Foundation of Nilad Lodge Centenary

#2176, 15 Aug 1992

General Antonio Luna was one of the most capable generals during the Philippine-American War and founded the Philippines's first military academy.

ANTONIO LUNA

As a student in Spain, Luna was one of the Filipino expats who mounted the "Propaganda Movement" and wrote for La Solidaridad. In 1894, he returned to the Philippines and joined the Katipunan. After discovery by the Spanish, Luna was arrested and later exiled to Spain in 1897, although his case was later dismissed. Luna went to Madrid, Germany and Belgium to study field fortifications, guerrilla warfare, organization, and other aspects of military science and returned to the Philippines in July 1898.

After the American Occupation, Luna tried to complain to US officers about the disorder, the looting, rape and mayhem. To quiet him, he was appointed by General Aguinaldo as Chief of War Operations, in quick succession, he was made the Director of War and Supreme Chief of the Army, arousing the jealousy of the other generals.

Luna saw the need for a military school, and he established a military academy at Malolos. Luna proved to be a strict disciplinarian.

On 2 June 1899 Luna received two telegrams. One asked for help in a counter attack in San Fernando, and the other, purportedly signed by Aguinaldo, ordering him to come to the headquarters at Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija to form a new cabinet. On 5 June General Luna entered the Cabanatuan Catholic Church where he expected to meet Aguinaldo. Instead an officer advised that Aguinaldo had left for San Isidro in Tarlac. As he was about to depart, a single shot from a rifle on the plaza rang out. Outraged, and furious, he rushed down the stairs and met Captain Pedro Janolino accompanied by some of the Kawit troops he had previously dismissed for insubordination during a battle. Janolino swung his bolo at General Luna, some soldiers in the party fired at Luna, others started stabbing him.

The demise of Luna, was a decisive factor in the fight against the American forces. Even the American enemy developed an astonished admiration for him. General Hughes of the American Army, said, of his death, "The Filipinos had only one general, and they have killed him." Subsequently, Aguinaldo suffered successive, disastrous losses in the field, retreating towards northern Luzon. In less than two years, Aguinaldo was captured and later made to pledge allegiance to the United States.

29 October 1866

to 5 June 1899