COMMISSIONER OF CEBU TO AGUINALDO, FEBRUARY 19, 1899

Exhibit 1388.

[Original in Spanish. Incomplete document. P.I.R., 144.1.]

[FEBRUARY 19, 1899?]

Hon. President of the Philippine Republic, Sr. EMILIO AGUINALDO Y FAMY.

The undersigned, Commissioner of Cebu and honored by your authority with the appointment of assistant delegate to Sr. Julio Llorente, for the popular and provincial elections, with regret makes the following report.

Having arrived in this province the 8th of last month, I left on the 11th for the Northern pueblos of this Island to hold the elections for the offices ordered by the Superior Decree of June 18, last.

I began in that of Talamban, the pueblo adjoining this city, and what was my sorrow at seeing the little interest of its few inhabitants, because on account of fear of the mountain tribes, that is to say those of Sudlon mountain, now unfortunately called a city, people by whom they were attacked and afterwards maltreated, the majority had ahandoned their homes, seeking refuge in places where they believed themselves safe. I endeavored by means of proclamations and through persons who wou1d inspire the refugees with confidence, to urge them to return to their homes; because they would not be molested in any manner; this call was not in vain, as no sooner had they heard that there was a person who had recently come from Manila, authorized by the Government which you worthily direct, to guarantee them their lives and property, than they all hastened to me offering their unconditional allegiance.

The news spread like an electric spark, as in all the pueblos I visited later I found that almost all of the residents were in their homes, so that when the elections were held in the town hall, all the principal residents attended, requesting me to inform you that they were disposed to sacrifice even their dearest affections whenever necessary for our sacred cause; they only asked me to inform those who hold the reins of government at the present time in this province, that some steps must be taken to put a stop to the arbitrary acts which had been and still are being committed by the so-called Captains, Majors, Colonels, General and Captains General, who abusing in the most barefaced manner the positions they claimed to hold, were depriving them of their horses and their carabaos, or cattle. I promised them that I would do this, as I do now, by sending a communication at once to Sres. Flores and Maxilom, who are at the head of the provincial government, impressing upon them the fact that if they continue to grant ranks and titles to persons of this character, as they have done, it would end in the utter ruin of this wealthy province. I continued my trip, as I had no time to lose with the elections in the other pueblos, because the date for the meeting of all the local presidentes had been set for the 19th of the present month of February, I was fully convinced that the gentlemen whom I had informed of the complaints of the residents of the pueblos, would know how to remedy them; but unfortunately this was not the case, as will be seen below, but I do not want to be too precipitate.

In the pueblo of Daan-Bantayan I heard that on the Island opposite called Bantayan, there was a person calling himself expeditionary commander, with about 50 men under his orders, who forced the people to support them; this, in view of the poverty of said Island, was quite a heavy charge for the inhabitants, and in addition to being a charge, these individuals interfered in matters with which they had nothing to do, thereby giving rise to many quarrels, as the people were already tired of suffering them and any day there might be a conflict; I hastened as fast as possible fo reach said island, and on the 24th of January last I arrived there. The Islanders had hardly sighted the vessel upon which I was than they hastened to the beach to receive me; it would take too long to relate the enthusiasm of these people, but I must record herein the true and disinterested patriotism of those loyal inhabitants. Upon the conclusion of the elections, I endeavored to investigate as to whether the news I had received of the abuses committed by said expeditionary chief was true; they all told me that it was entirely true. I called said chief, and told him in round terms not to act in this manner, because if he were really working for our cause, he was doing very wrong in harassing the people; he then understood the grave fault of which he had been guilty and submitted unconditionally with all his men, which I now hold in my power not * * * [Unfinished.]