Aniceto Lacson y Ledesma was a Filipino revolutionary general, sugar planter, and entrepreneur who lived from April 17, 1857, to February 3, 1931. Alongside Juan Araneta, he led the Negros Revolution and served as the first and only president of the Negros Republic from 1898 to 1901.
Early Life
Gen. Aniceto Lacson, a Chinese-Mestizo politician from the Philippines, is the fifth of eight children born to Lucio Lacson y Petronila and Clara Ledesma. During the later 1800s, when wealthy Iloilo families were migrating to Negros, Lucio's branch of the Lacson family moved there.
After receiving private instruction for his early schooling in Molo, Iloilo, Lacson went on to study commerce at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, where he was classmates with José Rizal and Juan Araneta. He purportedly shared a secret blood covenant with Andres Bonifacio, whom he also met there. Additionally, he received his membership in the Philippine Revolutionary Society.
A few of Lacson's siblings also made contributions to local history and business. He is the brother of Sta's founder, Domingo Lacson Sr. Don Mariano Lacson, who constructed the Lacson Ruins in Talisay City, close to Aniceto's Casa Grande Mansion, and Clara Estate Inc., a company that specializes in varied real estate. Rosendo Lacson, another sibling, signed the ratification of the short-lived Cantonal Republic of Negros, which came to an end soon after the Negros Revolution.
Aniceto enhanced his father's sugar plantation in Talisay, Negros Occidental, after earning a degree in commerce at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. Through acquisitions from Nicholas Loney, an English businessman, he grew the estate.
On August 29, 1898, Belgian Consul Édouard André reported seeing how workers on Aniceto Lacson's plantation were mistreated in Negros, where they were subjected to bamboo lashing, sometimes as many as 100 lashes.
The Negros Revolution
Leading the campaign to free Negros Island from Spanish domination, Aniceto Lacson played a pivotal role in the Negros Revolution of 1898. As the commander of the northern forces, Lacson led a rebellion in Silay on November 3, 1898, with the help of important figures like Juan Araneta, Leandro Locsin Sr., and Nicolás Gólez.
Lacson led his troops in a well-organized rebellion on November 5, 1898, which swiftly expanded throughout the island. Under his direction, the Silay rebels were able to force the local Spanish garrison to surrender without encountering any opposition. Using wooden rifles and homemade bamboo cannons, Lacson's soldiers proceeded on Bacolod City the next day. This strategy persuaded Isidro de Castro, the Spanish governor, to give up Bacolod without a struggle.
An important signatory to the Acta de Capitulación, which formalized the Spanish capitulation, was Lacson. He was a key figure in the island's fight for independence because of his leadership, which helped bring the Negros Revolution to a peaceful and final end.
When Spanish forces in Bacolod surrendered on November 6, 1898, the revolution in Negros came to an end. Under the leadership of Lacson and Gólez, the rebels persuaded the Spanish to surrender by brandishing bamboo and wooden weapons. The accord, which resulted in the unconditional surrender of Spanish forces and the transfer of public monies to the new government, was enabled by mediator José Ruiz de Luzuriaga.
Isidro de Castro, Braulio Sanz, Manuel Abenza, Ramón Armada, Emilio Monasterio, and Domingo Ureta were the Spanish signatories. Aniceto Lacson, Juan Araneta, Leandro Locsin Sr., Simeón Lizares, Julio Díaz, and José Montilla were among the signatories of the Negros Revolution. Forty-seven notable Negrenses, including Rafael Ramos, Agustín Amenabar, Nicolas Gólez, Eusebio Luzuriaga, Antonio L. Jayme, and Rosendo Lacson, ratified a constitution to create a new republic after the capitulation.
The Cantonal Republic of Negros
The island of Negros in the Philippines was home to the short-lived revolutionary government known as the Cantonal Republic of Negros (November 27, 1898–March 4, 1899). The Cantonal Republic was established after Spanish Governor Isidro Castro surrendered to forces led by Aniceto Lacson and Juan Araneta at Bacolod on November 6, 1898. Lacson presided over the country from November 27, 1898, until March 4, 1899, when the Negros revolutionaries turned themselves in to US General James Francis Smith. The duration of the government was three months and four days.
Cinco de Noviembre
Historic sites in Negros Occidental and the Cinco de Noviembre ceremony honor Aniceto Lacson and other revolutionaries.
On November 5, 1898, Aniceto Lacson and Juan Araneta staged a revolution that resulted in the peaceful surrender of Spanish forces in Bacolod, which is celebrated on Cinco de Noviembre. This bloodless victory was largely due to Lacson's calculated bluff with homemade weaponry and leadership.
In Negros Occidental, the day is celebrated as a special holiday every year. Lacson and the rebels are honored at the Cinco de Noviembre memorial in Silay City, which includes a Spanish cannon that was donated by Claudio G. Akol Jr. By virtue of Republic Act No. 6709, President Corazon Aquino proclaimed November 5th a holiday.
Casa Grande was given to the National Museum of the Philippines by the Lacson-Claparols heirs on November 5, 2024, during the 126th Cinco de Noviembre event. The old home will be restored by the NMP, maintaining its status as a museum and national historical monument.
The Fountain of Justice
The Fountain of Justice, a historic site in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Philippines, is located in front of the former Bacolod City Hall and honors the Spanish capitulation to Gen. Aniceto Lacson's men during the Negros Revolution. José de Luzuriaga's home used to be located there as well.
During the Negros Revolution, on November 6, 1898, Bacolod was turned over by Spanish authority to Filipino soldiers under Gen. Aniceto Lacson at Luzuriaga's home. In addition, he acted as a go-between for the parties.
On behalf of the Spanish army, the capitulation document was signed by Colonel Isidro de Castro, the governor of Negros.
The Fountain of Justice served as a venue for political rallies, religious meetings, cultural festivals, and leisure activities. It was the site of Bacolod City's 66th Charter Anniversary celebration and was once a well-liked rally and protest location.
Political Life Under the American Regime
General Lacson and his leaders met with General Marcus P. Miller when the Americans arrived in Negros following the fall of Ilo-ilo in February 1899. The Negrenses chose to work with the Americans for two reasons: first, they saw that fighting against America would be ineffective; second, the leaders, who were all wealthy and landed, did not want the destruction of war to affect their sugar plantations. General James F. Smith arrived with a battalion of the California Volunteers to seize Bacolod on March 4, 1899, after General Otis quickly accepted their offer of help. Peace returned to Negros, with the exception of the occasional harassment by the zealous "Papa Isio" in the southern towns.
Lacson was named governor of Negros by William Howard Taft, the American governor-general of the Philippines. But Lacson turned down the invitation. He would rather focus on his company and running his sugar plantation.
Personal Life
Rosario Araneta and Magdalena Torres were the two spouses of Aniceto Lacson. With two marriages and more than twenty children, Aniceto Lacson had a sizable family. His wife and descendants also gave him connections to numerous other well-known families, which increased their clout in the Philippines.
Marriage with Rosario Araneta Lacson
Rosario Araneta, the daughter of Patricio Cabunsol Araneta and Leoncia Araneta, was Aniceto's first spouse. She is also Juan Araneta's first cousin. Rosario and Aniceto had eleven children. They were:
1. The oldest, Jesusa, wed her second cousin, Jose Maria Lacson Arroyo y Pidal. Iggy Arroyo and First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, who is married to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, are grandchildren of Jesusa and Jose.
2. Emilio died at a young age.
3. Clotilde passed away young.
4. Dr. Jaime Lacson Claparols, Carmen's son with Spanish husband Ricardo Claparols, went on to establish the JRS Express in 1960.
5. Domingo Lacson II, son of Domingo Lacson Sr. of Sta., was married to Enriqueta. Clara Estate, Inc.
6. Isaac married Carmen Paterno, the niece of Philippine diplomat Pedro Paterno, and went on to become governor of Negros before becoming a congressman and senator of the Republic.
7. Mariano and Lilia Montilla were wed.
8. Perfecta, who wed Santiago Franco
9. Jose passed away at a young age.
10. Aniceto Jr. wed his cousin Aurora Lacson.
11. Dominador wed another relative, Visitacion Lacson.
Marriage with Magdalena Torres Lacson
He had ten children with his second wife, Spanish Mestiza Magdalena Torres. They were:
1. Resureccion wed German Carlos Sackermann.
2. Former Miss Negros Occidental Margarita wed Swiss-German William Gemperle.
3. Leonila and Angel Gamboa were married.
4. Leoncia
5. Nicolas wed Amparo Lacson, who was Mayor Arsenio Lacson's sister. Salvador Lacson, the head of LLIBI Insurance Brokers Inc., and Rose Lacson, an Australian-Filipino socialite, are their children.
6. Juan and Reymunda Villareal were wed.
7. Jose and Estelita Adrias were married.
8. Lucio and Consuelo Flores were married.
9. Luis and Lily Distajo were married.
10. Consuelo wed the Spaniard Sebastian Corro.
Death
Lacson passed away on February 3, 1931, in Talisay, which is now a city in Negros Occidental and was buried in his hometown of Molo, which is now a district of Iloilo City in Iloilo
Source:
https://pinoyfolktales.blogspot.com/2013/01/filipino-martyr-aniceto-l-lacson.html
No comments:
Post a Comment