TOMAS
MASCARDO (1871-1932)
HE
had fought the Spaniards since the beginning of the Philippine Revolution. He
had also been wounded and cited several times for gallantry in action. In time
he was promoted to brigadier general. Now, here was another general, who had
joined the Revolution in the second phase, but who was now in superior officer,
ordering him not to leave his headquarters, even to inspect his troops in the
frontline, without the latter’s permission.
The
first general was Tomas Mascardo of Kawit, Cavite, the second was Antonio Luna,
erroneously referred to as an “Ilocano general,” although he preferred to be
known as Tagalog. In fact, Luna was born in Binondo, Manila, of a Tagalog
father and an Ilokano mother. In his contributions to the propaganda organ La
Solidaridad in Madrid, Spain, Luna used the pseudonym “Taga-Ilog” or Tagalog
for short.
Luna,
the irascible commander-in-chief of revolutionary forces in Luzon, was peeved
upon learning that Mascardo had left his headquarters in Guagua, Pampanga, to
visit a girl friend in Arayat, another Pampanga town. But Mascardo insisted
that he had gone there to inspect his soldiers at the front. The two generals
nearly came to a duel, which could have also involved their respective troops,
but for general Emilio Aguinaldo’s timely intervention.
The
truth of the matter was that Mascardo had long wanted to resign as field
commander to avoid any possible misunderstanding with Luna, his superior, whom
he bested in a suit for the hand of a beauteous Pampanga girl. Mascardo, the
more handsome and dashing of the two generals, had run off with the girl, and
naturally Luna was furious. Hence Luna wanted to assert his superiority over
Mascardo. (Note: This incident I fully explained in the author’s latest book
Emilio Aguinaldo: Generalissimo and
President of the First Philippine Republic – First Republic in Asia. Quezon
City, Phoenix Publishing House, 1983.)
Born
in Kawit on October 9, 1871, Mascardo was one of the seven children of Valentin
Mascardo, a landowner, and Dolores Echenique, a rice dealer. He graduated with
a teacher’s diploma from the Escuela Normal in Manila, and then taught in the
barrio school of Halang, Amadeo, Cavite. In the early days of the revolution,
General Emilio Aguinaldo, the jefe
abanderado (chief flag officer) of the Magdalo Council, ordered Mascardo to
attack the Spanish garrison in Barrio Bilog-Bilog, Tanauan, Batangas. Aguinaldo
was impressed by Mascardo’s bravery. Commanding a unit under General Edilberto
Evangelista, Mascardo was wounded in the Battle of Zapote on February 17, 1897.
It was in his battle that Evangelista was killed by an enemy sniper.
Mascardo
was at one time the chief of the revolutionary intelligence service in Manila,
succeeding Miguel Liedo who had been captured by the Spaniards and put to
death. He was the commanding general of all revolutionary forces in the
Pampanga-Bataan-Zambales sector when Aguinaldo was treacherously captured by
the Americans in Palanan, Isabela, March 23, 1901.
To
verify the news of Aguinaldo’s capture, Mascardo ordered subordinate officer,
Major Manuel L. Quezon, to surrender to the Americans and find out if Aguinaldo
had really been captured and, if so, to ask him for final orders. Consequently
Quezon was led into the room of Aguinaldo in Malacañang Palace. A prisoner of
war, Aguinaldo told him that Mascardo from thereon was free to decide the
matter for himself. To save his men from total annihilation, and facing certain
defeat because of lack of arms and ammunitions, Mascardo gave up to the
Americans on May 15, 1901.
Released
afterwards by the Americans, Mascardo returned to his family in Cavite. Induced
to enter politics, he was elected governor of Cavite for one term 1910-1912,
after which he retired to private life. He died on July 7, 1932. He was
survived by his wife, Carmen Topavio of Imus, and eight children; namely,
Modesto, Dominador (who became a general), Petra, Pura, Jaime, Tomas, Salvador
(former collector of customs at the Manila International Airport), and
Emiliano.
(Sources:
(1) Victoria Cairme, “Gen. Tomas Mascardo, 1871-1932, “Prominent Caviteños in the Philippine History. Manila, 1941; (2)
Jose Alejandrino, The Price of Freedom.
Manila, 1949; (3) Manuel L. Quezon, The Good fight. New York and London, 1946;
(4) Eminent Filipinos, National
Historical Commission, 1965; (5) Gregorio F. Zaide, Great Filipinos in History. Manila, 1970; (6) Leon S. del Rosario
“Hero of the first Revolution: General Tomas Mascardo, “Philippines free Press, August 29, 1953; and (7) Biodata furnished
by Governor Remulla’s Office.)