Bulacan town honors little-known revolutionary hero

BULAKAN, Bulacan— Bulakan officials last week commemorated the 150th birth anniversary of a revolutionary hero, whom the new generation needs to know again: Gen. Anacleto “Matanglawin” Enriquez. 

Bulakan Mayor Vergel Meneses led a wreath-laying ceremony before the hero’s bust inside the San Francisco Elementary School on Friday.

Enriquez was born on September 25, 1876, and was killed in battle at the age of 20 years old inside the San Rafael town church along with hundreds of revolutionary troops and civilians 129 years ago on Nov. 30, 1896.

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Enriquez led the Balangay Uliran Philippine Revolutionary forces in Bulacan against the Spanish Army in what may be one of the bloodiest conflicts of note during the initial uprisings against Spanish control, according to a lecture given by historian, Professor Roberto “Beto” Reyes, and organized by Kabesera Inc., the heritage, cultural and historical group of Bulakan. 

According to Reyes and the accounts of scholars, Spanish forces armed with bayonets stormed the church at around noon and killed Balangay Uliran members and hundreds of civilians trapped with them. Balangay Uliran had retreated to the church following a series of battle skirmishes. The conflict supposedly left ankle-deep blood splattered across church grounds. 

He chose to be a revolutionary

At twenty, Matanglawin did not embrace the upper-class status of their family. 

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Matanglawin was named after his grandfather Anacleto, a Spanish leader and son of Spaniard Rafael Enriquez. His grandmother on his mother Petrona’s side of the family was Monica Gatmaitan, the first cousin of Blasa Gatmaitan, the mother of Marcelo H. Del Pilar.

“He had the opportunity to benefit from the wealth of his family, but he chose to lead a revolutionary troop at his young age. He is good in talking to people, enhancing members, strengthening the organization,” said Reyes, who referred to Matanglawin as “Lolo Etoy.” Reyes is the grandson of Judge Bonifacio Enriquez, Matanglawin’s younger brother.

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Reyes said he learned many accounts of Matanglawin from tales shared by his grandmother, Virgilla Villaroman Enriquez. 

READ: Bulacan youth mark 128th liberation anniversary with ‘Goyo’ musical“The heroism of Gen. Enriquez is best described as the sacrifice of a young man who chose to lead a revolutionary army to help his people and his country break the chain of suppression in the hands of the Spaniards rather than benefit from the privilege of being the son of wealthy parents,” he said.

Matanglawin was the second of nine siblings—Alfonso, Severina, Victoria, Paula, Vicente Jr., Jose, Laureano, and Bonifacio – who were the children of Don Vicente and Dona Petrona Enriquez, both from rich and prominent families.  

Matanglawin took part in the Philippine Revolution in 1895 as the leader of Balangay Uliran.

Tasked to strengthen revolutionary forces in Bulacan

According to Reyes, Gen. Anacleto became close to Supremo Andres Bonifacio and was tasked of strengthening the revolutionary forces in Bulacan. Based on accounts, the Enriquez house in Barangay San Jose was where the Katipuneros of Bulakan met discreetly.

The Balangay Uliran leader was also a neighbor and playmate of Gen. Gregorio del Pilar, another Bulakan hero who died in battle at the age of 24 years old as his militia held off Spanish troops at Tirad Pass. 

According to Reyes, honoring Matanglawin is also recognizing the nameless 800 members of Balangay Uliran and the civilians who perishef at the San Rafael church.

Piece of marble flooring from the church

Below the Matanglawin bust is a piece of the actual marble flooring at the baptismal area of the San Rafael church which was bloodied after the conflict.

The piece of church flooring was retrieved in 1968 and brought to Bulakan by that period’s Bulakan mayor, Artemio Meneses, with the help of Police Sgt. Francisco Hernandez and Patrolmen Roberto Morelos, Ricardo Marcelo and Oscar Salvador. 

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The late Morelos, who later served as village chair of San Francisco, had installed the bust and the San Rafael church relic at his barangay on Nov. 30, 2015, during the 119th anniversary of Matanglawin’s death. /coa