Carcar Tragedy: Leon Kilat's Fate in the Hands of Traitors

THE retreat of the katipuneros from San Nicolas and the city paved the way for the widespread arrests and executions of other civilians, whether or not they were involved in katipunan. Among those captured when the Spaniards retook the city were Alejandro Antioquia, Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, Prudencio Camara, Lucio Herrrera, Placido Datan, Jose Abelgas, Raymundo Jurado, Agapito Nadela, Andres Abellana who was recaptured after his release in Carcar, Januario C. Veloso, Carlos Castañares, Pedro Cui, Pascual Antonio, Epitacio Agustin, Cristino Lopez and Isidro Guibelondo (who was arrested in Talamban).

Church of CarcarAlso taken was Fr. Toribio Padilla, parish priest of the cathedral. He was placed undr house arrest at the Colegio-Seminario de San Carlos.



Later, these were released by the Spaniards. The lesser known civilians were summarily executed. The cousins Olimpio and Emilio Regis tried to use the "amnesty pass" offered by Gen. Montero, convinced that they would be granted clemency because they were not involved. Instead, the two were arrested and executed together with Candido Padilla.

Padilla, an ex-capitan of San Nicolas, could not save himself despite the petition of Fr. Jorge Romanillo, the parish priest of the town at this time. During the last hours of his life, he was however given the privilege of having his confession heard and allowed to visit the Santo Niño at the San Agustin church.



Another pro-Spanish Tagalog who served as a spy, Crispulo Valderrama, was also arrested and shot to death without trial. With him were Raymundo Jurado and Jose Abelgas from Carcar. The two were also executed.

So fierce and swift was the jeuz de cuchillo of Cebu's colonial masters that all adult males met by patrols in the streets were considered enemies who were to be shot if they did not know the password.
Betrayal

But of all the katipuneros who met their end, it was their leader Leon Kilat who died most tragically not only for the manner of his death but for the betrayal by one of his men in Carcar.

Even before the katipuneros' arrival in that southern town, Kabkab (Carcar) residents already learned of their defeat at the hands of the Spaniards, following the arrival of reinforcements from Manila.

They had mixed feelings about accepting Leon Kilat, afraid of retaliation from their Spanish masters.

Kabkab leaders, like kapitan Florencio Noel (Tan Insyong), Timoteo Barcenilla, kapitan Kadyo Jaen, kapitan Jacinto Velez, kapitan Simeon Paras, told Andres Abellana: "Tell Kilat to finish fighting in Naga, not in Kabkab."

To which Abellana retorted: "Sa wa pa mosibog si Don Leon nganhi, ang mga tawo gipahibawo una nga anhi padangpon sa Kabkab kay anhi tapusa ang away. Ug karon nga anhi na ang mga tawo, malisud na ang pagsulti kanila sa tagsa-tagsa nga ang away adto usab tapusa sa laing dapit."

(Before Leon retreated here, people were informed that they should proceed to Carcar because the fight will end here. Now that people are here, it is difficult to tell them that the fight will be somewhere else.)

In the story of Vicente Alcoseba who was with the group of Kilat at that time, the plan to kill the latter was actually hatched at the confessional in the church.

The coadjutor at the time, a Fr. Francisco Blanco who was teaching Latin at the Colegio-Seminario de San Carlos, would not meet kapitan Florencio Noel at the convent because it would be suspicious.

Alcoseba said it was Blanco who suggested to Noel that the only way Kabkab could avoid the retaliation of the Spaniards was to kill Kilat.

Little did Kilat suspect what would befall him that fateful Good Friday in 1898 in Carcar because when he arrived in the evening of Holy Thursday, he was accorded a courtesy due a visiting dignitary.

 First, he went to the house of kapitan Paras, then later transferred to the house of kapitan Tiyoy Barcenilla where he and his men were tendered goat's meat, chicken and pork. After supper, he was offered coffee and ginebra at the sala.

A house in Carcar where Kilat was said to be entertained prior to his deathWhile his men were telling stories of the uprising in Cebu, he asked kapitan Tiyoy if he could call a tailor who could make a "traje de rayadillo" which had become the katipunan's uniform. He wanted to change his clothes the next morning after he took a bath. Minutes later, a tailor named Segundo Alcordo came with his metrosan (a tailor's tape measure) to take his measurements.



Meantime, the plotters appeared ill at ease, said Alcoseba. Tiyoy Barcenilla could not stay put in his seat. Sometimes, he would confer with kapitan Kadyo at the back of the house and talk in whispers. Minutes later, he would shift to Kapitan Gundoy, as if something else was going on.

Then Apolinario Alcuitas, a recruit of the katipunan in Kabkab, shouted for everyone to hear: "Mga kaigsoonan, ipahibalo ko kaninyo nga karong gabhiona, may ihawon akong kabayo."

(Brothers, I would like to announce that tonight I am going to slaughter a horse.) At that time, Alcoseba could not understand the meaning of all these.



Since Leon Kilat was tired, it did not take long before sleep was in order. The room assigned to him was the one near the stairs of the five-bedroom house of Barcenilla. A son of the owner, Vicente, curious about Kilat's exploits, had a brief talk with the latter. He was the last person to talk to him alive.

For a while, Vicente and his uncle Mariano Alfafara talked for some minutes in the corridor outside the room occupied by Kilat. Very soon, they too, went to sleep in another room. Mariano was persuaded by Vicente to stay that night.



Vicente would wake up a few hours later when he heard loud noises coming from Kilat's room. He awakened Mariano and both went outside at once, only to be met by Florencio Noel coming up the stairs, carrying a huge crucifix and asking excitedly: "Naunsa na? Naunsa na?" (Has anything happened yet?)

Then Noel shouted: "Viva Espa¤a! Viva España!" Several others outside the house responded.

Vicente found the maid Kitay and both went inside Kilat's room from where loud noises came. There he saw to his shock the limp body of Kilat being pinned down by eight men, with some of them taking turns at stabbing it.

 The skull had been earlier smashed with with the butt of Kilat's own gun.

"Buhi pa ba?" Vicente heard Vinsyong Cui ask.

"Patay na intawon," answered Kitay. Vicente who was speechless leaned against the wall, in shock.



Then they took his body down the stairs till Cui told the other conspirators: "Ihunong. Ibutang una ninyo. Atong sulayan, ambi tuod dili ba dutlan." (Stop. Put it down. Let's see if he is invulnerable.) Each one took turns at stabbing the dead body and breaking some of his limbs. Then they carried Leon Kilat's body to the center of the town where it was displayed for all residents to see. It was 5:00 early Friday morning.

PIT SENYOR!!!

Pit senyor! mga bisdak sa tibouk Pilipinas!
Viva Senyor! Viva Sto. Nino !

LIFE’S FIVE GREAT UNFORGETTABLE LESSONS

1 - Most Important Lesson

During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop
quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the
questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the
woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman
several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would
I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.

Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would
count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your
careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve
your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'."

"I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was
Dorothy.

2 - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was standing on
the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm.
Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet,
she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to
help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man
took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxi
cab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and
thanked him.

Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise,
a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was
attached. It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway
the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my
spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to
my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you
for helping me and unselfishly serving others."
Sincerely,
Mrs. Nat King Cole.


3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year old boy
entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass
of water in front of him.

"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.

"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins
in it. "Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By
now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing
impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied."

The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice
cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on
the table and walked away.

The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the
waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table.
There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five
pennies
-
You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough
left to leave her a tip.


4 - Fourth Important Lesson - The Obstacle in Our Path

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid
himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some
of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply
walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads
clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the
boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone
to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally
succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he
noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse
contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the
gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The
peasant learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle
presents an opportunity to improve our condition.


5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to
know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious
disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion
from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same
disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.
The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the
little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I
saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and
saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed,
he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the
color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile
faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice,
"Will I start to die right away?" Being young, the little boy had
misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his
sister all of his blood in order to save her. You see, after all,
understanding and attitude, are everything.

Actual Sentences Found in Patient's Medical Charts writen by MD's

(Yikes!, Maka-uwaw. Got this from my Intern's page.)

1. Patient has chest pain if she lies
on her left side for over a year.

2. On the second day the knee was
better, and on the third day it
disappeared.

3. She has no rigors or shaking chills,
but her husband states she was very hot
in bed last night.

4. The patient is tearful and crying
constantly. She also appears to be
depressed.

5. The patient has been depressed since
she began seeing me in 1993.

6. Discharge Status : Alive but without
permission.

7. The patient refused autopsy.

8. The patient has no previous history
of suicides.

9. She is numb from her toes down.

10. While in ER, she was examined, X-
rated and sent home.

11. The skin was moist and dry.

12. Occasional, constant , infrequent
headaches.

12. Patient was alert and unresponsive.

14. Rectal examination revealed a
normal size thyroid.

15. She stated that she had been
constipated for most of her life, until
she got a divorce.

16. The lab test indicated abnormal
lover function.

17. The patient was to have a bowel
resection. However, he took a job as a
stockbroker instead.

18. Skin: somewhat pale but present.

19. Patient has two teenage children,
but no abnormalities.

Evolution of CT Scan?

1."Dok, saan po ba ang Siete Scan?"

2."Dok saan po ba ang magpapa-CT
Skull?"

3."Dok, saan po ba ang CT Scalp?"

4."Dok, saan po ang CT Scam?"