Daniel Mateo Fajardo, a Revolutionary in the Family

An account by my great-grandfather of the Battle of Zapote Bridge against the Spanish, and other events in Las Piñas, Cavite, and Manila at the start of the Philippine revolt against Spain.

The following is an account by my great-grandfather, Daniel Mateo Fajardo, of the events he witnessed or had been part of, immediately after the pivotal Cry of Pugad Lawin. The events recounted occurred when he had just turned 18. The manuscript was found by my cousin, Virnaliz Casimiro Fajardo, among documents and other items she found in our ancestral home in Las Piñas, Metro Manila. Her sister, Stephanie Fajardo Aldana, transcribed the original tagalog in a Facebook post, and I translated it into english.

None of the below was known to me before today, June 12, 2019, the 121st anniversary of Philippine Independence from Spain.

My name is Daniel Mateo Fajardo, born on the 21st of July 1878 in the town of Las Piñas in the province of Rizal, and currently residing at 125 San Francisco Street, also in the town of Las Piñas.

My parents are Domingo Quilatan Fajardo and Lorenza S. Mateo, also residing in Las Piñas.

In August of 1896, I and Professor Lazaro Concepcion traveled to the town of Tanza in the province of Cavite, to prepare the band for the upcoming town fiesta. Three days after the fiesta, Professor Concepcion traveled to Manila while I remained in Tanza, waiting for his return.

When news spread of Balintawak, an uprising was sparked by revolutionaries in Mabon, Cavite, soon followed by similar outbreaks in the towns of Salinas, Noveleta, Kawit, and Imus. The rebels, led by Captain Ariston Bautista and Captain Crispulo Aguinaldo, entered the convent of Imus and killed the vicar and other priests in charge of the hacienda in the town of Mabon.

Later, the revolutionaries proceeded to the town of Salinas, where they crossed the river using small boats to the towns of Tanza, Naic, Maragondon, and other towns in the area. There they attacked and captured the barracks of the Guardia Civil. They returned to Tanza with their prisoners (still in uniform) in tow, stopping at the spacious plot of land and residence owned by Captain Adriano Soriano. They prepared a feast to celebrate their victory and entered into a pact with the captured Guardia Civil to join their rebellion. This is also when I had first joined the revolutionaries.

Together, we all traveled to the town of Bacoor, arriving at a cockpit where we ate our lunch. After this, we proceeded to the Zapote Bridge, where a bloody battle broke out. The Spanish cavalry and infantry were on the Las Piñas side, while the revolutionaries were on the side of Bacoor and Pamplona. Constant battle ensued morning, noon, and night.

Because of my desire to see my mother and father, I asked permission from an officer for leave, who allowed me to secretly head home to Las Piñas.

Because of my father’s apprehension that I be caught by the Spanish soldiers, he presented me to the Justice of the Peace, a spanish mestizo named Apolinario Acosta, who in turn brought me to the Guardia Civil. I was questioned by a captain about what I had witnessed the past few weeks, and about myself. I was also stripped of all my clothes to check for any evidence that I was one of the revolutionaries.

The captain was satisfied with my responses and as punishment, I was told to report to the barracks every day. However, this did not continue for long, because after only seventeen days, the revolutionaries mounted a massive attack. The rebels divided themselves into three groups: one attacking through the coast, another attacking through the main road, and the third attacking through the woods. This attack surprised the infantry, cavalry, and the Guardia Civil, who had to retreat to Manila.

Meanwhile, the revolutionaries stopped at the convent in Las Piñas where they stayed until the afternoon. Later, they all proceeded to Pasay, and then to Sitio San Antonio Abad, Malate in Manila.

There I witnessed the relentless attacks at all hours from both sides. Although I have no knowledge of casualties, a large amount of fighters from both sides experienced injuries.

Meanwhile, also happening around that time, the consuls from various foreign nations, priests, and other citizens, were pleading for the revolutionaries to remain outside Manila to negotiate an armistice.

The negotiations did not prosper, and I asked that I be allowed to return to Las Piñas from time to time. On these visits home, I would often report to our commandant at the convent, now revolutionary barracks.

From then on, I had changed my path in life, once more longing to teach in the musical band, which has been my vocation and occupation until present day.

The original in tagalog as transcribed below:

Ako si Daniel M. Fajardo ay ipinanganak noong Julio 21, 1878 sa Las Pinas, Rizal, at sa kasalukuyan ay naninirahan sa 125 Daang San Francisco ng naturang bayan.

Ang aking mga magulang ay sina Domingo Q. Fajardo at Lorenza S. Mateo pawing mga taga Las Pinas din.

Noong Agosto 1896 ako at si Prof. Lazaro Concepcion ay naparoon sa Tanza Cavite, upang ihanda ang banda dahil sa darating na piesta doon. Noong mga tatlong araw matapos ang piesta, si Prof. Concepcion ay tumungo sa Maynila at ako naman ang naiwan, at ang usapan namin ay babalik siya. Ngunit hindi siya nakabalik dahil sa siklab ng Unang Sigaw sa Balintawak bilang pasimula ng paghihimagsik ng bayang Filipino laban sa pamahalaang Kastila.

Noong kumalat na ang balita tungkol sa Balintawak ay kumilos na ang gulo sa mga naghihimagsik sa Mabon Cavite, at lumaganap na ang gulo sa mga bayan ng Salinas, Noveleta, Kawit, at Imus. Pinasok ang kombento ng Imus at pinatay ang bikario at ang iba pang mga pare na namamahala ng hacienda sa nasabing bayan sa pamumuno ni Capitan Ariston Bautista at Capitan Crispulo Aguinaldo at iba pang mga katulong.

Pagkatapos nito nagtungo ang mga nanghihimagsik sa Salinas, at tumawid sa ilog sa pamamagitan ng mga balsa, tuloy sa kabayanan ng Tanza, Naic, Maragondon at iba pang bayan patungong kaitaasan at kanilang sinalakay ang lahat ng Kuartel ng Guardia civil. Bumalik na muli ng Tanza ang mga manghihimagsik na kasama ang mga bihag na guardia civil na pawang naka uniforme pa at tumigil sila sa malaking solar at bahay ni Capitan Adriano Soriano at ginawa dito ang malaking pagsasaya at kainan. Dito sila nagkaroon ng pacto o kasunduan at ang mga guardia civil ay nakisama na sa mga manghihimagsik, at dito na rin ako nagsimula ng pagsapi sa mga Revolucionario.

Samasama na kaming tumungo sa Bacoor at pagdating sa sabungan doon kami kumain ng tanghalian. Pagkatapos tumuloy kami sa tulay ng Zapote at dito nagkaroon ng madugong labanan. Ang pangkat ng kaballeria at infanteria ng mga kastila ay nasa gawing Las Pinas, at ang mga Revolucionario ay nasa gawing Bacoor at Pamplona. Dito laging nagkakaroon ng labanan, sa umaga, tanghali at gabi.

Dahil sa kagustuhan kong makita ang aking mga magulang, ay humingi ako ng pahintulot sa isang mataas na pinuno at dahil dito’y nakauwi ako ng lihim sa Las Pinas.

Sa Pangamba ng aking ama na ako’y hulihin pa, ay iniharap ako sa Juez de Paz na si Apolinario Acosta (isang mestisong kastila) at iniharap naman ako sa Cuartel ng guardia civil, at dito’y siniyasat ako ng isang Capitan. Tinanong ako sa mga bagay na nasaksihan ko at ng mga bagay tungkol sa aking pagkatao. Hinubaran ako ng damit sa buong katawan upang makakita ng mga palatandaan na makagpagpapatotoo na akoy kaanib nga sa mga Revolucionario.

Nasiyahan ang Capitan sa mga kasagutan ko at ang parusa sa akin ay magpresinta ako sa cuartel araw araw, ngunit hindi nangyari ang gayon sapagkat labing pitong araw lamang ang nakaraan ay gumawa na ng malaking pagsalakay ang mga Revolucionario, na hinati sa tatlong pangkat ang isa ay sa baybay dagat, ang pangalawa ay sa pangulong daan, at ang ika tatlo ay sa baybay bukid, at sa ganitong paraan ay nabigla ang infanteria, caballeria, at guardia civil at nagsiurong na sila sa Maynila.

Samantala naman ang mga Revolucionario ay tumigil sa kombento ng Las Pinas hanggang tanghali, at pagkatapos ay nagtungo ang lahat sa Pasay hanggang sa Sto. San Antonio Abad, Malate.

Dito ko nasaksihan ang pagsalakay ng magkabilang panig na walang piling oras ay nakapinsala ng malaki at dito’y marami ang nasugatan, bagama’t wala akong nalamang namatay.

Samantala ng panahong yan sa kahilingan ng mga ibang nacion na nasa Maynila, una una ang mga Konsul ng ibat ibang nacion, mga pare, at mga ibang mayayaman ay hiniling nila na huwag papasukin sa Maynila ang mga Revolucionario at pagusapan muna ang armistisya.

Hindi nananaog ang pasiya sa armistisya ay nagpaalam na ako upang makadalaw manakanaka sa aking bayan, at ako ay laging dumadalaw sa kombento ng kuartel ng mga Revolucionario, at ako ay nag rereport sa aming Komandante; magmula noon ay nagbago ako ng landasin sa buhay, aking hinarap na muli ang pagtuturo sa banda ng musika at dito ako nawili hanggang sa kasalukuyan.

Daniel Fajardo continued to teach music in his beloved town, played a prominent part in the town’s famed band, and became known as the father of Las Piñas music. He taught music at the Far eastern University, and became a Master Sergeant in the Philippine Constabulary band. A barangay, and a school in Las Piñas is named after him.

He had three sons that served the country in the armed forces with distinction;

Brig. General Tirso G. Fajardo, Philippine Army
Graduated from West Point on June 12, 1934, became battalion commander of the U.S. 8th Army under Gen. MacArthur in October 1944, awarded the Purple Heart, became the yooungest superintendent of the re-organized Philippine Military Academy in 1947, and became a Commanding General of the Philippine Army on June 12, 1958.

Lt. Col Esteban G. Fajardo, Philippine Army
Defender of Bataan and Death March Survivor

Col. Apolinar G. Fajardo, Philippine Army,
Defender of Bataan, and Death March survivor.