Batac is burning

By Noralyn Onto Dudt

If my grandfather were still alive today, he would be 121 years old. He was born in the poblacion of Batac  in 1900 just as the Americans were setting fire on the town and burning  it to the ground. His parents, my great-grandparents, named him  Anselmo. It's not really an Ilocano name so I looked up its origins. The English and German "Anselm" means "God- protected", while the Spanish origin "Anselmo" means "God-helmet."  However, as his daughter (my mother) told me many times, the "selmo" in his name sounded like "silmut" which is the Ilocano word for "ignite." The town was being ignited, a historical fact  that never  made it into the mainstream history textbooks. It's a story that had to be told by the elders, by word of mouth and by a few history preservationists. I wonder if my great-parents recognized early on what this "burning" was all about. Surely their newborn  son whom they called  Anselmo was aptly named—he surely needed a "shield" (helmet) and  Divine protection.

Following America's US$20 million purchase of the Philippines from Spain in the Treaty of Paris on the 10^th day of December 1898, the Americans realized that the Filipinos were not amenable to having their land purchased and owned by the United States. It was a “purchase” that the Filipinos had no say—apparently they had no representation in the Treaty of Paris. Having had more than enough of three centuries of Spanish rule, the Filipinos simply wanted their own country and wanted to manage their own affairs. It had been long overdue. They had previously engaged the Spaniards militarily and had considerable success in these endeavors. They could do just fine without the Americans.

However, the Americans thought that the Filipinos running their own country was a bad idea. Such concepts were based on misguided thinking that Filipinos were not ready for self-rule. The Americans felt that American democracy and values would be transformative to this new "independent" country.

Unfortunately, it became only too clear that the "blessings of liberty" would have to be imposed on the Filipinos by force. What ensued was the Filipino Insurrection where the United States determined to "pacify" the Philippines and bring it into a proper nation-building alignment under its tutelage.

Though the Philippines lacked comparable resources and a heavily-trained military, armed resistance against the United States was forthcoming.  The Filipinos simply refused to be "pacified." Initially,  there were pitched battles all over the archipelago but eventually the outgunned Filipinos  had no choice but to opt for a guerilla-style conflict—a way to wear out the United States effort. The Philippine resistance was centered around General Emilio Aguinaldo.  Under Aguinaldo were various regional commanders.  General Manuel Tinio (a Tagalog) was given the leadership of the Ilocos region.  However, a conflict with another participant whose base of operations overlapped General Tinio's made co-operation very difficult to attain, and would be a hindrance to fulfilling their objectives.

The other leader, Father Gregorio Aglipay was the former Ecclesiastical Governor of the Diocese of Nova Segovia (Northern Luzon) and Military Vicar of the Revolutionary Army. He became a legend by charging into battle on a large horse and even secreting himself, disguised as a peasant observing the enemy  along the roadside. According to William Scott's book (Ilocano Responses to American Aggression 1900-1901), there were a couple of incidents when he had horses shot out from under him and escaped surprise raids on his hideouts in numerous occasions.

In addition, in his role as a priest, he acquired a certain charismatic appeal as both a military commander and priestly figure. It is perhaps worth mentioning that he was believed to have inserted a special  petrified wood anting-anting ( amulet) into the back of a fellow town mate, Ferdinand Marcos, at a later date. To the American perception, Aglipay was likely regarded as some sort of cult figure. William  Scott's book quotes American Colonel Howze that Aglipay by "fiendish religion struck terror into the  hearts of ignorant natives." However, General Otis opined that "by his military operations in the field, Aglipay proved himself abler as a soldier than as a bishop of the church."

By 1900, Aglipay had prevented the "pacification" of the towns of Badoc, Paoay, and Batac and control of the central poblacions for more than a year. Obviously this was a setback for the Americans and must have been deeply frustrating that in August of 1899, the American consul recommended that all male inhabitants of these communities be declared war criminals. A few months later, it was recommended that a 500-peso award be offered for Father Aglipay dead or alive. Although the Americans were not successful in besting Aglipay in the field, revenge against his hometown was not long in coming, the "Battle of Batac."

It is perhaps worth noting that the day before the so-called battle, American soldiers (with intelligence from Filipino agents) made a dawn raid on Aglipay's headquarters. They did not recover Aglipay's body, but his horse had three bullet holes. He had escaped again. In retribution for harboring Aglipay, the soldiers burned down the surrounding neighborhood killing 49, and capturing 44.

The attack on Batac came the next day on April 16, 1900. Associated Press correspondent Harold Martin wrote on the defense by the outgunned and out-manned people of Batac. According to William Scott's book,  the defenders appeared to be either drunk or crazy to outside American observers of the battle.

The defenders of Batac approached the Americans in three lines.  Apparently,  they made use of human shields as a method of defense. The first line consisted of women. Next in line were a group of lightly armed defenders with only bolos or wooden clubs. The last line consisted of the better armed riflemen. As the columns advanced, the women were to lie down to avoid further exposure as it was believed the Americans would not shoot at such "non-combatants."  According to a quote from William Scott's book, the soldiers did shoot at the women and the lightly armed-bolomen walked over them.  It is worth mentioning that further American reinforcements during the fighting were called in from nearby Laoag using telegraph lines.

For Batac, the battle plan was not a success as it was a rather brave, but futile effort against a more highly armed foe. Americans claimed 180 Filipino deaths, 50 wounded, and 135 captured. It is worth pointing out this is a rather large percentage of deaths for a group of 230 casualties (dead and wounded). The population of Batac at the time was only 19,000. Normally, the deaths are only a limited percentage of the number of wounded, perhaps only around 10 percent. This suggests that either the Filipinos were engaged in sort of a suicide charge or the Americans were unusually aggressive in killing even wounded individuals. Perhaps, both issues were in play. There were only two Americans killed and three wounded. By way of further retribution, the whole town of Batac was burned to the ground by the frustrated Americans.

Eventually,  Aglipay, the other generals and their troops recognized the magnitude of what they  were up against—that they would never be able to bridge the  disparity between their military capabilities and that of the Americans. The Ilocanos have always been a very practical people. They came to  realize that there was no sense in fighting for what was unattainable.  They surrendered... they didn't let their egos get in the way. They agreed to the "pacification" and let America, the "cradle of liberty" get its way.  As a result of that sensibility, the rubble that was  Batac  bounced back in a short time.

Vestiges of that sensibility and practicality are the six institutions of higher learning that include a top-ranking university that were founded and established just three decades after the burning. Batac has had good leaders who have been forward-looking. It is considered one of the cleanest cities in the Philippines.  It is progressive—there are no homeless on the streets. Upon  entering the city, a sign that reads  "Welcome to the City of Batac, the Home of Great Leaders”, comes into view. Indeed,  Father Aglipay and his ragtag troops exhibited great leadership. He had a vision for his countrymen, he saw a "place" they have never been to before, and he wanted  them to get there.

(Noralyn Onto Dudt was born in Batac, Ilocos Norte as were her parents, grandparents, and great- grandparents. She grew up in a house across the street from the Philippine Independent Church, the church which Monsignor Gregorio Aglipay founded after he broke off from the Roman Catholic Church.)

(Much of the information in this article comes from William Henry Scott's book "Ilocano Responses to American Aggression 1900-1901" New Day Publishers, 1986. Scott was a retired lay missionary of the Episcopal Church and former director of the Aglipay Institute in Laoag. He endeavored to examine and piece together a great deal of original material for his book. We are all indebted for his detailed investigation of the records.)