Tiburcio de Leon
Encyclopedia
General Tiburcio de León y Gregorio was a Filipino
freedom fighter who served as a general during the 1896 Philippine Revolution
and the Philippine-American War
. He first served under Andrés Bonifacio
in the Katipunan
, and then, reluctantly, under the revolutionary government set up by Emilio Aguinaldo
.
), Bulacan
.
"Heneral Tibo", as he was often referred to, is credited for having established units of the Katipunan in the towns of Polo
, Obando
, Marilao
, Meycauayan, Bocaue
, Santa Maria
, and San Juan del Monte in Bulacan
, and of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas in Bataan
.
In August 1896, when Spanish authorities discovered the existence of the Katipunan and moved against it, Bonifacio was away, conferring with de León at Pasong Balite on the outskirts of Bulacan. On learning that the Spanish had uncovered their organization, Bonifacio ordered all Katipuneros to gather at Balintawak, where they announced their rebellion by tearing up their cedulas (residency documents) in what would later be known as the "Cry of Balintawak".
Later, de León's forces were the only unit of the Magdiwang faction of the Katipunan to survive the death of Bonifacio. When Aguinaldo later asked him to commit his forces to the First Philippine Republic
, de León was reluctant to do so, being loyal to Bonifacio. He eventually agreed, saying he was doing so only for the sake of the country. He is also known for his role in the Battle of Tullahan River during the Philippine-American War - a battle which enabled the forces of the Aguinaldo government to flee to Northern Luzon.
, this community is now known as Barangay Hen. Tiburcio de Leon, Valenzuela, Bulacan. The Hen. Tiburcio de Leon Elementary School is also named after him. A stone monument was raised by his comrades (Veteranos de la Revolución) in memory of Heneral Tibo in the town of Timog, Bulacan.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
freedom fighter who served as a general during the 1896 Philippine Revolution
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
and the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
. He first served under Andrés Bonifacio
Andres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
in the Katipunan
Katipunan
The Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-Spanish Filipinos in Manila in 1892, whose primary aim was to gain independence from Spain through revolution. The society was initiated by Filipino patriots Andrés Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, and others on the night...
, and then, reluctantly, under the revolutionary government set up by Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation...
.
Biography
Tiburcio was born in 1862 to Pedro de León and Florencia Gregorio in Polo (now ValenzuelaValenzuela City
Valenzuela ,In rare occasion it is pronunced as , with a glottal stop after /ɐ/ in Filipino/Tagalog languages. officially known as the City of Valenzuela is a highly urbanized, first-class city and one of cities in the Philippines that constitutes Metro Manila...
), Bulacan
Bulacan
Bulacan , officially called the Province of Bulacan or simply Bulacan Province, is a first class province of the Republic of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Region in the island of Luzon, north of Manila , and part of the Metro...
.
"Heneral Tibo", as he was often referred to, is credited for having established units of the Katipunan in the towns of Polo
Valenzuela City
Valenzuela ,In rare occasion it is pronunced as , with a glottal stop after /ɐ/ in Filipino/Tagalog languages. officially known as the City of Valenzuela is a highly urbanized, first-class city and one of cities in the Philippines that constitutes Metro Manila...
, Obando
Obando, Bulacan
Obando is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. It is 16 kilometers away from the Philippine capital Manila. Obando is landlocked, bordered by two cities from Metro Manila namely Valenzuela City in the east, Navotas and Malabon City in the south, Bulacan in the north,...
, Marilao
Marilao, Bulacan
Marilao is a first class urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 160,452 inhabitants in 22,363 households.- Built up area :...
, Meycauayan, Bocaue
Bocaue, Bulacan
Bocaue is a first-class urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. The municipality of Bocaue lies 24.5 kilometers northeast of Manila through the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Highway and is located at the mid-southwestern portion of Bulacan...
, Santa Maria
Santa Maria, Bulacan
According to the 2007 Census, the population of Sta. Maria grew by 60,976 from 144,282 in 2000 to 205,258 in 2007, making it the third biggest LGU in Bulacan in terms of population. The municipality has a population density of 2,257.56 persons per km² in 24 barangays.Total income in Santa Maria was...
, and San Juan del Monte in Bulacan
Bulacan
Bulacan , officially called the Province of Bulacan or simply Bulacan Province, is a first class province of the Republic of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Region in the island of Luzon, north of Manila , and part of the Metro...
, and of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas in Bataan
Bataan
Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
.
In August 1896, when Spanish authorities discovered the existence of the Katipunan and moved against it, Bonifacio was away, conferring with de León at Pasong Balite on the outskirts of Bulacan. On learning that the Spanish had uncovered their organization, Bonifacio ordered all Katipuneros to gather at Balintawak, where they announced their rebellion by tearing up their cedulas (residency documents) in what would later be known as the "Cry of Balintawak".
Later, de León's forces were the only unit of the Magdiwang faction of the Katipunan to survive the death of Bonifacio. When Aguinaldo later asked him to commit his forces to the First Philippine Republic
First Philippine Republic
The Philippine Republic , more commonly known as the First Philippine Republic or the Malolos Republic was a short-lived insurgent revolutionary government in the Philippines...
, de León was reluctant to do so, being loyal to Bonifacio. He eventually agreed, saying he was doing so only for the sake of the country. He is also known for his role in the Battle of Tullahan River during the Philippine-American War - a battle which enabled the forces of the Aguinaldo government to flee to Northern Luzon.
Memorials
On February 18, 1968, the Sangguniang Nayon (Village Council) of Torres Bugallon signed into law the renaming of their community after Hen. Tiburcio de Leon "bilang karangalan nito sa pagiging bayani ng himagsikan sa panahon ng pamahalaang Kastila" (in recognition of his role as a hero of the revolution during the time of the Spanish Government). After the change in terminologies during the reign of President MarcosFerdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
, this community is now known as Barangay Hen. Tiburcio de Leon, Valenzuela, Bulacan. The Hen. Tiburcio de Leon Elementary School is also named after him. A stone monument was raised by his comrades (Veteranos de la Revolución) in memory of Heneral Tibo in the town of Timog, Bulacan.