DIEGO MOJICA (18? -?)
DIEGO MOJICA, a native of San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias) was the original big boss of the Katipunan chapter in his town. He was the opposite number of Mariano Alvarez in Noveleta before the Katipunan chapters in both towns decided to merge into one provincial council popularly known as the Magdiwang Council. The original Katipunan chapter in San Francisco de Malabon was called the Sangguniang Balangay Nang Bayang Mapagtiis whose officers were the following: Diego Mojica, whose symbolic name was Katibayan, president; Nicolas Portilla (Mangyari), secretary; Mariano Trias (Labong), fiscal; and Artemio Ricarte (Vibora), treasurer.
The assault on the tribunal (municipal building) of San Francisco de Malabon on the morning of August 31, 1896 was led by Diego Mojica, Nicolas Portilla and Mariano Trias--- not by Artemio Ricarte as claimed in history books.
In November, or one month before the arrival of Bonifacio in Cavite the original Katipunan council in Noveleta called the Sangguniang Bayan Ng Magdiwang transferred to San Francisco de Malabon incorporating the Katipunan chapter in that town. The officers of this council were Mariano Alvarez, whose symbolic name was Mainam, president; Pascual Alvarez (Bagong Buhay), secretary; Santiago Alvarez (Kidlat ng Apoy), Tranquilino Angkiko and others.
Then the Magdiwang Council was reorganized with the following as the new set of officers: Mariano Alvarez, president; Pascual Alvarez, general secretary; Emiliano Riego de Dios, minister of war; Diego Mojica, minister of finance; Santiago Alvarez, captain general; and Mariano Riego de Dios and Artemio Ricarte, fiscals, with the rank of brigadier-general.
The day after Bonifacio’s arrival in Cavite in early December the Magdiwang Council was reorganized for the second time, and the following were elected as the new officers; Andres Bonifacio, Haring Bayan (King); Mariano Alvarez, Pangalawang Haring Bayan (Vice King); Ariston Villanueva, minister of war; Jacinto Lumbreras, minister of the interior; Diego Mojica, minister of finance; Mariano Trias, minister of grace and justice; Emiliano Riego de Dios, minister of welfare; and Santiago Alvarez, captain general.
Historian Carlos Quirino claims that due to the previous misunderstanding with Diego Mojica, Nicolas Portilla and Santiago Alvarez, Mariano Trias was apparently “won over” by the Magdalo Council, allowing him to be nominated as one of three candidates for the _Presidency of the Revolutionary Government in Tejeros Convention, namely, Andres Bonifacio, Mariano Trias, and Emilio Aguinaldo. Since Bonifacio and Trias belonged to the Magdiwang Council according to Quirino the Magdiwang votes were split between the two of them, enabling Aguinaldo, the Magdalo’s candidate, to win even in absentia. This is a controversial point in Philippine history because according to Aguinaldo, only eight Magdalo officials were able to attend the Tejeros convention because the on-going Lachambre offensive in Magdalo territory prevented many of its leaders from going to Tejeros which was located in Magdiwang territory.
Aside from the facts that mentioned above, there is no available information about the date and place of birth of Mojica nor about his parents, education, marriage and other personal circumstances.
[Sources: (1) Carlos Quirino, A Rebellion within a Rebellion or How Aguinaldo Became President, Sunday Times Magazine, March 23, 1959; (2) Leon S. del Rosario, General Mariano Trias, Vice President of first Philippine Republic, Philippine Free Press June 12, 1965; (3) Memoirs of General Artemio Ricarte Manila, National Historical Commission 1963;(4) Emilio Aguinaldo Mga gunita Ng Himagsikan Copyright by Cristina Aguinaldo Suntay, 1941; (5) A.E. Manuel Dictionary of Philippine Biography Manila, 1973.]