PRINCIPALES OF TACLOBAN TO AGUINALDO, APRIL 6, 1899
Exhibit 1371.
[Original in Spanish. D.S. P.I.R., 879.6.]
TAKLOBAN, April 6th, 1899.
To the Honorable the President:
We the undersigned, the principal citizens and persons of rank of
the town of Takloban, Province of Leyte, beg leave to state to your
Excellency the following:
On the first of January last Brigadier General Vicente Lukban
arrived in this port accompanied by Seņor Francisco Enage de Jesus
and other gentlemen; and on the same afternoon Seņor Enage was appointed
temporary Provincial Chief (undoubtedly at his own request),
while Seņor Emeterio Enage was appointed Local Chief. This was done
without the approval of the people of the locality, in fact without even
consulting them, notwithstanding that they were represented on this
occasion by the principal citizens of the community, which latter, however,
were so completely surprised by this step that they were not able
to make protest, for Article 2 of the instructions issued from your
Headquarters on the 18th of last July relative to this matter was not
complied with. We thought it better to await the day of formal elections
and then we would be consulted. But, your Excellency, the day
arrived and nothing was done. The Enages, or one of them at the
instance of the other, called only their friends and comrades on the previous
night, instructing them how to vote, and these instructions were
carried out on the day set for the election, we, however, not having been
called. In this manner Emeterio Enage, a man whom the people dislike
on account of his bad character as shown by him during the four years
I served as Gobernadorcillo under the Spanish Government was elected
Local Chief. In all this time he did nothing for the people. He did,
however, claim for himself the benefits of the "Prestacion Personal" service,
out of which he built for himself a house, or rather a palace, entirely
neglecting the public works of the Province which had to be kept
up by utilizing the prisoners from the provincial jail. This exactly
suits the plans of Seņor Francisco Enage de Jesus, who, himself, is now
trying by every means in his power to become Provincial Governor or
Chief, and he has made his intention known to the newly made Local
Chiefs of this Province. General Lukban defended him with tooth and
nail, notwithstanding the protest we presented to him. This, however,
is natural as the Enages are his friends, and he has been staying in
Emeterio's house. Not only did the General pay no need to our protest,
but he even threatened us through his secretarY Esteban Aparri, saying
he would shoot us for making the complaint. We are wounded in our
dignity and delicacy at being excluded from the council of headmen and
persons of rank as provided for in Article 2 of the Decree of the 18th
of last June, and for the further reason that General Lukban has been
manifestly partial in the cases of the Enages and Esteban Aparri.
This, Honorable Sir, is not the only election in which favoritism
and injustice have been showing; the same has also occurred in other
towns through the machinations of the ever notorious Francisco Enage,
now candidate for Governor. He and General Lukban are inseparable,
and their sole occupation is in organizing factions and working up
favoritism, though they are constantly teaching the contrary. The Local
Chiefs recently elected, or, better still, appointed, without having
been sworn in or approved as provided in the 7th Article of the government
regulations on the subject, have discharged their offices and
continue to do so up to the present time, vying with one another to see,
as the saying is, who can make most hay while the sun shines.
The elections, Honorable Sr. President, have, with the exception of
one, been presided over by General Lukban or by persons commissioned
by him; and he didn't even notice the Politico-Military Governor appointed
by you, namely, Seņor Ambrosio Moxica who is now here in
the Province, and to whom undoubtedly belongs the right to preside over
such meetings since war has not yet been declared in this Province, nor
has it been formally menaced by the enemy. Only under these
circumstances could Article 8 of said Decree be applied.
In view of the grounds set forth, and with a view to avoiding
disturbances and factions throughout the various towns, and to having
all move on united towards progress, we humbly implore of Your Excellency
in that justice and philantrophy which so characterize you
that you declare said elections null, especially that of the town of
Takloban; and that you further order that new elections be held in the
same, and only by the Politico-Military Governor Sr. Moxica, or by some
other person designated by your Excellency, to the exclusion of Seņores
Lukban, Enages and Aparri and their followers; and that all the inhibitants
be cited to appear in accordance with Article 2 of the Decree previously
invoked. It is not true that this town does not want independence, as
the persons above mentioned have stated, and it would be absurd to
believe it. They say this only for the purpose of carrying out their
malevolent intentions.
And to this end we beg and pray you that our request as set forth
above be granted, as we only ask that justice be done this Province.
May God guard you many years.
(Signed) Alejandro de los Reyes, and twenty-one other signatures.