Monument of Leon Kilat

Who could ever imagine that a simple boy, once an acolyte in church, would turn out to become a legendary hero. Who could have thought that an innocent lad who didn’t even finish elementary would rise up as a man of distinguished valor to fight for Filipino freedom.

Born in Bacong, Negros Oriental on the 27th of July 1873, "Leon Kilat," the nom de guerre (war alias name) of Pantaleon Villegas de Solde was the military leader in the onset of hostilities in April 1898.

In 1895, he left Bacong for the port town of Cebu and worked for MacLeod & Co. as an abaca press laborer. The story goes that Leon also worked as an erand boy for Botica Antigua, a German-owned pharmacy, a delivery man, at the same time, a baker for Pascuala Cala’s bakeshop and a jockey-horse trainer for Federico Laing.

Sometime in the middle of 1896, he joined a circus troupe, which was then on its way to Manila. While in Manila, Leon was brought into Emilio Aguinaldo’s revolutionary society, the Katipunan. In late 1897 or early 1898, he was sent to Cebu to help lead the rebel movement. It was here where Leon and his men planned a revolt against the Spaniards on the Easter Sunday of 1898. The Spaniards however, learned about the scheduled uprising. As Leon was informed about the Spanish discovery of the intended insurrection, he became determined to fight the Spaniards on that day of the discovery. Thus, he said: "In that case, we rise in arms today."

For that reason, on April 3, 1898, the afternoon of Palm Sunday, General Leon Kilat staged a bloody "hand-to-hand" combat right at the now Leon Kilat and Tres de Abril Streets in Cebu City. As the Spaniards obtained reinforcements, Leon Kilat and his men went to Carcar to seek help from the people. Leon Kilat tried to regroup his men to confront the progressing Spaniards. However, in the early hours of Good Friday, April 8, Leon Kilat was perfidiously murdered - allegedly upon orders of prominent mestizos of Carcar. The assassination of Leon Kilat was said to have happened, through the "intercession of Don Florencio Noel" in the Sato residence. On that day of Leon Kilat’s death, the Spaniards gained control of Carcar.

Leon Kilat was one of the greatest Filipino revolutionaries in the rebellion against Spain. He was reputed as a tagolilong (one who has an amulet to appear and disappear when one so desires). It was commonly believed that Leon Kilat could also swallow knives, bend bladed weapons and fly on a magic handkerchief.

Now, at the "patio" of St. Catherine’s Church, Leon Kilat’s monument stands elegantly as a symbol of Carcaranon gratitude. The monument shows the general with a sword in hand, riding his legendary horse "Puti." Constructed under the administration of former mayor Galileo "Liling" G. Varga, it was built to honor Leon Kilat who died in the town. It is a constant reminder to Carcaranons and Cebuanos of Leon Kilat’s remarkable heroism.