He was born in Labo, Camarines Norte on Feb. 11, 1860. His parents
were Don Agustin Lukban and Dona
Andrea Rilles. He finished his early education in Escuela Pia, continued
studying in Ateneo Municipal de Manila (now Ateneo de Manila University), and
took up LLB in University of Santo Tomas and
Colegio de San Juan de Letran.
He returned to Labo after resigning from his job at the
Manila Court of First Instance. He married Sofia Dizon Barba and the union
produced four children: Cecilia, Felix, Agustin, and Vicente. His first wife
Sofia died after their last child was born. He left his children in the care of
his brothers and sisters so that he could devote his time to the cause of the
revolution.
On December 31, 1899, 100 Filipino riflemen under Gen.
Lukban were gathered and there he proclaimed himself the new governor of Samar
under the Philippine Republic, meeting little resistance. When the U.S. 1st
Infantry Regiment landed on Samar’s shores in January 1901, they were met by
charges of suicidal bolomen under Lukban’s command. Nevertheless, Lukban was
soon forced to retreat inward, leaving behind an organized resistance network.
Samarenos caught cooperating with the Americans were executed swiftly and
dramatically. When U.S. General Arthur MacArthur offered Lukban amnesty in
exchange for his surrender, he turned it down and swore to fight to the end.
Although bearing command responsibility for the Balangiga
Massacre, he only learned about it a week later, on October 6, 1901. Other than
a letter to town mayors encouraging them to follow the Balangiga example on the
same date, there are no published records of his reaction to the news or later
comment from him.
After Baldomero Aguinaldo’s capture in 1901, Samar, under
Lukban's leadership, remained one of the few areas of Filipino Army resistance.
However, American troops found few enemies to attack and found themselves
constantly harassed by Lukban's guerillas, until two prisoners revealed the location
of Lukban’s secret headquarters along the Caducan river. The prisoners warned
that the fort was impregnable, but Major Littleton Waller sent scouts to
investigate.
On Feb. 27, 1902, Waller attacked with an amphibious assault team
up the river, as Captains Bearss and Porter attacked by land with forces from
Basey and Balangiga. The water assault was foiled by a Filipino trap, and
Porter attacked alone. The Filipino soldiers fled machine gun fire, leaving
scaling ladders behind for the Americans. The retreating Filipinos were gunned
down from behind as the American flag was raised above the garrison. It was a
clear victory for the United States, with 30 Filipinos dead and the capture of
Lukban and his lieutenants. However, the war on Samar would not truly be over
until the rugged interior was conquered.
The public career of Gen. Vicente Lukban did not end with
his captivity. He was elected governor of Tayabas (Quezon now) in 1912 and
re-elected in 1916. He died at his Manila residence on November 16, 1916.
Source: Wikipedia
Source: Wikipedia
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