Roque’s religious and revolutionary experiences with
its subordinate codes.

CHAPTER IV
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
This chapter presents the analysis and interpretations of data gathered in chronological
order based on the question presented in the statement of the problem. All the information
collected from different sources and from interviews had been analyzed through Oral history
technique of data analysis to have a comprehensive organization of the data that determine the
themes of the codes.
Themes of the study and their codes
Under the Theme 1 (religious experiences), the codes are; “became interested in
amulets,” “raised by a priest,” “became a religious leader,” “influenced the religious Real de
Binakod in Paombong,” “guided the launching of Guerilla warfare in Paombong” and “related to
present times.”
While under the Theme 2 (revolutionary experiences), the codes are; “intrinsically
motivated to rebel against the Spaniards,” “influenced by his environment to join the revolution,”
became a successful revolutionary leader,” “founded the first Philippine Republic,” “became a
military general,” “gave Gregorio Del Pilar’s Baptism of Fire,” “Governor General Polavieja
mentioned: “En Cavite esta el escandalo, y el peligro en Bulacan” and “considered as a Filipino
hero.”

Part 1. Eusebio Roque’s experiences before he became:
1.1 Religious man
Became interested in amulets. Roque grew up with an interest in religion and amulets
as his descendant Maricel Roque mentioned in the interview:
“Bata pa lang, mahilig na sa mga magic. Kaso mas nahilig sa relihyon dahil pinalaki ng pari.”
“Even in young age, he is a fan of magic. He became more interested in religion after being
raised by a priest.”
The work of German & Gutierrez (1998) comply with the statement as it indicated that
Roque always visited their neighbor’s house to hear fantasy stories when he was six years old.
Aside from that, the book showed that his belief and love for the powers of amulets started after
an instance when he met Apo Andres, a hunter who was an expert in amulets and native prayers
who told him that he had the good virtue to protect his amulets for a lifetime. Thereupon, he gave
him two oracion (prayers) and a scapular that helped him to cure simple illnesses and protection
from any harm,
Raisedby a priest. Roque’s parents died at his early age as Alfredo German told in the
interview:
“Nang mamatay ang mga magulang niya dahil sa Cholera, pinag-aral siya ng kumpare ng tatay
niya sa Bustos kay Padre Pedro Isaac Ignacio na kung saan naging malapit si Sebio at nagturo
sa kanya ng maraming bagay. Bata pa lang siya, kasama na siya ni Padre Ignacio na
nagpapaimprenta ng mga karton, mga ginagamit ng mga bata sa pag-aaral ng abakada.”

“When both of his parents died because of Cholera, he was schooled by his father’s friend in
Bustos under Father Pedro Isaac Ignacio who taught Sebio many things. Even at his young age,
Sebio accompanied Father Ignacio every time the priest goes to the printing press to print
children’s cards and academic materials who study abakada.”
When he reached childhood age and as he acquired formal school under Fr. Ignacio,
Roque’s intelligence, he acquired a deep relation to Fr. Ignacio and as being educated by a priest,
he became religious and always leaves the miserable situations to God according to German and
Gutierrez (1998).
These findings corresponds to the relevance of one of the related literatures of the present
study, “Mga Pag-aaral sa Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas; Ang Kartilya ni Emilio Jacinto at ang
Diwang Pilipino sa Agos ng Kasaysayan” of Salazar (1999) that mentioned the beliefs of the
early Filipinos in the power of amulets and magical prayers prevailed despite the peak of the
spread of Christianity in the country like the time when Roque became interested in these
religious materials. The book also mentioned that those people who trusted the power of anting-
anting had religious background and motive like Roque who was raised by a priest.
1.2 Revolutionary man
Intrinsically motivated to rebel against the Spaniards. When Fr. Ignacio died, he
became the operator and teacher in the school, he was called as “Maestrong Sebio” (Teacher
Sebio), in line with Tecson (2011). But there was an occurrence when one of the parents of his
students complained his school management and policies, pursuant to German (2016):

“Bigla kasi siyang nagtaas ng tuition sa mga estudyante niya kaya’t inireklamo siya. Bukod pa
‘run, mainitin ang kanyang ulo kaya’t minsan, nakabatok siya ng bata kaya nagalit ang mga
magulang. Sinumbong siya at naging wanted sa mga Kastila.”
“He abruptly increased the school’s tuition fees for students, hence, he was reported to
authorities. For being temperamental, once, he hit one of his students and later, a parent reported
him then, became a wanted personality to the Spaniards.”
The words of the interviewee supported by the work of German and Gutierrez (1998) as
they proved that after his he was reported, it resulted to the closure of the school, only after a few
days. Thereafter, he surmised that it was been a long time when the Filipinos were being
disgruntled and maltreated by the Spaniards and prevented their chance to gain good living
through unequal treatment.
Influenced by his environment to join the revolution. Roque was believed to be a pro-
Rizal and was urged by Emilio Jacinto to join Katipunan as German (2016) raised:
“’Yang si Sebio, maka-Rizal ‘yan. Binasa niya ‘yung nobela ni Rizal, yung Noli Me Tangere.
Kaya’t tingnan mo, ‘yung pangalan ng Katipunan niya, Balanagay Dimasalang, hindi ba’t ‘yun
ang pangalang sagisag ni Rizal sa Mason?”
“Ang una niya naging kaibigan eh si Emilio Jacinto. Tinanong siya kung gusto niyang
maglingkod sa ating bayan dahil mayroon siyang katangiang gusto ng kapatiran. Kagaya ng
matapang, malakas ang loob at kung magsalita ay diretso. Nagustuhan siya ni Jacinto kaya’t
sinabi, kung pwede eh sumapi ka na. Sinabi niya, kung darating ‘yung araw na magugustuhan
mo, nandito lang ako lagi sa imprentahan.”

“Sebio was pro-Rizal. He read Rizal’s novel Noli Me Tangere. Look at, the name of his chapter,
Balangay Dimasalang. It was the penname used by Rizal in Masonry, right?”
“Emilio Jacinto became his first friend. He was asked by Jacinto if he wants to serve for the
country because of his ideal potentials for their brotherhood, like bravery, being adventurous and
speaks directly. Jacinto wanted him and told that if he wants to be a member, join them
immediately. Jacinto told him that if the day comes, look for him in the printing office.”
German’s expounding on the interview was supported by his work with Gutierrez in
(1998), remarked that as great follower of the Rizal’s philosophical views as a Mason, his love
for the country prevailed more. Likewise, there was a scenario where he accidentally met Jacinto
that gave him opportunity to reflect on his stand for the imminent revolution in 1896 as he
experienced those maltreatments from the Spaniards.
The presented results correlate with the mentioned theory in the previous chapter;
Challenge and Response Theory of Arnold Toynbee (1948) since, it affirms that a person became
known in the history because of the “challenge” that he encountered and the “response” which he
used to solve it. In Roque’s experiences, because of the colonization of the Spaniards (as the
challenge), it motivated him to resist against those colonizers through participating the
Katipunan and soon became one of the leaders of it (as his response).
Part 2: Eusebio Roque’s experiences after he became:
2.1 Religious man
Became a religious leader. Based on the translated memoir of Katipunan General,
Mariano Alvarez’s book, entitled “The Katipunan and the revolution, Memoirs of general

Santiago Alvarez” of Malay (1992), when Roque and his comrade Felipe Estrella became
members of Katipunan, they went to Magdalo (Bacoor, Imus and Kawit) and Magdiwang
(Noveleta) areas in Cavite to urge people in joining Katipunan. They decided to it do through
like a ceremony of a Catholic mass; wherein a priest distributes hostia but in their situation, an
improvised circular paper with size of a silver Mexican peso called “Hostia redentora.” The
mentioned hostia had written cross at the center and Latin phrases “Hiesus lamuroc milano” or
"Panes teurom nam butrates luz itirre quetram bobis viva buturiam” around the circle and the
other side of the paper had written letters, “K.K.K.” They scattered these hostias to people by
means of swallowing them while uttering words,“Ego… Peravit… Ego… Peravit… Ego…
Sacrificit” and “Enom… Dre… Enom… Go… Enom… To.”
They did not require people to give money but others willingly gave twenty cents to one
peso as offer or sometimes people donated cigarettes. Hereafter, another special ceremony that
required small donations for a greater merit was performed with three such amulets swallowed
separately and was supposed to produce higher potency.
Although General Artemio Ricarte told on his memoir which was also a part of the
memoir of General Alvarez translated by Malay (1992), many people participated the
ceremonies because Colonel Estrella told the people that Roque possessed capability of making a
person invulnerable to bullets if an hostia was swallowed. As a fanatic and charismatic leader, he
claimed that the bullets that will punish him are not on this world. Through these experiences, it
started his journey on achieving his religious journey in aligned with his revolutionary aims in
fact that he gained many followers on that town.
Throughout the interview, German mentioned that:

“Sinasabi niya sa mga alagad na kapag kinain niyo yan, hindi kayo tatamaan ng bala. Maski
siya, sinabi rin niya na hindi pa namamanufacture yung balang papatay sa kanya. Mahaba raw
ang buhok sabi ng nainterview kong tagapag-alaga niya ng kabayo, ‘yun ang unang-unang
sinabi sa akin hanggang dito, sa balikat para daw makahawig ni Kristo tsaka sinasabi niyang
anak siya ng Diyos.”5’6”hanggang 5’7”ang taas niya. At saka lagi siyang mayroong tatlong
Carmel na skapular sa leeg.”
“He uttered to his followers that if they swallow it, they will not be perished by ammunitions. He
also said that the bullet that will slay him is not already manufactured yet. Based on my
interview with his horse hostler, Sebio grew his hair up to shoulders to be looked like Christ as
he claimed that he was the Son of God, that was the first thing that he mentioned to describe
Roque. His height might be in 5’6” to 5’7”. And usually, he (Roque) had three brown Carmel
scapulars on his neck.”
The statements of German proved by Tecson’s (2011) book, indicated that when Roque
became a Katipunan leader in Bulacan, he was touted as a messiah leader who believed to
possess magical powers because of his amulets and prayers that will protect him in different
harms. The book also mentioned that he persuaded his Katipunan with combined philosophy of
religious practices and Masonic rites. During the time of Roque’s lucid and brilliant campaign,
he also baptized newborn babies and blessed married couples. Through anting-anting, he
attracted people to join his group that resulted into 10,000 people who participated from
neighboring towns in Bulacan like Bigaa (Balagatas), Hacienda de Buenavista (San Rafael, San
Ildefonso and San Miguel), Guiguinto, Caloocan and Malabon. He sought amulets in Manila,
Cavite, Batangas, Laguna and San Miguel de Mayumo to those who wanted to own amulets as
they called, “anting-anting ni Maestrong Sebio.”

Influenced the religious “Real de Binakod” in Paombong. The book, “Bulacan:
Lalawigan ng bayani at bulaklak” (Almario, 2002) said that when the revolutionaries were
defeated in the Battle of Kakarong de Sili, some of the survivors transferred to Binakod,
Paombong wherein General Isidoro Torres was there to keep and protect them. After a few days,
they established another religious real to have a new bracket that will strengthen the
revolutionary defense of Bulacan as they had been inspired by Roque’s principle of establishing
real in Kakarong de Sili especially its religious virtues. Majority of their members wore anting-
anting and used prayers to sustain their confidence despite the danger led by the Spanish forces.
They also purchased some weapons (with religious blessings) and some boats that were placed
along the rivers as means of their escape in case some Spaniards attacked. However, in a similar
incident in Kakarong de Sili, the boats were destroyed by Spanish forces on March 1897 that
caused its members to retreat to Biak na Bato in San Miguel de Mayumo and Malolos.
The contents of the mentioned book supported the insights of Noemi Fuentes and Joys
Sison during the interview:
“Nang matalo sila sa Kakarong, ‘yung ibang pinuno ng Katipunan sa Bulacan, mas nabuhay.
Nagtatag ng real si Heneral Isidoro Torres sa Paombong na may pagkarelihyoso. Parang
kultong rebolusyonaryo rin. Gumamit din ng mga agimat.” (Fuentes, 2016)
“When they were defeated in Kakarong, the other leaders of Katipunan in Bulacan risen. General
Isidoro Torres established a new religious real in Paombong. It looks like a revolutionary cult,
they also used amulets.”
“Sina Torres ang nagpatuloy ng laban sa Kakarong ‘dun sa Binakod, dahil nakuha nila ang mga
ideya ni Sebio sa Kakarong, lalo na ‘yung paniniwala sa dasal.” (Sison, 2016)

“Torres continued the struggle of Kakarong in Binakod because they got the idea of Sebio’s in
Kakarong, especially the beliefs on prayers.”
Salazar (1999) also pondered that the idea of the establishment of a real in Binakod was
inclined in the idea of the foundation of Real de Kakarong,in fact that the revolutionaries who
decided to establish it acquired the knowledge and fanatic beliefs through Roque’s teachings,
such as believe in the power of amulets and the word of God and military tactics like how to hold
guns, how to deal with other people and also how to discipline themselves under revolutionary
behavior.
Guided the launching of “religious Guerilla warfare in Paombong.” Connected also
to the work of Almario (2002), being an active participant of Roque’s chapter, Gregorio Del
Pilar obtain religious wisdom, military strategies and cultivated his skills in different ways but
the most important was the “religious guerilla” manner of warfare wherein a small group of
people use military tactics like raids, sabotage and ambushes. Del Pilar and his comrades
attacked the Spanish detachment in Paombong a few months after the Battle of Kakarong de Sili
to apply his knowledge that he earned through guerilla warfare with the guide of their amulets,
prayers and beliefs inspired with Roque’s teachings. At the middle of the mass, they attacked the
Spaniards who attended the mass. Within three minutes of continuous fire inside the church, Del
Pilar and his men killed 17 Spaniards and got some Mauser rifles and plenty of reamed
ammunition and they claimed that they won because of their possession of those religious
materials from Roque.
In the interview with German, he said:

“Dahil sa mga karanasan ni Del Pilar sa Real de Kakarong ni Sebio, kahit bata siya, bente
anyos eh naging mahusay siyang pinuno ng militar. Kung wala si Sebio, hindi huhusay si Del
Pilar.”
“Because of Del Pilar’s experiences in Real de Kakarong of Sebio, even he was young, 20 years
of age, he became a great military leader. If Sebio did not exist, Del Pilar would not be a great
one.”
The interviewee’s words were supported by the mentioned book of Almario (2002) that
through Roque’s religious and revolutionary leadership in Kakarong de Sili, it enhances him as a
young gentleman in terms of military leadership with the touch of religious beliefs to outclass
small groups of Spaniards in certain places.
Relatedto present times. Roque’s contributions to Philippine history can be seen in
different entities in the present times as German told on the time of interview:
“Makikita na sa kasalukuyan mayroon pa rin mga grupong relihyosong aktibista, ‘yung mga
kumakandidato kapag eleksyon, tawag ‘dun ay mga Millenarian. Maaari din na kahawig ng
kulto niya ang mga kulto ngayon dahil mga gumagamit din ‘yun ng mga anting-anting at mga
dasal. Kasunod, pwede rin ang mga Muslim dahil ginagamit nila ang lakas para mapaanib ang
mga tao.Sa aral naman ng buhay ni Sebio, maging matatag ang kalooban, ‘yung tamang
pagtitiwala at pagmamahal sa bayan.”
“In present times, it is obvious that religious activists are still existing, those who usually run for
elections who were known to be “Millenarians.” His cult was related to present-day cults as they
used amulets and prayers. Next, it can be the Muslims, because they usually used force to

convert people. In terms of lessons from Sebio’s life, it showed the significance of willpower,
appropriate trust and love for the nation.”
The researcher elaborated the four entities mentioned (religious activist groups, modern-
day cults, Muslims and philosophical values) for verification through reading materials. First, the
religious activist groups who were also known as “Millenarian groups” that believes in the 1,000
years of peace based on the Revelation of Saint John that are in the present time, conducting
political struggles and running for elections that could be classified as spectrum of modern
“religious uprisings” in order to lead a country for their personal/religious purposes as Chua
(2016) pointed-out.
As identified by Ileto (1979), the religious leaders (messiahs, popes) of different
religious-rebellious movements who with their peasant followers formed their own communities
to confront the armed constabulary were simply “religious fanatics” or “frustrated peasants” that
tend to react irrationally to the oppressive condition in the society. Both groups used their ideals
to become vehicles of expression for their thoughts that gave them both physical and rhetorical
reaction that will give justice and equality for the Philippines. In addition to Ileto, Roque’s
Katipunan is related with these present activists in the fact that their aims were both legitimate
and from natural outgrowth of the frustration of such political action as well as their leaders were
charismatic in reactions to personal grievances with established orders.
Second, the modern-day cults, in the fact that like the Katipunan of Roque that was
considered as a cult because of religious activities, modern-day cults are certainly rooted in the
religious tradition of the Catholic church in the fact that they both use Catholic liturgical style

and order that were evident in their worships especially in talking to Bathala and Jesus Christ as
part of their religious activities as Justimbaste (2015) stated.
Roque’s group and modern-day cults both used the concept of “fanaticiscm” (belief in the
power of anting-anting and native powers) that had developed from traditional folk beliefs of the
Pre-Christianized society as well as their memberships which grew rapidly in response to shared
sympathies and desire to revolutionize the predominant religion as well as society’s tradition
through disobeying the norms of the dominant religion and politics in a certain place (like in the
Philippines which follows the Westernized concept of democracy) as Guerrero (1967) settled.
Furthermore, the best example of modern-day cult that is congruent with this concept is
the religious cult of, Iglesia ng Watawat ng Lahi or also known as “Rizalistas” as Ileto (1979)
asserted, this cult, like other religious revolts in the Philippine history (similar with Roque’s
Katipunan), linked in the attainment of their ideals with the spirit of the subscribed ancient
beliefs in the magical potency of sacred weapons, inscribed objects, formulaic prayers and
biblical prophecy in the New Testament.
Likewise, Roque’s religious aim, to spread religious principles under Katipunan to throw
away the colonizers could be related in the present time in assertion to the common accusations
to Muslims (third entity) that the growing number of lands that they conquered was because of
the rapid spread of their religion, Islam. They both utilize the concept of “religion-to-conquer” in
order to break down a number of the social ideals of a certain community that encourages people
to convert on their respective religions to enlarge their culture and to meet their goals (Hartwig,
2001).

Lastly, the philosophical values that manifested in his works. Nevertheless, Roque’s
heroism and the death of many revolutionaries in Kakarong de Sili triggered the hearts of
Bulakenyos to fight for their freedom who were being exploited by the colonizers during those
days as the present generation should acknowledge as a nationalistic inspiration as Sturtevant
(1976) asked. As being a spark plug that continues the revolution against Spain during those
days, it gave today’s people a chance to see the philosophical values of heroism, nationalism,
trust, bravery and godly aspirations for the sake of one’s country, despite different time frames in
the history (as mentioned by German during the interview). Another philosophical attribute that
can be seen and manifested in present times in relation with the hero’s principle in religion as a
strong “mechanism” to do such political and social activities to meet a certain goal is when the
today’s Iglesia Ni Cristo members use the concept of “bloc voting” (all members vote for a
particular candidate chosen by their church leaders) during elections (Robert, 2011). By means
of that, many political candidates use the aspect of religion (by virtue these religious followers)
to unleash their political and social aims if they won the elections, as Sison (2016) added in the
interview:
“’Yung relihyon, malakas makaimpluwensiya sa lipunan natin.”
“Religion can be a strong influence in our society.”
The given outcomes above agree with another related literature of this study,
“Pasyon and Revolution: Popular Movements in the Philippines, 1840-1910” of Ileto (1979). It
specified that some Filipino heroes used amulets as protections to harm and established their own
religion connected with the ideas of nationalism to unleash a revolution like what Roque had
involved during the peak of his religious experiences.

Became a successful revolutionary leader. His role of being a revolutionary leader
started when he joined Masonry and Katipunan in Manila as Maricel Roque reported during the
interview:
“Nang maging opisyal na Katipunero si Lolo Sebio, binigyan siya ni Andres Bonifacio ng pistol
(baril) at anting-anting na hugis triangle at may mata sa gitna. Tapos, nakakalap siya ng
maraming kasapi, noon kasi kapag nagkaroon ka ng 1,000 kasapi, heneral ka na.”
“When Lolo Sebio became an official member of Katipunan, Andres Bonifacio gave him a pistol
and triangular amulet with an eye inscription at the center. Then, he urged many followers.
During that time, if you have 1,000 members, you can already consider yourself as a “general.”
Her statements, backed-up by the work of German and Gutierrez (1998), revealed that
Roque joined secret societies (Masonry and Katipunan) in Manila with his fellowmen Gregorio
Agustin (also known as Goring or Makalinga) and Felipe Estrella through its initiation rites. He
became a great follower of Katipunan and became willing to fight against the Spaniards as
revolutionary man hence, he together with his comrades always traveled to Manila to attend
general meetings with the Supremo (Andres Bonifacio). Still pursuant to the mentioned work,
one of his greatest highlights of being a Katipunero was when they participated the tearing of
cedulas during the“Cry of Balintawak” on August 23, 1896 and where the Supremo introduced
their two kababayans; General Isidoro Torres of Malolos and General Anacleto Enriquez of
Bulakan who were the leaders of Katipunan in different parts of Paombong under“Balangay
Apuy.”

As cited by Veneracion (2007), Roque was authorized to establish a Katipunan chapter,
“Balangay Dimasalang” (means chapter that can’t be touched and it was based on Rizal’s pen
name in Masonry) in a part of the large Hacienda Santa Maria de Pandi (consists of Angat,
Balagtas, Bustos and Santa Maria) that served as a pasture field which was also a part of
Dominican estate, Lolomboy-Quinusa near Pandi called “Kakarong de Sili.”In the memoirs of
General Alvarez (translated work of Malay, 1992), he mentioned that the campsite of Roque has
long ridges and flat-top hill in the center about two kilometers across the Angat River that was in
the north of Bocaue and Meycauayan, west of Sta. Maria, east of Quingua (Plaridel) and Bustos
and south of Angat.
Although, before they chose and settled in the place, they held a huge meeting on the
house of one their members, Alfonso Castro (who hereafter will become the treasurer) and they
agreed that their camp will be on the mentioned place in Kakarong de Sili as their co-member
Barsilino “Lino” Rivera suggested it, (Tecson, 2011). When asked about the historical
background of the place, Fuentes (2016) claimed in the interview. saying:
“Ayon kasi sa alamat, pinangalanan ‘yan ng mga Kastila bilang “Kakarong” dahil nang
dumating sila dito, mayroong isang ilog dito na malakas ang tunog. Tinanong ng mga Kastila
kung ano ang pangalan ng lugar, kaso inakala ng mga tigarito na ang tinutukoy ay ang
umuugong. Sinagot ngayon na “kumakarungkong!”
“According to a legend, it was named by the Spaniards as “Kakarong” because when they came
here, there was a river that flushed so wildly. Then, the Spaniards asked the name of the place.
But the people who answered misinterpreted it and surmised that the Spaniards were asking the
sound made by the river so they answered it “kumakarungkong!”

By that instance, confusion started when the Spaniards thought that the name of the place
was “Karungkungkong-karungkong” until it became “Karungkong” and eventually became
“Kakarong” she added.
When the researcher interviewed the Tourism Officer of Pandi, (Joy Sison) she revealed
that Roque’s group was like an organized community that can sustain their basic needs:
“Ang Katipunang itinatag ni Maestrong Sebio ay parang isang komunidad na may mga
pasilidad. May mga organisadong araw para sa pagsusugal, may mga lugar para sa pagluluto
ng pagkain, maliit na eskwelahan at may mga pabrika ng bala. As in para sila talagang isang
community dahil mayroong silang musical battalion, yung Musikong Bumbong na mula pa sa
Norzagaray.
“The Katipunan established by Maestrong Sebio was like a community with facilities. There
were organized days for gambling, there were places for preparing foods, small school and there
was an ammunition factory. It looks like a literal community because they had musical battalion,
the Musikong Bumbong from Norzagaray.”
Her claims were confirmed, as written by Kalaw (1974) that their camp in Kakarong de
Sili was like a miniature city despite of being a remote area, it was suitable for revolutionary
armies in the fact that it was very much hidden and surrounded by trintseras(defensive barracks)
made of bamboos. Their armed resistance who was managed by some the members like
Apolinario Estrella, Isidro Fabian, Gaudencio Reyes and Agapito Castro comprised of 12
Remington guns, six air rifles for shooting, three lantakas (improvised cannon made from thin
iron pipes),one Mohara (improvised blowguns),bolos, lances, harquebus(muzzle-loaded
firearms), few daggers, bows and arrows, swords and spears. Some of these weapons were stolen

from gun factories of Spaniards but some other guns were donated by Bonifacio, from Manila. In
the book, Kalaw also added that aside from being a revolutionary chapter, Roque’s group
became a “logia” (branch of Masonry) because majority of the person inside the camp were also
members of the said fraternity.
Being under the secret society, they also followed the national principle of the group as
well as its ethics under the regulations (rules and regulations) of the Katipunan and guided by its
core fundamentals under a preamble written by Ireneo Rodriguez called as “Maestro Cartilla”
just as German and Gutierrez (1998) documented. Roque imposed his own version of
punishment to those who failed to adhere the orders of their regulation in keeping with Fuentes
(2016):
“Kapag mayroong nagkakasala sa pangkat nila, mayroong parusang tinatawag na “Sampal
Kampilan.” ‘Yun yung pagsampal sa mukha ng isang miyembrong nagkasala o hindi sumunod
dun sa mga kautusan nila.”
“If a person disobeyed the rules of their group, there was a punishment called “Sampal
Kampilan.” The leaders usually slapped the accused on his face in accordance to their rules.”
The established camp in Kakarong de Sili was considered as a large scheme of Katipunan
during the revolution, in the fact that it is one of the three major attacking forces who led serious
intrusions in Luzon namely, the attack of Katipunan at the Spaniards’ powder magazine in San
Juan on August 30, 1896, the attack from the southern Luzon led by General Emilio Aguinaldo.
Roque led the third attack with his cohorts; Pacheco brothers in Caloocan and Tondo. But when
the newly arrived Governor General, Camilio Polavieja was threatened because of the
consecutive outbreaks, thereby, he ordered to attack Bulacan. They faced difficulty in attacking

the province because of the defensive positions of Roque’s men in Meycauayan and Binakod,
Masukol in Paombong. Then, they successfully prevented the Spanish forces to attack through
guarding the Parola (lighthouse) in Tondo, Manila. After the incident, 170 to 250 Spanish native
troops joined their group and gave some weapons like the modern gun Krag-Jorgensen
(Almario, 2002).
General Santiago Alvarez remembered the participation of Kakarong de Sili in the first
phase of the revolution on his memoirs when he mentioned:
“As soon as the news of the outbreak of the revolution reached Nueva Ecija and Bulacan,
patriots of those provinces began to mobilize men to join the uprising. Mobilization began on the
first day of September 1896. In Nueva Ecija, among the leaders were Mariano Llanera, Eduardo
Llanera, Mamerto Natividad and Manuel Tinio. While in Bulacan, they were Isidoro Torres,
Felipe Estrella, Melencio Carlos, Simon Tecson, Bustamante, Dr. Maximo Viola and Eusebio
Roque alias Dimabunggo, otherwise known as “Maestrong Sebio.” (Malay, 1992)
The above text proved that Roque participated the Philippine revolution of 1896 as involvement
with the revolutionary forces in Central Luzon.
In addition to General Alvarez’s accounts, Veneracion (2007) noted that the major
balangays of Katipunan in Bulacan namely Pinagrealan in Norzagaray, Biak na Bato in San
Miguel de Mayumo including the Kakarong de Sili were hailed by the Katipuneros as “reals,” a
term which refers to a well-established branches of Katipunan in the province in order for them
to recognize the strength of those groups of revolutionaries in Bulacan.
Founded the “First” Philippine Republic. Conforming to Sison and German during the
interview, they surmised that indeed, the Kakarong Republic was the first Philippine Republic:

“Yung sa kanila talaga ang una nating republika, hindi lamang sa Bulacan kundi sa buong
bansa. Nagkaroon din sila ng ratification at organized yung composition ng officers nila. At
obviously, una pa sila sa Biak na Bato Republic at Malolos Republic.” (Sison, 2016)
“Theirs was our first republic, not only in Bulacan but also for the entire country. They had the
ratification and organized composition of officers. And obviously, they were ahead from Biak na
Bato Republic and Malolos Republic.”
“Kaya ang pamagat ng ginawa kong komiks eh, “Mala-Republika ng Real de Kakarong”dahil
organize na organize sila palibhasa nga at may pinag-aralan si Sebio. At talagang si Sebio ay
matapang,” (German, 2016).
“Thus, I entitled my comics as “Mala-Republika ng Real de Kakarong” (Republic-like Real of
Kakarong) because they were really organized, obviously, since Sebio was educated.he was
really brave.”
As a verification of their testimonies, Tecson (2011) stated on his book “Remembering
my lolo Simon Ocampo Tecson, Leader in the Siege of Baler” that Roque and his military staff
raised their fortification, Real de Kakarong to a “republic” because of its huge composition with
regards to civilian-military population and had self-govern entities which are characteristics of a
republic through a formal gathering. The convention on December 4, 1896 was delegated by
high officials of Katipunan from different parts of Bulacan like Colonel Simon Tecson from San
Miguel de Mayumo who formally led the ratification together with his townmates Melencio
Carlos, Maximo Viola and a person who has a surname of Bustamante. By means of this,
Tecson’s book proves that the republic in Kakarong was ahead from Biak na Bato Republic in
1897 and Malolos Republic in 1899.

In addition, based on the memoirs of General Ricarte, included also in the works of
Malay (1992), these delegates from San Miguel de Mayumo avoided to combat their Filipino
town mates led by Simon Tecson’s brother Pablo who were serving as Guardia civiles under the
Spanish flag, instead they addressed the demand of Roque to help the Kakarong de Sili in terms
of military forces.
The elected officers after the ratification of Republic of Kakarong de Sili, were Canuto
Villanueva of Taal, Bocaue (Supreme/Captain General), Eusebio Roque (Brigadier General),
Gregorio Agustin (Second General), Casimiro Galvez of Bigaa (Lieutenant/ Second-in-command
General), Barsilino Rivera (Secretary/ Judge Promoter), Alfonso Castro (Treasurer/Lieutenant
Colonel), Ignacio Lazaro and Anselmo Reyes (Captains), Manuel Salvador and Alejo Fuentes
(Lieutenants), Tomas Fabian (Sergeant), Julian dela Cruz and Alfonso Castro (Communicators in
Cavite), Herminigildo Laderas (Communicator in towns), Narciso Mendoza and Alvaro Salvador
(blacksmiths), Giron Rivera (food supplier), Apolinario Estrella, Isidro Fabian, Gaudencio
Reyes, Agapito Castro, Totong and Lorenzo Galvez and Ignacio Estrella (lower generals), as
Tecson (2011) enumerated.
Became a military general. Because of the worsening tension in Central Luzon,
Governor General Camilo Polavieja issued a decree dated December 23, 1896 that mandates a
“reconcentration” in Bulacan and other provinces in Luzon. The decree also specifically
authorized Spanish forces to attack the revolutionaries in Kakarong de Sili. One of the late days
of December 1896, a small number Cazadores (Spanish hunter soldiers) was sent in Roque’s
camp to perish the Katipuneros but they were ready for any attack through the military tactics of
its leader (Roque). Then, the Spaniards did not accomplish their task, yet, they were not familiar
with the topographical feature of the camp. But it became a blessing in disguise for the Spaniards

because they accustom the strategic place so they planned to have another more organized attack
to end the republic as General Alvarez reported (Malay, 1992).
The Filipino commander of the Spanish Militia Volunteers Jose Sta. Maria penetrated
Roque’s camp with three spies surnamed Santos, Robles and Dumas who were native
Katipuneros inside the camp but had resentment to Roque when they had not been given any
position in their chapter (Tecson, 2011).
Just as Delmas (1979) reported that the spies announced a false alarm that there was an
assault attack in San Rafael that was why a number of Katipuneros in Kakarong de Sili were
obliged to help the San Rafaelenyos and the number of people in Roque’s camp decreased. From
San Fernando, Pampanga, the Lieutenant Colonel of State Army, Major Jose Olaguer Feliu y
Ramirez was ordered by Commandant Sta. Maria to take charge of the Katipuneros in the camp
on the dawn of new year’s day of 1897.While the Katipuneros’ attentions were at the turbulence,
another group of 600 armed Cazadores marching in six columns led by Commandant Feliu
surrounded the Roque’s camp in four different directions from Santa Maria (via Bigaa), San
Rafael (via Quingua), Bustos and Angat. At six o’ clock in the morning, the people in Kakarong
de Sili were awakened by the screams and shriek of people outside the camp and they were
attacked by massive and continuous cannon and gunshots of the Spaniards.
Throughout the interview, when being asked about the battle experienced by Roque in
Kakarong de Sili, the respondents replied:
“Si Lolo Sebio mismo ang namuno sa labanan kasama ‘yung mga heneral niya sa kampo. Kaso
ang kwento, mga alas dos ng hapon, naubusan sila ng bala at halos 1,200-3,000 na ang patay

‘non kasama na ‘yung tauhan niyang Villanueva (Supreme Chief) at ‘yung panday nila na si
Alvaro Salvador” (Roque, 2016)
“Lolo Sebio led the battle with his generals in their campsite. But at 2 o’ clock in the afternoon,
they lost their ammunitions and almost 1,200 to 3,000 died including Supreme Chief Villanueva
and their blacksmith, Alvaro Salvador.”
“Si Sebio ang nanguna sa labanan. Magiting talaga siya dahil kahit unexpected ang pagsalakay,
‘di siya natakot.”(Sison, 2016)
“Sebio led the battle. He was great despite the attack was unexpected, he was not frightened.”
Their stated data were verified by Joaquin (2005) as he pondered that as a military
general in Kakarong de Sili, Roque led the Filipino troops to defend their camp despite they were
out-numbered on that night and the attacked was unexpected, thus 1,200-3,000 Katipuneros
perished.
Although, the ammunition loss of the revolutionist led to the decision to escape in
different areas as Generals Totong and Lorenzo Galvez and Ignacio Estrella managed their
transfer to a secret cave in Minuyan, Norzagaray while other officials and the rest of their men
were captured. Eufemio Sanchez and Pantaleon Legaspi organized their living inside the cave to
protect their fellow remnants. After the gunfire, Spanish forces burned all the houses established
within the camp (German & Gutierrez, 1998).
Conforming to memoirs of Colonel Estrella (included in the book of Malay in 1992, after
the battle, he saw scattered weapons and some beheaded bodies of Katipuneros. Commandant
Feliu captured seven guns and a large number of rifles despite of the fact that 28 were killed and

75 Cazadores were injured including a wounded Spanish official. The perished revolutionaries
were buried on the same place in Kakarong de Sili a few days after the battle and Spaniards left
the place. The mentioned battle was thought as one of the bloodiest battle in Bulacan during the
time of revolution because of the number of casualties.
After the incident, Commandant Feliu was granted annual pension of 500 pesetas
(Spanish currency during those days) and an award of Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand by the
Spanish government according to the newspaper from Spain, Diario Oficial de Ministerio de la
Guerra (1898 issue).
The victory of Spaniards in the battle of Kakarong de Sili ended the hopes of the republic
to obtain freedom. Spaniards sent revolutionists’ captured weapons and a Katipunan flag with
initials I.M.P. to Manila after the battle. The battle happened in Kakarong de Sili was reported in
an English newspaper in Shanghai, China that stated:
“In the operation directed yesterday by the Captain-General against the rebel stronghold
at Kakarong and Bigaa, in the province of Bulacan, the government forces captured six fortified
positions, seven cannons, a cartridge factory and a large number of fire and other arms. There
are 1,100 dead, amongst them most of the native soldier deserters. The loses to the government
forces were more than 20 killed and 70 wounded” (Tecson, 2011, p.50)
Gave Gregorio Del Pilar’s “Baptism of Fire.”The young boy from Bulakan named
Gregorio Del Pilar with his comrades from Pitpitan, Bulakan namely Julian (his brother), Juan
Soccoro. Consequently, Isidro Wenceslao, Felix de Jesus, Jose Manahan and Juan Katindig
joined the Katipunan in Kakarong de Sili, (German &Gutierrez, 1998).

Del Pilar’s initiative traced through his love for his town mate, Anacleto Enriquez and he
wanted to revenge his death, as German told during the interview:
“Ang masasabing pinakamatagumpay sa mga Kastila ay ‘yung naging labanan sa San Rafael
dahil ‘yung isa sa mga matalik na kaibigan ni Gregorio Del Pilar, isa sa mga Enriquez, si
Anacleto, napatay yun sa San Rafael eh, sa loob ng simbahan. Kaya si Del Pilar, ipinaghiganti
niya ang pagkamatay ‘nun.”
“The most victorious for the Spaniards was the battle in San Rafael because one of the closest
friends of Gregorio Del Pilar, one of the Enriquez, named Anacleto died inside the San Rafael’s
church. Accordingly, Del Pilar wanted to avenge his death.”
In consonance with the book “An Acceptable holocaust: Life and Death of a Boy-
General” of Kalaw (1974), Del Pilar’s greatest experience under Roque was when he faced the
Spaniards in the battle of Kakarong de Sili where he considered it as his “Baptism of Fire,” in
fact that it was his first time to fight against a huge battalion of Spaniards. The book also
pondered that being a follower, Del Pilar’s skills in military tactics was honed by Roque that led
him to be the Lieutenant and eventually Captain of the group.
During the battle, Del Pilar was wounded and escaped to nearby Barangay Manatal along
with his brother Julian and his comrades Isidro Wenceslao and Felix de Jesus. Del Pilar reported
in his diary:
“As for me, I need not say how I fought. Those who saw me in peril can tell. A Mauser
bullet grazed my forehead. Thank God I was spared in that danger. Finally I had to leave the fort
because, when I looked for our valiant brothers, none was any longer at his post. This should not
cause shame. Self-preservation is a law of God. I passed the night in the barrio of Manatal.”

The above text was from the book “A Question to Heroes” of Joaquin (2005 p. 191) that shows
how Del Pilar experienced the battle and what happened on him after the scenario.
After the incident in Kakarong de Sili, when he heard the news that Roque was sold by
his own soldiers to the Spaniards and executed, he just said on his diary, “Our conscience could
not permit us to remain any longer in that place, among those so-called brothers.” Though his
experiences gained under the military teachings of Roque, he became a well experienced army
despite of his young age and it allows Philippine history to experience the heroism of a young
man that in 1899, hailed as a “Boy General” under the government of Emilio Aguinaldo
(Joaquin, 2005).
Governor General Polavieja mentioned; “En Cavite esta el escandalo, y el peligro en
Bulacan.” Spaniards werw threatened when Bulakenyos started to involve in the revolution
especially Roque who led the Balangay Dimasalang as Sison and German said in the interview:
“Mayroong sinabi ang mga Kastila na nasa Bulacan ang panganib dahil sa rebolusyon kumpara
sa mga iba pang lalawigan, (En Cavite esta el escandalo, y el peligro en Bulacan),” (Sison,
2016)
“Spaniards uttered that the danger of revolution was in Bulacan compared to other provinces
(The disorder is in Cavite but the danger is in Bulacan).”
“Naging malakas ang pangkat ng Kakarong, nagbigay takot ‘yan sa mga Kastila. Kaya
nasambit ng Gobernador Heneral, “En Cavite….” (German, 2016)
“The group in Kakarong became strong. Thereupon, it threatened the Spaniards so the Governor
General mentioned,” the disorder in Cavite…..”

The words of the interviewees agreed on the claims of Veneracion (2007), that when the
Governor General Camilo Polavieja heard the happenings in Bulacan particularly in Kakarong
de Sili, he made an authoritative pronouncement that says “En Cavite esta el escandalo y el
peligro en Bulacan”(The disorder is in Cavite but the danger is in Bulacan).Through the
situation that happened in Bulacan, he compared revolutionary intensity to Cavite because he
also heard the news that in Cavite, the revolutionaries started to build defensive barracks around
the province to occupy some Spanish settlements that led to Spanish forces to retreat.
Liongson’s book (1999) indicated the bigger concern of the Spaniards during that time
where the province of Bulacan became dangerous and they classified it not only as a local but a
national concern after the turmoil happened in Kakarong de Sili. Pursuant also with the
mentioned book, some Bulakenyos joined Andres Bonifacio’s forces in Manila that strengthen
its defensive force in the city that was why Governor General Polavieja also mentioned that the
Kakarong de Sili and the reals in Bulacan became strong because it was located in large fields in
Central Luzon that was protected by the forests of Candaba in west and Sierra Madre mountain
range in East. He surmised that Bulacan could be a threat and hindrance to sustain their
colonization, in the fact that it was very near in Manila. Concerning the action of Governor
General Polavieja, it tells that the battle happened in Pandi (particularly in Kakarong de Sili) was
one of the spark plug that led some to strengthen their defense, hence, he decided first to destroy
the revolutionaries in Bulacan rather than in Cavite.
Considered as a Filipino hero. When Roque’s mind returned to consciousness, he
visited his girlfriend Loring at her house in Bonga Mayor, Bustos. He promised Loring that he
would visit her every other day and they will marry after the revolution (German & Gutierrez,
1998).

German touted at the time of the interview the reason why Roque’s heroism was ended:
“Pagtataksil, ‘yan ang tumapos sa kabayanihan niya. Bayani siyang maituturing.” (German,
2016)
“Betrayal ended his heroism. He was a hero.”
His passage was verified by the researcher through the compiled reports of Spanish war
correspondent Emilio Reverter Delmas from El Diario de la Guerra, on January 14, 1897. The
report indicated that one time, Roque was in Loring’s house to visit. His co-member in
Katipunan code named “Kamagong” and another man who was rumored a neighbor of Loring in
Bustos named “Rimas” came along with Cazadores led by Captain Don Francisco Boluda who
did not waste any time to tied up his nape in a carabao’s harness and his neck was bound by a
rope which was connected to a horse. Loring screand when she saw his love with tied arms and
dragged by a horse from Bustos to Matungao, Bulakan, Bulacan where he was imprisoned in
Carcel Provincial (Provincial jail).
The capture of Roque was reported in a German newspaper, Weser Zeitung that issued
an edition in January 1897 which indicated the person behind the incident that happened in
Bulacan was captured after he deserted by his friend (Salazar and Yulo, 1997).
In the prison cell, he was tortured until his eyes became blurred and his clothes and
amulets were removed from his body. On Roque’s trial, Spaniards accused him and his group
with exaggerated allegations like theft, rape and also resistance to Spanish government as
German and Gutierrez (1998) indicated.

At the trial, he was interrogated by a Spanish officer and told him, “Are you the rebel
chief, Maestrong Sebio who is posing as king of this province of Bulacan?” He sternly answered
it, “Yes, I am Maestrong Sebio, but I am not king of the Tagalogs in Bulacan. I am one of the
leaders of the Sons of the People who have committed themselves to defend the justice and to
uphold our rights and our way of life.”But at the latter part of the trial, he said that “the
insurrection was over because of a betrayal, a betrayal of my close friend who became a friend
of Spain.”After the trial, Roque was sentenced to be executed by means of firing squad (Malay,
1992).
On January 16, 1897, before he left the jail, he was offered by one of the Guardia civiles
to confess but he did not accept it because he stood up on his own belief that he just only fought
for the freedom of Filipinos. On that day, he was brought to the plaza, wearing his clothes
without any amulet on his body and at exactly five o’ clock in the afternoon, he was fired to his
death. After the execution, Spaniards told that even Roque died as a Catholic, he died thinking
what on Earth he was, without a reminder to the world that death was due to the opening of his
eyes. Meanwhile, up to the last moment, even Loring was there in the execution site,she did not
see any presence of her love even his corpse (German & Gutierrez, 1998)
To commemorate the historic battle, the members of Kakarong Masonic Lodge No. 168
of the “Legionarios del Trabajo” who were the veterans of 1896 revolution led the erection of a
shrine in memory of 1,200-3,000 Filipinos who died at the exact site of the battle, which is now
part of barangay Real de Cacarong in Pandi, named after his Katipunan chapter. The shrine was
erected in 1928 with a monument of Inang Filipinas which is surrounded by marble plaques
installed by lodges of the Masons from various chapters of Bulacan (Tecson, 2011). German

added during the interview that, that was exact place where the dead bodies of revolutionaries
were buried (a large pit ground of soil) can be found on the right side of the monument.
The same book of Tecson mentioned that there is a plaque that was put up by “Logia
Kakarong of the Legionarios Del Trabajo” of San Miguel de Mayumo who were relatives of
Colonel Simon Tecson’s troop that belonged to the army of Roque who died in the battle. There
is also a stone sculpture made by Apolinario Bulaong that depicts the bloody happening during
1897 where the figure of Roque showed dread to direct his men to fire with their cannons while
riding in a horse.
On the other hand, Fuentes (2016) mentioned throughout the interview that the location
of the battle of Kakarong de Sili was commemorated:
“Noong mga 1950’s, bumisita sa Inang Filipina Shrine si Emilio Aguinaldo. Dinalaw niya ‘yung
pinagganapan ng labanan sa Kakarong para bigyang pugay na rin ‘yung mga taong namatay
‘dun. Pero nagkaroon din ng marker ‘dun.”
“In 1950’s, Emilio Aguinaldo visited the Inang Filipina Shrine. He observed the place where the
battle of Kakarong took place and also to give respect for those who died in the battle, but there
was a marker in the site.”
Complying with her said commemoration, in consonance with the Official Gazatte of the
Republic of the Philippines, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines placed a
historical marker on the shrine on April 1968 as part of the 22nd founding anniversary of Pandi
and as a commemoration for the historic event that took place on the site and was then
considered as one of the recognized historical places in the country.

In line with Roque (2016), she claimed that:
“Si Lolo Sebio, bayani! Malaki ang ambag niya. Kahit papano may pagkilala naman siya dito sa
Bocaue.” (Roque, 2016)
“Lolo Sebio is a hero! He had great contributions. Besides, he had recognitions here in Bocaue.”
Her statement regarding the commemoration of his ancestor was verified as one of the
commemorations that was given to Roque as a local hero of Bulacan just as the Official Gazette
of the Republic of the Philippines mentioned was when the former President Benigno Aquino III
signed the Proclamation No. 942, s. 2015, declaring January 16 of every year as a special (non-
working) day in the municipality of Bocaue, Bulacan on January 8, 2015.
The findings of this part claimed that Roque was indeed a historical personality in
Bulacan. But the mentioned data are paralleled also with one of the books that was used by the
researcher as a related literature, the “Veneration Without Understanding” of Constantino
(1969). This literature considers that the person’s heroism is determined by his great and deep
commitment in life to accomplish a nationalistic goal like what Roque did not only for Bulacan
but also for the entire country. He became committed on his ideals as a revolutionary man,
thereupon, after a century, his contributions were considered as heroism.

CHAPTER V
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter presents the summary and conclusions based on the obtained, analyzed and
interpreted data presented in the previous chapter and the recommendations.
Summary of Findings
From the answers on the given question of the study, the major findings can be
summarized chronologically based on how the gathered data emerged into different codes and
clustered into themes to follow the nature of Oral history technique of data analysis.
Part 1: Eusebio Roque’s experiences before he became:
1.1 Religious man
Became interested in amulets. He was fond of hearing fantasy stories when he was a
child and became interested in the power of amulets and prayers because Apo Andres gave him
those religious materials to be kept in lifetime (German & Gutierrez, 1998).
Raisedby a priest. He acquired formal school in Bustos which was administered by a
priest that led him to become religious and always leaves the miserable situations to God as
stated by German (2016) in the interview.

Intrinsically motivated to rebel against the Spaniards. He witnessed and experienced
the maltreatment of Spaniards in his school and community. Then, one of the Katipunan
members in Manila urged him to join the group to fight for their freedom as Filipinos (German &
Gutierrez, 1998).
Influenced by his environment to join the revolution. Roque influenced by the content
of Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and his love for the country prevailed more when he
accidentally met Emilio Jacinto and urged him to join Katipunan according to the interview with
German (2016).
Part 2: Eusebio Roque’s experiences after he became:
2.1 Religious man
Became a religious leader. Being a religious Katipunan member, he used the concept of
religion through conducting a religious ceremony to urge people to join the secret society that
will make those people invulnerable to bullets and harms. He attained his religious works when
he used his own version of religion as springboard for his revolutionary aims as a Katipunan
leader in Bulacan, considering him as a messiah leader (Malay, 1992).
Influenced the religious “Real de Binakod” in Paombong. The survivors of Battle of
Kakarong de Sili transferred to Binakod, Paombong and established another religious real to
have a new bracket that will strengthen the military defense of Bulacan as they had been inspired
by Roque’s principle of establishing real in Kakarong de Sili especially its religious virtues
(Almario, 2002).

Guided the launching of “religious Guerilla warfare in Paombong.” Del Pilar and his
comrades attacked the Spanish detachment in Paombong a few months after the Battle of
Kakarong de Sili to apply his knowledge that he earned through guerilla warfare with the guide
of their amulets, prayers and beliefs inspired with Roque’s teachings (Almario, 2002)
Relatedto present times. The concept of his Katipunan is related in today’s religious
activists groups because of their legitimate and outgrowth frustration of such political action with
their charismatic leaders. Modern-day cults also congruent to their group in the fact that they are
both cult that acknowledge the concept of “fanaticism” and traditional folk beliefs. Muslims’
concept of “religion-to-conquer” became its relation to Roque’s aim that used the religious
perspectives to unleash their ideals and goals in a certain place. His works were also considered
as instruments to teach the philosophical values of heroism, nationalism, trust, faith in God etc.
(German, 2016).
Became a successful revolutionary leader. He became a good follower of Katipunan in
Manila and eventually established his own chapter in Kakarong de Sili in Bulacan (German &
Gutierrez, 1998). Thereafter he attained his revolutionary goal when he strengthen his
revolutionary force that led some attacks to Spanish camps in different places in Bulacan and
touted as a dangerous fortification of Katipunan in Luzon as mentioned during the interview with
Roque (2016).
Founded the “First” Philippine Republic. Roque and his military staff raised their
fortification, Real de Kakarong to a “republic” because of its huge composition with regards to
civilian and military population which was a characteristic of a republic through a formal

The Life of Eusebio Roque as a Religious and Revolutionary Man (2016)

The Life of Eusebio Roque as a Religious and Revolutionary Man (2016)

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