Taking a Shot at
Self-Government
DURING THE INTERIM PERIOD OF
ELEVEN MONTHS, from the time the Spaniards left Davao on 15 January 1899 to the
time the American forces came on 14 December 1899, the Christian inhabitants of
Davao took a shot at self-governance. Soon after the departure of the last
Spanish Governor, the Davaoeños met and elected a government junta composed
of a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and three councilors. Don
Antonio Matute, a Spanish merchant, was elected president.
The Tercio Civil de Policia
(local police), equipped with some 70 rifles left behind by Governor Garcia for
protection against possible attacks by
the wild tribes and the Moros, was reduced to 25 men and led by
Bonifacio Quidato, an orderly person loved by the people.
For a while, the people were
pleased with the new government. Some ultranationalists, however, began to saw
discord among the inhabitants. They claimed that the established government had
no authority to act, and that they were free to do as they pleased and did not
need chiefs to command them. But Quidato, faithful to his duty, watched them
carefully. The recalcitrant’s, seeing that it would be impossible to accomplish
their evil designs, decided to get rid of Quidato. For that purpose, they
corrupted some policemen. On the night of 6 February 1899, the assassins led by
Juan Reyes, Basilio Bautista and Lucas Auting, broke into the house of Quidato
and killed him by slashing at his neck and head.
They also killed Quidato’s
wife and brother-in-law, a minor. Then they took all the firearms and
ammunition and carried them to the opposite bank of Davao River, firing shots
in the air until daybreak.
The provisional government was
overthrown. Matute escaped in a sailboat, and all the meztizos and
prominent natives sought refuge in different directions. Anarchy and a reign of
terror ensued, and murder and robbery were the order of the day. The mob broke
into the government safes, which they found empty, and robbed the stores and
other vacant houses. To make matters worse, they got drunk on stolen liquor and
ran through the streets shouting. “Kill all those who knew anything! Kill all
the rich!”
When the insurgents had calmed
down a bit, Fr. Saturnino Urios, S.J., the town’s parish priest, sent
Victoriano S. Jose to make peace with the rebels. The emissary was successful
in effecting peace and securing the arms and ammunition of the rebels. The
people then made Jose chief of police and elected Antonio Joven as president;
but their rule lasted only until 1 August. Another group led by Samuel Navarro,
a Moro-Visayan mestizo, with the assistance of the Moros, fired a few
shots at the populace and seized the government.
Navarro became chief of
police, and the people elected Estanislao Palma Gil as president. Their rule
reportedly failed to appease the inhabitants who suspected that the Moros might
yet bring about some trouble. However, Major C.D. Cowles, commander of the 17th
Infantry Regiment, the first U.S. occupation troops in Davao, did not believe
such thing. Likewise, Fr. Vicente Balaguer, S. J. (1899) disputes the trouble
imputed to the Moros. (Davao History by Ernesto I. Corcino, 1998)
In the midst
of that anarchy, it was indeed admirable to behold how the heads of the towns
of the Moros presented themselves to Father Urios, placing themselves under his
orders, and telling him that they did not recognize any other authority except
his, and that if we found ourselves threatened by the infidels or the Visayans,
they [the
Moros] would be the first ones to present themselves to defend us.
The First American forces in
Davao
The American military
officials and soldiers who arrived in Davao before Christmas in 1899 were
accorded a cordial reception unlike that given the Spaniards led by Oyanguren
in 1848. While the coming of the Spanish adventures was marked by bloodshed,
not a single injury was done to an American.
The arrival in Davao of
General J.C. Bates, U.S. Army commanding officer of the military district of Mindanao
and Jolo on 14 December 1899 on the steamer Manila marked the
implementation of American sovereignty in his province.
A delegation of town
officials, who had raised the American flag even before Manila reached the
port, immediately called upon the American General aboard the ship, Samuel
Navarro, jefe provincial (provincial chief); Bonifacio Quesada, primero
teniente: Cypriano Bustamante, Segundo teniente (second lieutenant);
and Teodoro Palma Gil, maestro de niños (school teacher) welcomed Bates.
They volunteered information regarding conditions and life in Davao and invited
him to come ashore. Before he left on the same day, Bates and his staff stayed
long enough to inspect the town. (Davao History by Ernesto I. Corcino, 1998)
Cowles (1902) describes Davao
thus:
The town is
well laid-out, with long avenues bordered with palms. There is a good-size
church, attached to which is a convent in good repair, capable of containing
125 men. The local barracks is in bad condition (no floor and needs a new
roof), and has space for about 40 men. The two school buildings are
dilapidated. The tribunal is commodious; could contain 75 men if flooring were
mended, new roofs made, and after a thorough polishing. There is also a
government house which could contain about 40 men if the building should be thoroughly
renovated.
Some of the
private houses are neat and well-built. The health of the community is said to
be good. The water is obtained from the Davao River. The staple in the vicinity
is hemp; there is sufficient cattle in the immediate vicinity to supply a small
garrison, but not enough for export (price about 4 cents per pound on the
hoof). The townspeople appear to desire the advent of American troops. They
desire to know if there would be a monthly steamer and if it would be possible
to obtain a Jesuit priest and named their former pastor, Padre Mateo
Gisbert. As the one most desirable.
First American Contingent Occupies
Six days after Gen. Bates
visited Davao, the first group of American occupation troops arrived. Commanded
by Major Hunter B. Liggett, they belonged to Companies “I” and “L” of the 31st
Infantry, U.S. Volunteers. They came on the steamer Brutus on 20
December 1899, an American flag in Davao flying in welcome. The presidente
local (local presidents) and his side met them and piloted the steamer to
the nearest safe anchorage.
Company “I” was stationed
in town. On the same day, the rest proceeded to Mati (Davao Oriental) where an
American flag also bade them welcome. On hand to meet them were Presidente
Señor Francisco Rojas and Jefe de Policia (Chief of Police) Manuel
Garcia y Nelia, a soldier in the Spanish army who opted to remain with his
family, his wife being a native.
On learning that peace and
order conditions in Mati were satisfactory, Maj. Liggett proceeded that same
day to Baganga. Upon his arrival at Baganga on 22 December, he was welcomed by
the town officials and some civilians only because most of the people were
working in their farms. On request of the presidente local, an American
flag was displayed in lieu of a white flag waving from the church.
Because of the peaceful
condition, scant provisions and the difficulty of reaching Baganga by ship
during the coming months when the strong northeast monsoons set in, Liggett
decided to leave Baganga for Mati that same day with all his troops aboard the Brutus.
Company “I” was assigned in Mati, and Liggett returned to Davao to establish
his headquarters. (Davao History by Ernesto I. Corcino, 1998)
Staking Claims
The sub district of Davao
embraced the military stations of Davao town and vicinity: Mati, Caraga,
Baganga, Dapnan and “other points that fell under their protection and
influence thereafter” within the boundaries of the previous Spanish commandancias
of Davao and Mati. Maj. Hunter B. Liggett, 31st Infantry, U.S.
Volunteers, was assigned as the first sub district commander. He remained in command until 30
September 1901 when Maj. C.D. Cowles, 17th Infantry, arrived and
took over the reins.
The tour of duty of Maj.
Cowles in Davao saw the gradual expansion of the military jurisdiction to
places heretofore unoccupied. First, Glan (now part of Cotabato) was placed
under the Davao Command per Special Orders No. 235, Department of Mindanao and
Jolo, 7th Separate Brigade, 9 November 1901. A few months later,
General Orders No. 10, Department of Mindanao and Jolo, dated 20 February 1902,
defined further the limits of Davao to include the old commandancias of
Glan, Davao and Mati as far north as the 8th parallel of north
latitude. (Davao History by Ernesto I. Corcino, 1998)
More American Troops Arrive
The first two companies of the
American occupation forces were soon reinforced with companies “K” and “M” of
the 31st Infantry, U.S Volunteers. They arrived in Davao on 2
January 1900. Company “K” was stationed in Davao, but Company “M” was
immediately dispatched to Baganga on the Brutus arriving there on 8
January. By 23 May, a detachment of 14 men from Company “M” in Baganga was
stationed in Dapnan, a village 6 kilometers to the north. On that same date,
Company “L” in Mati, except one officer and 25 enlisted men, was transferred to
Caraga. This was the extent of American occupation in eastern Davao at the
creation of the military sub district of Davao by General Orders No. 18,
Department of Mindanao and Jolo, U.S. Army, on 23 July 1900. (Davao History by Ernesto I. Corcino, 1998)
Troop Movements
Company “L” OF THE 17th Infantry joined this station on 17 October 1902. Capt. E.W. Howe proceeded to
the east coast on 23 October with 36 enlisted men; he stationed nine men at
each of the following places: Mati, Caraga, Baganga and Cateel.
On 2 November 1901, Cowles,
together with Second Lieutenant Edward C. Bolton, 28 enlisted men of Company
“L”, 17th Infantry and one man, Engineer Corps, went to Cuabo,
Sarangani Island, Glan and Macar. At Cuabo, he stationed seven men, taking the
remainder to the Glan station where they repaired and occupied the old Spanish
quartel (barracks), which was raised about 10 feet from the ground on strong
timbers and roofed with cogon grass. A Chinaman who owned the only two buildings
there, was allowed to remain after the evacuation of the Spaniards, by paying
heavy tribute to the Moros.
Macar. They
found no other houses except one government house occupied by a Moro datu in
Macar. Located on a cliff some 200 hundred feet high or more. Macar slopes
gently back and up toward the hills and mountains. The country is open, rolling
and covered with grass for many miles around. It lies between two rivers, and
within 50 yards of it is a small stream. The largest vessels could anchor with
their length from shore.
On Cowle’s recommendation,
Gen. Davis, department commander, stationed some of the troops of the 17th
Infantry from Cuabo and Glan to Macar on 11 January 1902. One native scout was
left at Cuabo to keep up communications with Mati.
2Lt. Ben Lear, Jr. led a
detachment of 10 Troop “G” men. 15th Infantry with four packed mules
to head for Macar from Davao via Malalag overland. They had instructions to
build telegraph lines from the north to connect with the line under
construction from Davao to Cotabato via Macar. Troop “E” of the 15th
Cavalry arrived in Macar on 6 February 1901, relieving the detachments from the
Davao headquarters.
The Datu at Macar was a
brother-in-law of the Sultan of Talik, who lived nearby. In 1899, the sultan
was driven out to Talik by Piang and the Coatabato Moros, who killed and
enslaved many of his people. About 2,000 of his followers escaped and settled
near Macar or Sarangani Bay. They appeared to be a spirited, warlike people,
but were doubtless outnumbered in their war with Piang.
Sarangani Islands.
On a visit to the Sarangani Islands where the Spaniards built detachments,
Cowles reports:
About 100
yards off the east shares of the larger island, on a small island called Balut,
still stands the old Spanish fort in good condition. It consists of a stone
wall about eight feet high, with a step or banquette inside and
bastions in the angles. The wooden barracks within have disappeared. Water is
obtained near the beach at low tide.
On the smaller
island only the side of the quartel remains. It is situated on
an excellent harbor. On the east side of Balut is the larger island called
Tumanao.
Balut Island
is mountainous, but it is said to be quite fertile. There are about 2,000
B’la-ans on the two islands besides a few Sanguiles. Several hundred of the
inhabitants died of starvation there about two years ago, due to a failure of
the crops from drought.
Excellent
timber, gutta-percha and rubber trees abound in the vicinity of Sarangani Bay,
which lies near the 6th degree of north latitude, above which rubber
and gutta are said not to thrive. The country affords fine grazing for cattle,
carabaos and horses, but there are few of them. That region has never been
developed for the lack of protection to life and property.
Tagum.
Cowles (1902) reports a similar condition in the Tagum River area north of
Davao, except for the presence of rubber or gutta-percha trees.
The
country is covered with dense forest and jungle. The valleys are bread and
fertile and well-adapted to the cultivation of hemp and sugar. The Moros there
who have heretofore lived by the sweat of the other people’s brows are
beginning to realize the necessity of working for themselves and have planted
some hemp. They also gather nipa for sales here and frequently come to trade,
which was not formerly the case. They have expressed desire for an American
merchant of Tagum, but unless protected by the presence of troops, neither
Americans nor natives will venture to go into business or sell there.
Further,
Cowles recommends that a company of native scouts be stationed as far up the
river as practicable to supply it by water. The steam tug could ascend the
river 6 miles from its mouth, and during high water, about 12 miles. Bancas
could ascend it much higher.
Road and Telegraph Lines
From post records, Cowles
learned that 130 miles of military roads had been constructed before his
arrival in Davao. He and his subordination observe that:
The roads
hardly deserve to be called roads; they are overgrown with bushes, grading is
conspicuous by its absence, and other temporarily constructed pole bridges over
ravines and small streams are rotten and impassable. No attempt was made to
bridge the larger streams. There is not a wheeled vehicle along the entire
length of the so- called roads, except at Davao, and the natives would not use
them if they were boulevards; they preferred to travel by water.
For the first 20 miles from
the poblacion south, the military road followed the foothills: the
telegraph line followed the beach line. Beyond the telegraph line followed the
military roads for a distance of about 20 miles, and from there about 20 miles
of new road had been both following the telegraph line throughout the forest.
A road
passable for wagons now extend along the telegraph line throughout its length …
a wagon road [should] follow the telegraph line to Macar and beyond if
practicable. This road is necessary for the construction and maintenance of the
telegraph line, and will be a useful means of communication between Davao,
Macar and Cotabato. No other roads are needed in this vicinity. Roads will be
required in the Tagum country if troops should be stationed there.
Cowles recommends the
construction of a good trail, passable for pack train at all seasons, from
Cuabo to Boston to enable scouting parties to patrol the east coast from Mati.
If funds permit, the Davao River should be bridged near its mouth in order to
reach deep-water anchorage and avoid the danger and delays in handling cargo
caused by the tides and rapid currents at its mouth, and to connect with the
telegraph road south, and a dock which could be built at a small expense. Other
streams of less importance should also be done under a competent engineer.
Cowles who arrived on 30 September 1901 recounts that 15 miles of the telegraph
line toward Cotabato had been completed, but as the signal funds were
exhausted, work was suspended but was resumed under Sgt. Fred Yandeau, Signal
Corps. U. S. Army, on 15 November. A detachment of soldiers and about 30
natives repaired the old line. For the first 5 miles, they used small and
inferior wood for poles.
The line practically follows
the beach of Digos and from there runs southwest toward Macar, 60 miles of
which were now finished and in good working order from Davao. The line passed
through dense forest. (Davao History by Ernesto I. Corcino, 1998)
Traversing Davao
Cowles sent out an exploring
party in search of an all-land route from Davao to Cotabato. Lear of the 15th
Cavalry, with a detachment of Troop “G” was dispatched on 9 October 1901, via
Digos, Lakes Buluan and Linguasa, and the Rio Grande, in order to reach
Cotabato on 25 October. He explored the country until 13 November, then
returned to Davao on 25 November 1901.
They traveled a distance of
350 miles since each way was 175 miles. Pack mules were used for 75 miles from
Davao, but beyond, the trail was impassable for the animals, and native
carriers were employed. Cowles observes that the natives were wild and timid,
many of them never having seen a white man before.
The object of the expedition
was accomplished under many difficulties. They decided to establish a post at
Macar, to include that station on the through line or to run a separate line to
it from Digos, a distance of about 90 miles.
Lear, with a small detachment,
was again sent out to explore a route from Macar via Malalag to Digos . He left
Macar 17 December and arrived at Malalag 21 December 1901. They did not explore
the famous beach between Malalag and Digos. Lear followed the old Spanish trail
and reported it practicable for telegraph line and animals. The trail however,
lay on the beds of the streams with high banks and was subject to sudden
floods. There was also an almost impassable swamp of about 10 miles between
Digos and Malalag. Amore direct route-a little west of south from Digos to
Macar was needed.
Bolton, with a small
detachment of Troop “G” 15th Cavalry was assigned to undertake the
explanation of the alternative routes. He left Macar on 12 January 1902,
crossed the divide about 10 miles west of Malalag and arrived at Digos 19
January reporting the route practicable for telegraph line. Bolton went back to
explore it more thoroughly and to return over the route followed by Lear via
Malalag so he could compare the advantages and disadvantages of the two routes.
He recommended the route that avoided the swamps and river beds and adopted it
for the telegraph line.
Bolton, with a small
detachment undertook the exploration of a trail from Macar via Cran and Lebak
on the coast and then across the mountains to Cotabato. Cowles recommended a
telephone line around the shore of Davao Gulf via the mouth of the Tagum River
and Cuabo to Mati. (Davao History by Ernesto I. Corcino, 1998)
Additional Explorations
On 21 February 1902, Lear,
with a detachment of seven men of Troop “G” 15th Cavalry, left Davao
on a steam tug chartered for the purpose of exploring the country from Tagum
River to Cateel and on to Cuabo for a road or trail to obtain information on
the people and country through which he passed. The tug ascended the Tagum
River about 6 miles higher up the river. Thence they proceeded on foot to the
headwaters of the Hijo River and across the mountain to Compostela on the
Agusan River,the main source of Butuan River. The explorers believed a wagon
road could be built from the Tagum River across the mountain, but from there to
Compostela, a two-day march, the road would have to be made in the form of a
dike (which would be very expensive), the country being level and marshy.
Cowles reports:
I am reliably
informed that about ten years ago, during an earthquake, quite an extensive
tract of country traversed by the {Agusan} River settled and sunk from 20 to 60
feet, forming a lake, above the surface of which the tops of trees still
project.
To Lieutenants
Ben Lear, Jr., … and Edward C. Bolton, … and the men under their commands is
due much credit for the zeal, energy, nerve and endurance with which they had
accomplished, under great hardships, explorations hitherto regarded as too
hazardous and impracticable to be attempted with small detachments. They have
blazed the way for future explorers, have given us the only definite
information we have of the interior of the country, and have made an all-land
route for telegraph line to Cotabato possible.
A few months after the
above-mentioned report was made, the tour of duty of Cowles as military
administrator of the sub district of Davao came to an end. He was succeeded by
men of the 27th Infantry until they were withdrawn in turn shortly
afterwards due to a general reduction of the U. S. Armed Forces in the
Philippines and the reorganization of the military Department of Mindanao and
Jolo into what became known as the Moro Province under a politico-military
structure. (Davao History by Ernesto I. Corcino, 1998)
Updated on April 13, 2017@8:01pm by Rhey Mark H. Diaz
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