COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 1)

by
Edelito C. Sangco
http://www.islandlife.me/category/colorum-facts

My earlier posts on “Colorum: Stigma of a Socorronhon” had elicited mixed reactions. Others praised it as a
fine piece of history while some branded it as a hate campaign against the people of the neighboring town of
Dapa.
Let me categorically state that I preferred to start my posts on the subject in that manner to catch the interest
of the present internet-savvy generation of Socorronhons and hopefully would tickle their imagination on the
plight of the people who came ahead of them and for them to appreciate the essence of the words of
George Santayana, a Spanish-born American author of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
who aptly said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
While it is true that I posted the truth that the humiliations suffered by my generations of Socorronhons, and
much more with those older than me, had lighted the fire of animosity on my part against the people of the
said town but that same fire was slowly doused with water as I was able to dig deeper into the story of the
Colorum Uprising. That same story I shall reveal for the first time in this and my future posts, hoping in the
process that today’s generation of Socorronhons would appreciate their forebears and take pride of being
descendants of the Colorum defenders.
It was in 1992 when I attended the Seminar-Workshop on Local History Writing in Placer, Surigao del Norte
sponsored by the Philippine National Historical Society that I found the impetus to start writing the history of
Socorro. The inputs provided by Prof. Leslie Bauzon of the University of the Philippines and Prof. Resil
Mojares of the University of San Carlos’ Cebuano Studies Center had provided me a road map on that
daunting task. But it was the piece “The Powers That Failed: The Story of Colorum Uprising” delivered by
Mr. Fernando Almeda that had sparked my desire to write the story of Colorum Uprising from the viewpoint
of a Colorum descendant. Credit is due to my friend and idol, Euly V. Eleazar of Cantilan, Surigao del Sur,
for giving me valuable information on the output of his previous research work on the subject which my
sources in Socorro failed to provide.
In 1917, scores of families from Leyte belonging to the Cofradia de Sagrado Corzaon de Jesus under the
abbotship of Geraldo “Andoy” Lasala arrived in Socorro, Surigao del Norte,Philippines to seek greener
pasture and live a peaceful and happy island life. The families bearing the surnames Lasala, Eleazar, Dizon,
Sarno, Sabalo, Tapales, Paler, Cadano, Capistrano, Maturan, Yamson, Tamayo, Magallanes, Alvares,
Silong, Timcang, Supangan, Jualo, Bordas, Cubillanes, Quiban, Questeria and Gelsano comprised the
group. The families of Coniato and Buntad were also among the group as they joined the exodus during
their stop-over at Sitio San Jose, Albor town in Dinagat. Due to their devout practices of catholic life,
majority, if not all, local inhabitants decided to join their group including the families of Taruc, Dotillos,
Cordita, Banaybanay, Espuerta, Arco, Alabat, Dumalag and Lagapa. Also the Juanite, Antigro, Sangco,
Telen, Bohol and Tesado families from Pamosaingan decided to join the group. The migrant Galanida,
Galavia, Labe, Ancog. Maisog, Sarong, Lampad and other families from Mainit decided to join the group.
Father Cornelio Berquel of the Parish of Dapa was so appreciative of the group that he frequently visited the
place to officiate Sunday Mass. Learning of the existence of the Cofradia, Fr. Felix Van der Pol of the Parish
of Numancia, where Barrio Pamosaingan then belonged, had trained his sights on the group. In one of his
visits to Barrio Pamosaingan, he invited the Cofradia leader Geraldo “Andoy” Lasala for a dinner meeting.
He then persuaded Lasala to affiliate in the Parish of Numancia, which the later politely turned down citing
potential conflict with Fr. Cornelio Berquel of the Parish of Dapa who was earlier convincing them to affiliate
with his parish. Fr. Van der Pol felt insulted with the thumbing down by Lasala of his invitation. He then
shouted invective words against the hapless Cofradia leader and branded the Cofradia de Sagrado Corazon
de Jesus as “Colorum”, which literally meant “Unregistered.”
Since then, the term “colorum” widely gained acceptance, if not notoriety, among the Numancia and Dapa
parishioners to the extent of branding all the people of Socorro with that derisive name.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 2)

It is worthy to turn back into the pages of Philippine history as it relates to the story of the Colorum Uprising
which happened in Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippines that affected the tranquility of the
townsfolk’s island life.
On August 3, 1902, Isabelo de los Reyes, patriot and revolutionary hero, led the establishment of the
Philippine Independent Church, officially the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), at the Zorilla Theater.The
IFI steadily gained ground and stability with the membership of 60 leading citizens of Navotas, led by Doña
Saturnina Bunda, and 14 influential Filipino priests from various parishes in the country. Among the factors
that led to the founding of the IFI were the centuries-old issue on the secularization of Philippine parishes,
the growth in the number of Filipino clergy, the violation of Council of Trent decisions stipulating that only
members of the clergy should administer parishes, the clamor for the Filipinization of parishes, and the 1896
Philippine Revolution that ended friar dominance in the country. Complementing these development were
the American efforts to quell Filipino armed resistance. Historians recognize the Philippine Independent
Church as a milestone in the history of the Filipino libertarian struggle. The Philippine Independent Church
continues to be a Filipino people’s church, preserving the moral purity and sacredness of Christian
doctrines, eliminating deceptions and misinterpretations, and selecting its own clergymen. Msgr. Gregorio
Aglipay became the Philippine Independent Church’s first chosen Obispo Maximo or Supreme Head. The
Philippine Independent Church has become part of the Old Catholic Utrecht Union/Union of Utrecht
Association of Churches and constitutes the second largest Christian denomination in the Philippines with
approximately two to six million members nationwide and with large congregations as well in the United
States and parts of Asia.
“Philippine Independent Church 107th Foundation Day.(Opinion).” Manila Bulletin. Manila Bulletin Publishing
Corp. 2009. HighBeam Research. 15 Sep. 2010 <http://www.highbeam.com>.
Due to the sudden increase of political power, The Philippine Independent Church strengthened and
intensified their influence towards the masses. Their protagonism for the Filipino Church was finally realized.
In the year 1922, Juan Canete, a.k.a. as Juan Bajao arrived in Socorro upon orders of his friend Felix
Lantayug, who was a close associate of Aglipayan Bishop Montemer. His mission was to pave the way for
the establishment of the Philippine Independent Church in the place. He befriended the Cofradia leaders
with the hope of winning their hearts and eventually embrace the Aglipayan Church. Nevertheless, when he
broached the idea of transferring to the new Church, he was rebuked by the Cofradia leaders notably
Clemente Eleazar, the Secretary of the Cofradia.
In the later part of that same year, Felix Lantayug himself visited the place. Undoubtedly, he possessed a
rare personal quality to arouse fervent popular devotion and enthusiasm, an attribute which is comparable to
the present-day Mike Velarde. When he preached about the doctrines of the Philippine Independent Church,
the fire of nationalism was ignited among the hearts and minds of majority of the Cofradia’s leaders and
members so that they decided to embrace the Aglipayan Church and abandoned their devotion to the
Catholic Church.
Cofradia’s conversion to the Aglipayan Church proved to be the turning point of the history of Socorro.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 3)

The change in the religious denomination of the Cofradia members in Socorro, Surigao del Norte,
Philippines had elicited resistance from prominent leaders of the group which led them to break away from
the Cofradia, abandon island life and migrated to other towns in the mainland Surigao.
But before digging deeper into the story, and in order to give justice to the oppositors of the decision to leave
the Catholic Church, it is just proper to dwell into the what, why and how of resistance so that you can
ascertain the feelings and actuations of the people who rejected the situation.
Resistance: What Is It
Change shakes up the world that a person has come to know and exist well in. This is why people generally
do not appreciate the opportunities presented by change. Instead, they see the threats. There are four core
elements of an individual’s existence in an organization that become disrupted when presented with a major
change, such as that brought about with the implementation of a new system and in this case, the new
Church. Those are commonly referred to as “The Four C’s” – Confidence, Competence, Comfort, and
Control.
Confidence
Loss of what is familiar to a person may create a high degree of uncertainty and anxiety. The individual may
not accept the likelihood that the change will really take hold.
Competence
A change such as the introduction of new technology, business processes, organization designs, etc.
disrupts the status quo. In addition, the established ways of operating and relating to one another are
disrupted. For most people, the transition period from the old way of life to the new way of life is the most
unstable and disruptive. This is when the established ways of working, relating and managing start to break
down at all levels.
Comfort
This is a time when an individual usually focuses on the loss of familiar ways of operating and is concerned
with issues associated with personal safety and security. Fear, caution, and paralysis may keep the
individual from moving toward the new way of doing things, like in this case, the new method of worshipping
Control
As a general rule, people need to feel in control of their lives and personal futures. We like knowing what is
expected of us and knowing how to do things. Whether or not an individual likes the way things currently
are, the status quo offers the security and comfort of established lines of power and authority, familiar
processes and tools, and clear expectations. In short, it offers stability and predictability.
Resistance: Why Is It
Change has a look and feel that can be identified. These telltale signs will tell you why there is resistance,
which generally fall into one of two categories – Ability or Willingness.
Typical Ability issues that cause people to resist because being “able” depends on having specific
knowledge, resources, and a workable environment include: Lack of knowledge and procedures; Inadequate
training on new systems; Lack of teamwork knowledge or skills and; Poor cross-functional communications
and relationships.
Willingness issues are ones that cause people to resist by blocking their readiness to emotionally invest in
the initiative and include: The current state is fine. Why change?
Resistance: How Is It
There are two kinds of resistance – overt and covert.
Overt resistance will frequently surface as unrestricted comments made by a resistor in a rather public
forum. Depending upon the individual’s level of influence with others, such an act of overt resistance can be
very harmful. If left unanswered, others may be swayed to the resistor’s position and may join in resisting.
Private, covert demonstrations of resistance can be more damaging than public ones. These private
instances range from an individual making no effort to learn about the implementation of the new system
(e.g., not attending meetings), to a quiet talk among two or more peers, to a message delivered by a leader
in a private meeting. Covert resistance can be especially dangerous because it may gain significant
momentum before it is surfaced.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 4)

It was both the overt and covert resistance to the change from their usual catholic way of life to the
Philippine Independent Church that defined the history of the Colorum Uprising in Socorro, Surigao del
Norte, Philippines, a story that has shaped the island life of the people of the place.
It was Clemente Eleazar, the Secretary General of the Cofradia de Sagrado Corazon de Jesus who publicly
resisted the idea in a public meeting called to discuss the merits and demerits of transferring to the new-
found Church. There was a heated debate that occurred as both the proponents, led by the Cofradia leader
Gerardo “Andoy” Lasala and the oppositors, led by Eleazar passionately presented their arguments.
As expected, Lasala’s arguments prevailed over that of Eleazar’s and the decision was formally made to
abandon the Catholic Church and embrace the doctrines of the Philippine Independent Church.
Subsequently, Eleazar and some loyal sympathizers broke away from the Cofradia and migrated to Cantilan
town in the mainland Surigao.
But it was the covert resistance to the decision to embrace the new Church that became a spark of the
Colorum Uprising.
Unknown to Lasala and other Cofradia leaders, some resistors in the person of Romano Arco, Genaro
Sabalo and Bertoldo Paler had made secret meetings with Fr. Cornelio Berquel, Catholic Parish Priest of
Dapa who, expectedly, was enraged with the decision of the Cofradia to break away from the mother
church. Eventually, they were made as spies of the catholic priest to monitor all the activities of the cofradia
and its new-found congregation.
Meanwhile, the Cofradia continued with its usual Church activities when they were still under the Roman
Catholic Church such as the holding of two prayer meetings per day, the first being done every three o’clock
in the afternoon which they called “completas”(completeness) and the second being done every seven
o’clock in the evening, which they called “pagdayeg” (praise). It is to be noted that such church services,
usually led by the lay leaders locally termed “decorions” were sanctioned, and even praised to high heavens,
by Fr. Cornelio Berquel when the Cofradia was still within the fold of the catholic faith. In fact, there were
many instances that Fr. Berquel himself would officiate mass in time for the said prayer meetings.
Nevertheless, as animosity had already occurred between Fr. Berquel and the Cofradia, the said priest was
already feeling suspicious on the prayer meetings of the group. Worst, he branded such prayer meetings as
activities attributable to cults.
Armed with fabricated testimonies of his spies in Socorro, Fr. Berquel alerted the civil and military authorities
that a “Colorum” movement has been hatched in the place to rebel against the government.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 5)

It was the persistent and unfounded reports fed by Fr. Cornelio Berquel, Catholic Parish Priest of Dapa, that
sent alarmed bells to the civil and military authorities that a rebel “colorum” movement had been hatched
in Bucas Grande Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippines purposely to fight against the Philippine
government, a charge which seriously threatened the peaceful island life of the inhabitants.
True to the priest’s design, the police and military authorities were alarmed with the reports. Police and
constables assigned in the neighboring towns of Dapa and Numancia inSiargao Island were dispatched at
random to the island to conduct investigations only to find out that the islanders were law-abiding, God-
fearing and true followers of Christ. Yet, despite their innocence, a number of local inhabitants fall victims of
atrocities committed by the law enforcers who still adhere to the Guardia Civil-type of treating suspects in
investigations. The law enforcers also maltreated the elders of the island, especially those whom they
suspected to be members of the secret “colorum” group to the extent of kicking them with their boots and
hitting them with their rifle’s butt. In Pamosaingan, they stopped a Sunday mass, ordered all the people to go
outside of the church and divested all the scapulars and religious, including antique, articles. Afterwards,
they piled them on the ground and burned it in full view of the stunned parishioners.
In the capital town of Surigao, Captain Valentin Juan, the Provincial Commander of thePhilippine
Constabulary, regarded the islanders with deep suspicion. He was convinced that indeed, there was a plot
being hatched in Bucas Grande Island against the government. As early as July of 1923, he had sent
telegrams to Manila saying that migration of land seekers from Leyte was heavy. He did not indicate for a
possibility of an armed outbreak, but the captain asked for the prosecution of the Colorums who, he said,
were deceiving and swindling the ignorant people, professing all kinds of supernatural powers, including that
of healing the sick.
He assigned agents to spy on the Colorums, but the move turned out to be a fatal blunder as they
committed the same atrocities against the local elders.
Captain Valentin Juan himself visited the island to conduct investigation. Upon reaching the place, he made
a courtesy call at the house of Pablo Lagapa, the Barrio Lieutenant. When he inquired about the reported
“colorum” rebel movement being hatched in Socorro, Mr. Lagapa explained that the alleged group never
existed in the place. Capt. Juan was so enraged that he had severely beaten and manhandled the Barrio
Lieutenant thereby causing the hapless victim to vomit with blood.
Afterwards, Capt. Valentin Juan proceeded to Barrio Pamosaingan where he met Martin Telen and Diego
Juanite and investigated them about the existence of the colorum group. As expected, the two had denied
the existence of such group. Again, Capt. Juan manhandled the pair in front of the barrio people.
Then the Provincial Commander returned to Socorro and proceeded to the wharf where his boat was
docked. Just as he was about to board his boat, he chanced upon Melchor Consigna who was gleaning
within the vicinity of the boat. Subsequently, he ordered the old man to come on board and investigated him
on the alleged rebel movement. When Consigna fearfully denied the presence of such secret group, he was
repeatedly beaten and, not content with the blood oozing from the victims mouth, he held the old man’s feet
and trusted the victem’s head into the sea waters, an act resembling the torture committed upon the Saint
Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 6)

Albino Lagapa, who was a student in Loboc, Bohol and son of Barrio Lieutenant Pablo Lagapa, went home
to Bucas Grande Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippines upon hearing the news that his father was
being manhandled by the law enforcement officers. Likewise, Jose Juanite, a student in Cebu City, went
home also upon learning that his siblings were castigated in Barrio Pamosaingan. Their return to the island
proved to be another milestone in the history of the Colorum Uprising which affected the island life of the
Socorronhons.
It was a fine Sunday morning that a group of men led by Constable Private Pedro Taloc were having a
coconut wine, locally termed “tuba”, drinking spree at the sari-sari store of Mariano Alvares exactly at the
site where Cindy Eva Store now rises. The soldier was part of a two-man team being left behind by Capt.
Valentin Juan to continue with the investigation.
As the soldier peeped through the store’s window, he chanced upon Albino Lagapa who was walking past
the pair of coconut trunk being utilized as cat walk en route to the barrio proper from Sitio Puyangi. When
Lagapa reached the vicinity of the store, the Constable noticed that he was sporting a sharp-pointed bolo
locally termed “lambitan” tucked on his back with the handle positioned at the back of his neck as it was
customary of the local men in those times to sport such weapon for self-defense purposes.
Subsequently, Private Taloc, who was already under the influence of the local wine, accosted the young
man and asked if indeed he was the son of the Barrio Lieutenant who was rumored to have gone home to
take revenge on the plight of his father who had suffered brutalities in the hands of the soldiers. Lagapa tried
to explain to the lawman that he was coming home just to know the real score in preparation for his plan to
file a formal complaint with the military authorities and convinced the law enforcer that he had no plan to
take revenge. But Taloc had continued to become rude in his remarks against the young student. Albino, in
his efforts to appease the enraged soldier, raised his hands as a gesture of surrender. But the soldier took
Lagapa’s act as a preparatory move to get his sharp-pointed bolo thereby pushing the lawman to aim his
gun towards the later. Just as Taloc was about to fire his gun, Lagapa got his “lambitan” in a quick as
flash manner and managed to hack the soldier’s neck causing his instantaneous demise.
Afterwards, Pacio Quisada and Ciriaco Timcang, who were close friends of Albino Lagapa and who had
witnessed the incident, ran at full speed towards Sitio Tugop where Private Francisco Cabacas was taking a
bath. After a short altercation, Quisada thrusted his “lambitan” on the lawman’s chest causing the latter’s
death. Subsequently, Ciriaco Timcang chopped the soldier’s head.
After the incident, words were spreading like wildfire in the province of Surigao that the “colorums” in
Socorro were already taking up arms against the government.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 7)

Fanning the fire on the story of the colorums taking up arms against the government was an uncalled for
incident that happened in Barrio Pamosaingan during the Christmas time of 1923, an event which helped
ignite the Colorum Uprising that greatly affected the island lifeof the people of Bucas
Grande Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippines.
It was during a fine late afternoon that Jose Juanite, together with his buddies Placido Rafol and Martin
Telen were chatting at the Pamosaingan barrio wharf while enjoying the sight of the horizon turning to
crimson and orange as the sun was slowly buried into the bosom of the ocean. They were happily recalling
the days of their boyhood, when, after an exhaustive playing sessions, they would retire to the wharf and
enjoy watching the sunset. At that moment, Placido Cariaga, a policeman from the nearby town of Numancia
(now Del Carmen), together with three companions, arrived the scene. Cariaga then hurled insults at Juanite
whom he accused of coming home from his studies in Cebu to take revenge against the law enforcers who
manhandled his siblings. At the start, Juanite and company just ignored the acts of the strangers as they
were apparently drank. Nevertheless, the insults turned to serious as the lawman drew his gun and aimed
the weapon at Juanite. An altercation ensued which developed into a full-blown encounter resulting to the
death of the policeman and his companions, who later turned out to be agents planted by Capt. Valentin
Juan to spy on the activities of the colorums.
The Chief of Police of Dapa named Pedro Uriarte was saddened upon hearing the news of the death of the
constables and policemen in the hands of the cofradia members. In fact, he had second thoughts on the
veracity of the reports for he personally knew Andoy Lasala, the cofradia leader, as a virtuous man. It is
worthy to mention that Uriarte was the policed chief of Cagdianao in Dinagat Island when the cofradia made
a stopover in the said place en route to Bucas Grande. Their short encounter in Cagdianao had paved the
way for the development of an enduring friendship between Uriarte and Lasala.
The Dapa police official then embarked on a mission to go to Socorro to personally see Lasala and get first
hand information on the incident straight from the mouth of his friend. Nevertheless, Uriarte committed the
biggest blunder of his life because he miserably failed to send advance notice to Lasala about his impending
visit to the island.
Accompanied by a police man and three prisoners, Uriarte arrived at Socorro wharf on board a sail boat.
Nevertheless, the men guarding the wharf, who were apprehensive of any military personnel visiting the
place, swarmed the sail boat before it can position in the docking area and killed Uriarte, his police
companion, and one of the three prisoners. The two prisoners, who had managed to escape from the wrath
of the wharf guards, commandeered a non-motorized boat and paddled their way to Dapa and reported the
incident to the civil, military and church authorities.
The incident, which happened without the knowledge of Lasala, had helped reinforce the story that indeed
that people of Socorro were already on a combative mode against the government.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 8)

The untoward incidents in Bucas Grande Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippineshad cemented the
resolve of Capt. Valentin Juan, the Provincial Commander of thePhilippine Constabulary, Surigao Provincial
Command to pound the colorums into pieces to the extent of disturbing the island life of the inhabitants.
On January 7, 1924, Capt. Valentin Juan together with his combat men, left Surigao City on board the gun
boat M/B Captain Clark. Their destination was Barrio Pamosaingan located in the western part of Bucas
Grande Island with the mission of neutralizing the colorum rebels at all cost. It is worthy to mention that the
boat they were using was named after the American Military official Capt. Clark Lewis who was killed by
Captain Adriano Concepcion in the two-year rebellion that occurred in Surigao in 1902-03.
Captain Juan’s fleet had made a stopover and stayed overnight in the town of Gigaquit before proceeding to
Numancia to fetch Aurelio Apostial, the Chief of Police of that town as Barangay Pamosaingan was under
his area of responsibility. They arrived Pamosaingan right after lunch time of January 8 of the mentioned
year.
The boat had find difficulty to dock at the barrio wharf because the tide was at its lowest ebb. Hence, Capt.
Juan shouted to the men in Pamosaingan to fetch the soldiers and carry the lawmen in their shoulders.
However, Jose Juanite, who was with the group of men gathered in the house of Cayetano Antigro, shouted
back that the law men could utilize the small boats on board their gun boat. The Provincial Commander was
enraged but he cannot help but wait until the tide would rise. After two hours of waiting, all of the military
men, except the Numancia police chief and the machinist Sgt. Garde, boarded their small banca and moved
slowly towards the shore. As they were nearing the shorelines, Lt. Juan Guillermo, the aide de camp of
Capt. Valentin Juan, ordered his men to alight and wade through the knee-deep waters while the Provincial
Commander just remained in the banca.
Subsequently, Lt. Juan Guillermo ordered for an assault at the group of men in the house of Cayetano
Antigro resulting to the instantaneous death of eight persons including the house owner. As a spontaneous
reaction to the death of their comrades, Jose Juanite ordered for a counterattack against the soldiers which
signaled the onset of the gruesome battle between the guns of the attackers against the spears and sharp-
pointed bolos (lambitan) of the defenders. Though lacking in arms and ammunitions and unmindful with the
sight of their fallen fellow islanders, the Pamosaingan defenders were determined to repel the attackers as
they vigorously pursued their counter attack in waves.
Indeed, it was proven that there is might in courage and determination as the aggressors had fallen into the
shore lines one after the other.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 9)

The sight of the death of the advancing soldiers in the hands of the “colorum” defenders during a skirmish in
Barrio Pamosaingan, in Bucas Grande Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippines in the afternoon of
January 8, 1924 had terrified the other military men serving as onlookers of the encounter because never
had they imagined that the locals, who were used to a peaceful island life, were that brave and determined
to stand their ground in defending their beloved island.
Sensing that the military men were about to be subdued by the colorums, Miguel Borja one of the boatmen
of the bancas boarded by the military men, hurriedly turned the boat back and paddled his way out of the
vicinity of the combat.
Capt. Valentin Juan, the Constabulary Provincial Commander, who had already started wading through the
waters, retreated towards one of the floating bancas. Nevertheless, Diego Juanite chased him and they
engaged in a one-on-one encounter on board the banca resulting to the death of Diego. In his desire to
spare his life from the wrath of the colorum defenders, Capt. Juan laid down beside the dead body of Juanite
pretending to be dead as the banca had slowly been drifted by the current away from the site of the
encounter.
Nevertheless, two of the colorum defenders Fernando Tesado and Juan Altraca swam and chased the
drifted banca and upon reaching thereat, simultaneously stabbed the Provincial Commander’s chest and
stomach using their lambitan. Gorgnio Timcang also swam towards the boat and cut Capt. Juan’s head
using his scythe. Afterwards, they pushed the banca towards the high seas.
Meanwhile, three constables Sergeants Gruiar, Estrada and Tecson, were able to escape from the hands of
the local defenders by swimming towards M/B Captain Clark gun boat. Estrada hid at one of the exposed
coral reef taking cover for his two companions who struggled their way to be on board. Afterwards, the three
of them took turns in shooting the defenders who chased them on board their paddle boats resulting to
massive casualties on the side of the colorums. Pushed by extreme fear, the machinist Sgt. Garde started
the engine and ran it at full speed though the anchor was not yet hauled up resulting for the gun boat to go
merry-go-round until Estrada had maneuvered to ride on the boat and cut the rope using his bayonet. Thus
the four constabulary men and the Numancia police chief turned out as the only survivors of that
unfoertunate encounter.
As the smoke of the battle had cleared, a total of sixteen constabulary men led by Capt. Valentin Juan and
Lt. Juan Guillermo were the casualties on the side of the government while forty eight colorum defenders led
by Jose Juanite were killed during the encounter. The bodies of the Provincial Commander and Diego
Juanite were drifted to the capital of Surigao where they were buried while other casualties were buried right
in the heart of Barrio Pamosaingan.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART

10)

Various stories came out as an aftermath of the encounter in Barrio Pamosaingan, in Bucas Grande Island,
Socorro, Surigao Province, Philippines in that unfortunate afternoon of January 8, 1924. Some accounts
were having an iota of truth but the others were tainted with exaggerations that reshaped the image of the
peaceful island life of the Socorronhons.
The Elizalde-owned El Debate Newspaper in its January 9, 1924 issue came out with a story that 100
fanatics attacked the soldiers in retaliation of the death of their comrades. The Manila Times also came out
with the story that 1,000 colorums killed eighteen soldiers. The New York Times of the United States of
America in its January 11, 1924 issue came out with a story: “Mindanao Fanatics Killed Troopers.” Varied
accounts of the encounter were raised in the newspapers but they were one in saying that the first shot
came from the soldiers. Sensationalization and enlargement of stories beyond bounds were normal
occurrence in some newspaper accounts, but the most exaggerated of all stories about the event was the
news that; “the colorums were like madmen feasting on the hearts of the fallen soldiers.”
The civil authorities in Surigao province were rattled on the unverified accounts of the incident. Provincial
Governor Pedro C. Coleto, who first decided to go along with Capt. Valentin Juan in the trip to Barrio
Pamosaingan but backed out in the last minute, sent a wire to Governor-General Wood, Chief Executive of
the Philippines under the American Commonwealth and asked for immediate deployment of troops to
Surigao for fear that the capital town would be attacked by the colorums. Further, former Assemblyman
Inocencio Cortes wired Surigao Representative Clementino V. Diez in Manila to inform the later on the
dangerous peace and order situation in Surigao because of the imminent attack by the colorums. Such
telegram was furnished to the various newspaper establishments and radio stations in Manila which served
as basis of the exaggerated accounts of the encounter. According to Cortes, “more than one thousand
colorums were up in arms in Barrio Pamosaingan and Socorro only. Further, he said that in other parts of
the province, there were sixty fanatics in Cabuntog (now General Luna) under the leadership of Felix
Lantayug, Alejandro Lasala and Juan Bajao; there were eighty who were hiding in Sitio Puyo and in other
parts of the towns of Gigaquit and Bacuag; six hundred were under the command of Juan Ramoso and
another large group under the command of Juan Basmayor and Benito Maisog converged in Barrio
Timamana in between the towns of Placer and Tubod in the mainland, ready to attack the capital town of
Surigao.”
Such exaggerated news had helped fan the fire of unfounded stories that madmen in Bucas Grande Island,
Socorro, Surigao province were already on a warpath against the government.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 11)

The lack of crisis management competence of the local authorities in Surigao to handle the unrest in Bucas
Grande Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippines which disturbed the normal island life of its
inhabitants, had helped aggravate the situation more so that they based their action on unverified reports.
The wire of former Assemblyman Inocencio Cortes to Surigao Representative Clementino V. Diez in Manila,
which served as basis for exaggerated news on the incident, was tainted with exaggerations. For one
reason, Lantayug, Lasala and Bajao were all based in Socorro but they were not engaged in religious
fanaticism. Secondly, when the unrest broke out, Lantayug was nowhere to be found in Socorro nor in any
part of the Surigao province as he was already in Calbayug, Samar. It was only Lasala, a virtuous and God-
fearing leader who was in Socorro during that time. The notion that there were formidable colorum forces
fomenting a revolution were just products of extreme fear by the provincial officials who were not used at
handling similar situations.
At last, the national government of the Philippines under the American Commonwealth was convinced that
there was an emergency in Surigao and a striking force was dispatched to contain it. The patrol gunship
USS Sacramento (PG-19) called the “Galloping Ghost of theChina Coast” left the port of Cavite with one
hundred Constabulary officers and men and a Marine machine gun team on board under the command of
the former Philippine Military Academy Superintendent Lt. Col. Clarence H. Bowers. The US Coast Guard
Cutter “Polilio” was ordered to depart from the port of Tacloban to support the patrol gunship. The USS
Sacramento traveled to Bucas Grande Island carrying the orders of General Rafael Crame, Constabulary
Chief, to attack all colorum bases in the island. The gunship commander Lt. Frank Jack Fletcher had
separate orders from Admiral Thomas Washington, Commander In Chief, Asiatic Fleet (CINCAF) to
investigate the serious uprising of the colorums and submit a separate confidential report about the incident.
The presidential yacht named “Apo” was told to proceed to Iligan and ferry the 15th Constabulary Company
to the site of the unrest. The men of the Sulu Expeditionary Forces under the command of Col. Ole Maloe
and Major Stevens left their Jolo station and went to Camp Overton in Zamboanga with Surigao as their
destination.
Bowers’ troops arrived in the western side of Bucas Grande Island and docked at Barrio Pamosaingan but
found the place to be deserted. Hence, he decided to proceed to Socorro located in the eastern side of the
island.
It was early morning of January 22, 1924 when the USS Sacramento dropped anchors in front of Socorro
but later on decided to proceed to the neighboring town of Dapa. Col. Bowers had sent three letters
demanding the surrender of Albino Lagapa, the colorum leader, but the later flatly declined it. For the fourth
time, Col. Bowers sent a 24-hour ultimatum for the colorums to surrender, otherwise, Socorro would be
attacked at six o’clock in the morning of Wednesday, January 25, 1924. However, the colorums held their
ground and maintained their decision not to surrender.
Alarmed by the ultimatum, Gerardo “Andoy” Lasala, the cofradia leader, ordered the evacuation of all
women, children and the elderly to SitioLubong Dako and in Pig-ot within the vicinity of Barrio Sudlon.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 12)

The order of evacuation for the children, women and elderly to Lubong Dako and Sitio Pig-ot in Barrio
Sudlon had brought countless miseries to the usually peaceful island life of the children, women and elderly
of Bucas Grande Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte,Philippines.
On the other hand, the able-bodied men were busy planning and executing their defense plan. They divided
their forces into four combat units with each group serving as line of defense. The first unit, under the
command of colorum leader Albino Lagapa and assisted by his brother Clemente Lagapa and an aide
Aurelio Supangan, was stationed right within the vicinity of the wharf. Further, the second unit, headed by
Silvino Aliling was stationed inside the church, which is now the central portion of the town plaza near the
monument of Dr. Jose P. Rizal. Furthermore, the third unit under the leadership of Pedro Intsik was
stationed at the nipa plantation on the western side of the barrio, which is now the site of the house of Mr.
Mario Mascardo. Finally, a unit was deployed atop “guwardiyahan,” an uphill narrow passageway towards
Sitio Lubo intended as escape route when the combatants would retreat from the encounter. Huge fox holes
were dug in each of the three stations in the barrio proper of Socorro while large boulders were gathered
atop “guwardiyahan” ready to be rolled over the narrow passageway in case the attackers would pursue the
retreating defenders.
Crude and weak the colorums’ defense plan might be, to be executed by untrained combatants with weak
weaponry, but their bravery and determination to defend their beloved island were beyond question.
At exactly five o’clock in the morning of January 25, 1924, the patrol gunship USS Sacramento dropped
anchors at the place where the locals called “sabangan” in front of Socorro. On board a wooden canoe, Lt.
Col. Clarence H. Bowers, leader of the constabulary and marine striking force and Lt. Frank Jack Fletcher,
patrol gunship commander, together with their men docked at the shorelines to conduct reconnaissance but
they were met with deafening silence and overwhelming calmness of the environs as the colorum defenders
were just watching every details of the attackers movements.
An account of Aurelio Supangan, the aide of colorum leader Albino Lagapa stationed within the first line of
defense in the barrio wharf had this to say: “The soldiers canoe docked at the shorelines fronting Socorro.
After disembarking, the men in uniform frantically ran towards the coconut plantations with each and
everyone of them hiding behind the coconut trees. We were nervously waiting for their assault, as what was
being done by the soldiers at Pamosaingan in the past 8th of January. However, we noticed that they were
hesitant to come out of the open. Instead, they hurriedly ran away and boarded back to their canoe and
speeded towards the gunship.”
Candidly, it is still a mystery until nowadays on the rationale behind the decision of the constabulary and
navy commanders to refuse direct confrontation with the poorly armed and untrained colorum defenders.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 13)

The decision of Lt. Col. Clarence H. Bowers to withhold the assault had puzzled the colorum defenders who
were not used to combat operations but were plain citizens enjoying a peaceful island life in Bucas Grande
Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippines.
Upon boarding back at the USS Sacramento, Lt. Frank Jack Fletcher, the patrol gunship commander,
immediately wired Admiral Thomas Washington, Commander In Chief, Asiatic Fleet (CINCAF) and
requested for permission to bombard Socorro by means of shelling. Subsequently, with the go signal of the
CINCAF, Lt. Fletcher fired 4-inch Mortar Battery with the barrio proper as enemy target.
My grand mother Eugenia Bohol-Sangco, who was assigned as cook for the colorum defenders, had this
account on the shelling incident: “It was six o’clock in the morning, more or less, of January 25, 1924 while
in the company of my fellow women-cooks being stationed at a dirty kitchen situated within the vicinity of the
fox hole in the nipa plantations on the western side of the barrio proper when we heard a thunderous sound
followed by a loud blast on the ground near our station. The impact was so extreme that my ears almost
blew up. The coconut trees caught within the blast site were either cut or caught fire. The bombardment
lasted for four hours, more or less.”
Sensing that the attackers were engaged in siege warfare, Silvino Aliling the leader of the second line of
defense stationed in the church situated at the heart of the barrio, who was tasked to sound his shell trumpet
locally termed “budiong” to signal the counterattack against the intruders, had realized the futility of their
stand. Instead of sounding his “budiong,” he sent men to pass the words for their retreat towards the
escape route hoping to lure the remaining men of Col. Bowers hiding in the coconut trees to chase them
towards “Guwardiyahan.” Nevertheless, his retreat order failed to reach Albino Lagapa, the colorum leader
because his station was the target of intense mortar fire from the gunship. In effect, only the men from both
the second and third line of defenses were able to retreat leaving the men of Lagapa stationed in the first
line of defense to face the attackers.
After the four-hour bombardment, the constabulary men of Col. Bowers backed up by a machine gun unit of
the Marines, advanced towards the barrio proper ready to wipe out any remnants of the shelling.
Nevertheless, they were welcomed by fires of resistance from the colorum defenders under the command of
Lagapa. A fierce face to face battle ensued for more than three hours between the highly trained and
sophistically armed soldiers against the untrained colorum defenders who were only using the short and
long arms confiscated from the fallen soldiers during the January 8 skirmish at Barrio Pamosaingan. It was
only during the time when an enemy bullet hit the left arm piercing through the chest of Albino Lagapa that
the colorum resistance ended.

COLORUM UPRISING: THE UNTOLD STORY (PART 14)

Despite lack of training and weak weaponry, the colorum defenders, who were just plain citizens used to
peaceful island life in Bucas Grande Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte,Philippines, stood their ground in
defending their beloved island from the advancing constables backed up by US Marines. Armed with the
U.S. Krag-Jørgensen variant M1899 Constabulary carbine model built for use in the Philippines, which the
colorum defenders had confiscated from the fallen soldiers in an earlier encounter in barrio Pamosiangan,
the locals relentlessly fought against the attackers.
The account of Aurelio Supangan, close aide of colorum leader Albino Lagapa vividly described the event,
thus: “It was ten o’clock in the morning, more or less, of January 25, 1924, after the patrol gunship was
through with bombarding the barrio proper, we saw a small banca sailing from the gunship towards the sea
shore with soldiers and a machine gun on board. Then they were joined by the soldiers who were hiding
behind the coconut trees. The troopers then advanced towards our position, the ones carrying the machine
gun first and followed by the rest. The twenty of us stationed in the first line of defense waited for them. As
the attackers neared our station, our leader Albino Lagapa, ordered us to aim our loaded rifles and fired
towards the advancing troopers. I didn’t know the exact bullets I fired but I was sure I had hit enemy targets.
Our face to face battle lasted for more than three hours until our leader was hit with an enemy bullet in his
left arm which pierced into his chest. We stopped firing and immediately retreated carrying our wounded
leader. Clemente Lagapa, who was carrying his brother in his shoulders, was hit by an enemy bullet in his
back causing him to fall. Immediately, I took the cudgels in carrying our leader in my shoulders while
Clemente was carried by another companion as others were covering us in order to delay the advancing
soldiers. As we entered into the woods, the soldiers stopped advancing and allowed us to escape. Our
leader then tapped my back signaling me to stop. I laid his body beside a spring and in a broken voice he
uttered the following words: “My life is about to end comrades. You who would be left behind, carry on the
fight. Those who would be lucky enough to survive this onslaught, tell your children and your children’s
children to fight for truth and justice.” My heart almost broke out as I witnessed the last breath of our beloved
leader. We then dug a hole where we laid him to rest. Afterwards, we retreated towards Lubong Dako
carrying with us the wounded Clemente Lagapa.”
Little did I know that the spring we used to drink water with during our bird sling shooting sessions in our
elementary days, situated a few meters away from the house of Cirilo Esaga in Sitio Caitan, Barangay
Navarro, was the burial ground of the fallen colorum leader.
As the battle’s smoke cleared, Albino Lagapa turned out to be the lone casualty on the colorum side.
According to the accounts of other writers chronicling the event, there was no casualty on the government
side- a story strongly objected by a colorum defender’s son who actually saw the body of the fallen soldiers.

COLORUM!: THE STIGMA OF A SOCORRONHON

(PART 1)
by
Edelito C. Sangco

It was early in the morning of the first day of my Grade III school break, hence vacation month, of 1975 that
my mother told me to get ready for we will be going to Siargao to engage in “pamulig,” a local term for
assisting in rice harvesting of someone else’s field, getting in the process a share of one-tenth of the
harvest made. Our destination was the farm of Manoy Conrad, my eldest brother, situated at Sitio Sosyo,
Barangay Roxas in San Isidro, one of the towns situated in Siargao Island, Province of Surigao del Norte,
Philippines.
Immediately, I packed my clothing including of course, my favorite “kasing” or top which I always tuck in my
short’s side pocket. I was excited for the trip because it was my first time traveling to that land which others
call ”Poblacion.” While we were on board the onlypassenger boat in town named “M/B Apron” owned and
operated by Ingko Jose Alabat, I was imagining what sight was awaiting for me at the town of Dapa.
When our boat was approaching towards the port, I noticed the surge of children running towards
our docking area. As we disembarked, the children took turns in laughing and taunting at us. . . “Colorum!
Colorum! Taga-Above! Taga-Above! Pinadaya! Pinadaya! ”Sensing that I was surprised with what had
happened and knowing that I didn’t understand what the children were saying, my mother held my left hand
firmly and towed me towards the waiting passenger jeepney as the gleeful children were following us. The
event resembled that of a parade and as if we, the disembarking passengers coming from Socorro, were
the majorettes followed by children-buglers harping the tune of CO..LO..RUM! CO..LO..RUM!
I was about to ask my mother about the event but she signaled at me to keep quite as she glanced at the
non-Socorronhon passengers of the jeepney who were looking at us until we reached and dropped off at
Barrio Roxas. While we were taking a walk towards Sitio Sosyo, I finally found time to ask my mother on the
actuations of the children towards us. However, my mother said: “Titing, you are still too young to
comprehend the story behind. Don’t you worry, as you grow older, you got to know about the real thing.”
Candidly, such event had left a big question mark on my young inquisitive mind, more so that it was the first
time in my island life that I experienced such event more so that it was not the way we children greet visitors
in our beloved town of Socorro, Surigao del Norte,Philippines. Thanks God!, I never experienced the same
circumstance again as that was my first and last trip as a young boy to Siargao Island.
Little did I know that a similar situation would happen to me in the later years of myelementary life.

COLORUM!: THE STIGMA OF A SOCORRONHON

(PART 2)

It was in the early part of 1924 that the Colorum Uprising broke out in Socorro, Surigao del
Norte, Philippines, wherein, the local defenders fought against the mighty government forces under the
American Commonwealth led by Governor-General Leonard Wood. After that event, the Socorronhons
became the object of ridicule among the people from the neighboring towns especially Dapa and the capital
town of Surigao. Absurd and demeaning words were taunted at a lowly Socorronhon like Colorum; Taga-
Above and Pinadayawhenever he or she steps in the above towns’ soils. It was only in the recent years that
the taunting had stopped, thanks to the people of Socorro themselves who strived hard to excel in all
aspects of island life to prove that they are worthy of respect.
My blogs on the matter are not intended to open healed wounds, though not that healed completely as
instances of prejudice still occasionally cropping up until nowadays, but just to tell you how our generation
suffered such humiliations and how we coped with such situations more so that such taunting had a big
impact on my life and the way I viewed the people of the said town.
When I was in Grade VI, I was so lucky to have been selected as one of the delegates to the
6th National Boy Scout Jamboree held in Malagos, Davao City in December, 1977. We were sixteen boy
scouts picked from selected schools in Socorro, being divided into (2) patrols with me serving as
Senior Patrol Leader.
We were billeted in Camp Callejo together with the scouts from various schools in Siargao Island. To
comprise into a full troop, two (2) patrols of boy scouts from Dapa were merged with the two (2) patrols from
Socorro. I was told by one of our two Socorro Scout Masters, Sir Canor Galanida, the other being Sir
Nanding Piao, that I was already selected as the Senior Patrol Leader of the troop. Nevertheless, just as I
was about to assume the post, a Scout Master from Dapa insisted that a certain scout also from the said
town, whose name I still remember but chose not to mention here, should be the Senior Patrol Leader
because I was too small to command respect from the scouts. I was appeased by Sir Canor and Sir Nanding
to just accept because it was a common situation in Siargao Division that Socorronhons were being looked
down. Hence, I just bowed my head in submission.
Afterwards, the Senior Patrol Leader blew his whistle signaling the fall in. We were forming into four lines. I
belong to the second line the third line being occupied by Dapa scouts. Hence, to my left was my new-found
friend Alex Galo of Barangay Nueva Estrella in Socorro and to my right was a scout from Dapa whom I know
as a son of a prominent practicing lawyer in the said town. Just as we were marching at the tune of the
Senior Patrol Leader’s whistle, I heard the scout to my right repeatedly uttering the word: “CO-LO-RUM! CO-
LO-RUM! At first the taunting was a little bit slower but it got lauder and louder as the other Dapa scouts
were laughing. It was then that Alex Galo punched the naughty boy’s face causing him to fall into the pit we
dug for rubbish. Alex was already holding his scout’s knife when I and my fellow scouts from Socorro took
turns in embracing and appeasing him.
When we returned to our tent, I was talking intimately with Alex about the situation. His face got reddish, his
teeth started grinding, teardrops started oozing out of his eyes and, in a cracked voice, he said:
“Nakatamay ra gajud na taga Dapa nato taga Socorro. Kada adto naho sa Siargao, ila rako singgitan ug
Colorum!.”(Those people from Dapa were really looking down at us Socorronhons. Everytime I went to
Siargao, they were always taunting me as Colorum.) I didn’t have the impulse to hold back my tears as I
listened emphatically to the tales of my friend.
Immediately, I approached Sir Canor and Sir Nanding and asked them why is it that they are taunting us as
Colorums? To my dismay, my scout masters just told me that I am still too young to understand the real
story.
Since then, I made a vow to myself that when I grow up, I shall dig the story behind. Nevertheless, before I
was able to dig deeper into the story myself, the fire of animosity towards the townsfolk humiliating us had
already engulfed in my psyche, a fire that was doused with gasoline every time I heard stories of a lowly
Socorronhon being taunted and humiliated in the said town.