JOSE TORRES BUGALLON
(1873-1899)
Jose Torres Bugallon, great military
strategist in the Filipino-American War, was born on August 28, 1873 in Salasa
(now Bugallon), Pangasinan to Jose Asas Bugallon. His father came from Baliwag,
Bulakan; his mother was of the well-known Gonzales family of Pangasinan.
After elementary schooling in Salasa, he went
to San Isidro.
Nueva Ecija where he completed in 1882 the
first and second years of the secondary course under Don Rufino Villaruz. In
1886, he enrolled at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran, completed the secondary
course and earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1889, with high scholastic
ratings.
After his graduation he entered the
Seminary of San Carlos with the intention of becoming a priest although his
real love was the military. Having passed the validation examination given by
the Spanish government in 1892, he went abroad as a pensionado of the
government to the world-famed Military Academy at Toledo, Spain where he spent
three years of concentrated study in the science of military organization and
warfare.
In 1896, he graduated as 2nd Lieutenant.
Upon his return to the Philippines that same year, he joined and served with
the 70th Infantry Regiment of the Spanish Army. He fought several battles and
after the battle of Talisay on May 30, 1897, he was promoted to Captain. He was
also awarded the coveted Cross of Maria Cristina and the Red Cross for Military
Honor (Cruz Roja del Merito Militar).
After the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898, and the cessation of
hostilities, he obtained his clearance papers.
At that time, General Antonio Luna
urgently needed instructors for the training of officers in the European art of
warfare at Malolos, Bulacan. Jose joined General Luna's staff as aide-de-camp
and recruitment officer for Spanish war veterans. A well-trained military
officer, he was very instrumental in the reorganization and discipline of the
Filipino Army. This made him an invaluable officer to General Luna.
On February 5, 1899, Bugallon was in
command of the heavily defended frontline at La Loma. The American troops under
General Arthur MacArthur attacked this defense sector. In the thick of battle,
the Filipino forces were outflanked, exposing Torres Bugallon to the superior
firepower of the enemy. He was hit by a bullet in the thighs.
Upon learning from Lt. Colonel Queri,
that Bugallon was wounded, General Luna ordered: "Bugallon wounded. Order
forward. He must be saved at all costs. Bugallon is worth 500 Filipino
soldiers. He is one of my hopes for future victory."
General Luna found him severely wounded
and prostrate in a ditch at the side of the road. All that he could utter was
"My ...
don't expose yourself so much. Don't
advance any farther."
For galiantry in action he was honored
with the regalia befitting his heroism, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and pinned
with a medal worth his military valor.
Lt. Colonel Bugallon was withdrawn from the frontlines by Commander
Hernando, and General Luna himself, who took him to the Kalookan medical
station where he was given first aid by Dr. Jose Luna and Santiago Barcelona.
By train, he was rushed by General
Luna to Malolos for hospitalization.
Somewhere after Lolomboy and nearing the approach to Bocaue, Lt. Colonel
Bugallon asked: "Have the reinforcement arrived?" Too weak to keep
his strength any longer due to profuse bleeding, he died on the breast of
General Antonio Luna, a few hours after he was withdrawn from the battlefield.
Commander Torrss Bugallon's death was a
great loss to General Antonio Luna who wept unashamedly before the lifeless
body of his comrade-at-arms.
Arrangements were made to bury his
remains in Bigaa but it was decided later to inter the corpse at the Malolos
cemetery. There a tomb with a modest
stone slab marked his final resting place.
Though felled in battle, Bugallon with
his gallantry under the very superior enemy firepower, surpassed whatever
shortcomings he had in Iris military career. He owed a great debt of gratitude
to Spain for his training and education. But his decision to renounce his
military allegiance and to join the Filipino Army not only for martial laurels
but for the bright future of the land of his birth for which he sacrificed his
life, made him a hero, a true Filipino.
To perpetuate his memory, a law sponsored
in 1921 by Congressman Mauro Navarro of Pangasinan changed the name of Salasa,
the hero's birthplace, to Bugallon.
His remains now lie buried in the
Sampalok Church in Manila.