Simeon Ola, last general to surrender during Filipino-American war

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During the recent commemoration of National Heroes Day, the “historians” in Malacanang had been very selective at naming personalities that figured during the Philippine campaign for independence.

Generals Vicente Lukban and Vito Belarmino made it to the cut as the palace announced that a special set of 24 printable trading cards featuring the 24 commanders of the Philippine Revolution as part of the celebration.

The house by the Pasig river missed Guinobatan’s General Simeon Ola, the last Filipino/Bicolano general to surrender to the Americans.

A taste of historical recall here:

After Brig. Gen. Lukban’s surrender (capture) in February 17, 1902, Gen. Simeon Ola of Guinobatan, Albay, continued to defy the Americans.

His spirited campaign against the foreign occupation forces during the years 1902 and 1903 took twelve companies of scouts and twelve companies of PC and three different American commanders, with hundreds of Bicolanos forcibly concentrated in the towns and away from the barrios, to finally get him.

This was on the 25th of September, 1903, after the Americans had spent five to six million dollars in the campaign to get Ola.

Some 120 of Ola’s men cruelly died in an Albay jail while waiting court trial, sixty were sentenced to imprisonment at Bilibid for sedition, twelve were hanged, and hundreds were put on the road gangs.

Sadly, the significance of General Ola’s holding out far longer than any general at that time was ignored and belittled twice by Malacanang.

For on April 9, 2002, then president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, “doctored” history. She declared the centennial anniversary of that date as a national working holiday and as a special non-working holiday in the province of Batangas and in the cities of Batangas, Lipa and Tanauan. Arroyo proclaimed that the Philippine–American War had ended on April 16, 1902 with the surrender of General Miguel Malvar.

More details about General Ola on this link, so read on.

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2 thoughts on “Simeon Ola, last general to surrender during Filipino-American war”

  1. baka yan ang naka-record o di kaya kwento sa Bicol History..kaso iba naman nakasulat sa Philippine History o sa talaan ng US Embassy..eh paano yan? hanggang cbanga na lang ba yan?

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