León Kilat
Pantaleón Villegas | |
|---|---|
 A statue of Villegas in Rizal Park, Luneta | |
| Born | July 27, 1873 |
| Died | April 8, 1898 (aged 24) Carcar, Cebu, Captaincy General of the Philippines, Spanish Empire |
| Nationality | Negrense |
| Other names | Eulogio Villegas, León Kilat |
| Citizenship | Philippine |
| Organization | Katipunan Freemasonry |
Lieutenant-General Eulogio Pantaleón Villegas y Soldevillo (July 27, 1873 – April 8, 1898), better known by his nom-de-guerre León Kilat (literally 'Lightning Lion' in Cebuano), was a Filipino revolutionary leader in Cebu during the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish Empire. He was born in Bacong, Negros Oriental, to Policarpio Villegas Vergara and Úrsula Soldevillo. His grandparents were Pedro Villegas of Sum-ag, and Dorotea Vergara, the daughter of a Vallehermoso capitán.[citation needed]
Biography
Occupation
In 1895, Villegas worked at the Botica Antigua located in the corner of Calle del Palacio (today Burgos St.) and Calle Legazpi. It was a well-known drugstore frequented by many townsfolk. With him were Ciriaco Murillo and Eulogio Duque who told the writer Manuel Enríquez de la Calzada that Villegas actually used the name "Eulogio", instead of Pantaleón. Because there were two Eulogios working in the drugstore, the owner decided to call him "León" instead. The reason for him using the name "Eulogio" is not known.[1]
Villegas did not stay long at Botica Antigua. He transferred to a bakery on Calle Página (today Pahina St.). From there he moved on to a circus on its way to Manila. The circus happened to be owned by a katipunero. It was there that he was recruited into the secret society of the Katipunan.
Revolutionary Leadership in Cebu
During the rebellion against Spain, Villegas led the revolutionaries in Cebu. Initially intending to begin the rebellion on Easter Sunday, he was forced to change his plans when the Spaniards discovered the planned revolt.
Battle of Tres de Abril
3 April 1898, Palm Sunday
- Villegas and his men began the rebellion in Cebu.
4 April
- 05:00
- The rebels drove the Spanish forces into Fort San Pedro and took control of Cebu City. When the Spanish gunboat María Cristina opened fire, the rebels retreated to the Chinese quarter of Lutao.
7 April
- 500 men of the 73rd Native Regiment and Spanish cazadores with the cruiser Don Juan de Austria arrived under the command of General Texeiro. This forced the rebels to retreat to San Nicolas.
- The Spanish continued pursuing the rebels into the mountain region until 8 April.
Death
On 8 April 1898, Good Friday, in Carcar, Cebu, Villegas was betrayed and stabbed to death by Captain Florencio Noel, his aide-de-camp Apolinario Alcuitas, and other local townsfolk due to endangering the town of Carcar.[2]
In popular culture
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