Timeline II - Balete During the American Pacification

Answering questions leads to more questions. That is a fact. A fact that only proves that man is a rational being. No other animate being on Earth is capable of that. A few creatures shows retention. But they are not historical being for historicity is not one of their endowed faculties. Only man is capable of retrospection and of getting in touch with his past. Aided by his tools, he can easily go back into yesterdays, at least for the time being, in virtuality. Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity though is a tease for him to attempt at going back into time in his existential form. Be that as it may, let us be content with delving into the Baleten-on's historic past, perhaps to get insights in approximating that better Balete than yesterdays.

Herewith then is my additional entry, a follow up to my initial timeline for those who want an airplane grasp of Balete's historic past. My other entries on local history are spread out in the pages of this blog indexed as "local history", "historicity", "characters", "Balete", "Aklan", culture/heritage", "Jal-o". You can find some of them also in my Scribd account as well as that of Balete Association International's Tripod account (although that was not updated).

1897 – Early in March, Candido Iban and Francisco del Castillo organized the Katipunan at Kuntang (now Ochando) with some 100 men coming from all over the Aklan Valley. New Washington celebrates it as the Pacto de Sangre (The Blood Compact). Later in the same month both leaders were executed together with some other compatriots. The rest had gone to the hills.

1898 – In August, the pueblo of Batang fell to the hands of local Katipuneros based in Makawili Hill, near Sitio Himbis, Barrio Lalab, barely a couple of months after Aguinaldo declared in Kawit, Cavite the Independence of the Philippines from the Spanish colonizers.

1898 – Late in 1898, Aguinaldo sent to Navas an expedition led by Gen. Diocno. They entered Batang in August of 1899 after pacifying Calivo and therewith established a revolutionary government.  

1899 – In September, the war against the American broke out.

1900 – Proclamation of Amnesty by the American colonial government and the organization of the Philippine Scouts with 8 companies assigned in Panay Island.

1900 – Late in October, the War Department of colonial government decided to put up a sustain military campaign in the three provinces of Panay Island. Captain Morton operated in the Aclan valley.

1901 – the Philippine Commission adopted the Municipal Code and Provincial Laws.

1901 – Balete was destroyed by the American forces composed 70 enlisted men on February 9. In the same day they had a skirmished with the Katipuneros along the way. In June, elements of the same forces went up the mountains capturing an insurgent in the process. Later, Gen. Diocno was wounded and captured at Makawili in March 17.

1903 – Census of Population. Balete had 5,529.

1903 - Gov. Gen. William H. Taft sent out his representative to reorganize the local governments throughout the country. In the province of Capiz, he commissioned Benito Luzzurriaga to reorganize the municipal government. When Luzzuriaga and his companion arrived in Dominguez (Lagatic), a barrio of Batan, they found the place suitable for the establishment of a good port.

1904 – the Americans fused Batang, Balete and Jimeno into one municipality with its seat of government at Lagatic.  But to make it more symbolic they renamed the place New Washington.

1904- The first Presidente Municipal of the newly created New Washington town was from Balete in the person of Mr. Juan Oquendo who was to serve for one year (1904-1905). Those who served after him were as follows:

Mr. Florencio Melecoton, 1906; (other texts either have Melocoto   or

      Melecoton)

                                    Mr. Ananias Mariano, 1907;

                                    Mr. Blas Feliciano, 1908-1909; (Baleten-on)

                                    Mr. Pedro Cortes[1], 1910-1916;

                                    Mr. Eulalio Feliciano, 1916-1919; (the last Baleten-on to be

                                            Elected as Presidente Municipal of New Washington)

                                    Mr. Rufino Sucgang, 1920-1922.

1917 - Executive Order No. 88 was signed by Gov. Gen. Francis Burton Harrison creating the Municipality of Altavas (formerly Jimeno) as the 32^nd Municipality of Capiz. The sponsor for the creation was a Baleten-on in the person of Sen. Jose Cortes Altavas.

1920 - Balete was reestablished as the 33^rd Municipality of Capiz. (all pertinent documents of that time points to 1920 although we do not have at our hand a copy of the Executive Order issued by the governor general. We also do not have a iota of idea who sponsored its separation from New Washington)  

As I have stated earlier, answers lead to more questions. For the time being, let us live with questions for they are the ones that are existentially real. Perhaps, in some distant future, we will be living with the answers.

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[1] The Research Committee of Altavas however recorded that Mr. Juan Oquendo was reelected in 1910. He was supposed to serve until 1916 as the term of office of local officials were made into five years.  He failed even to complete a year as he resigned for unknown reason. In Lieu, his vice-presidente, Mr. Pedro Cortes acted as the chief executive of New Washington until 1916.