By Erwin Bonifacio
During the Philippine-American War in Capiz, the civilian and military authorities maintained a close and overlapping relationship, with civilian and military functions often intersecting in the administration and governance of the province.The transformation began formally on April 11, 1899.
The Presidentes locales (elected town presidents) were summoned to the Casa Gobierno in the provincial capital. They assembled at four o’clock in the afternoon presided by Colonel Eleuterio Miarasigan, delegate of General Ananias Diokno, the Interim Politico Military Governor.
The elections for Consejo Provincial (Provincial Council) were conducted in accordance with Articles 5 and 6 of the Decree of June 18, 1898, and Rule 6 of the Instructions of June 20, 1898. After Don Leon Bauson, Presidente Local of Dao; Don Tomas Delfin, Presidente Local of Panitan; and Don Francisco Tansinco, Presidente Local of Kalivo, were appointed as election inspectors and Secretary of the presiding board, respectively, the election results were announced. Simplicio Jugo Vidal was elected Representante de la Provincia (Representative of the Province), receiving 18 votes. He was elected alongside Simeon Dadivas, who received 24 votes for Presidente Provincial; Ramon Contreras, who received 23 votes for Consejero de Policia (Councillor of Police); Alejandro Pardo, who received 21 votes for Consejero de Justicia (Councillor of Justice); and Pacifico Conlu, who received 14 votes for Consejero de Rentas (Councilor of Revenue).
Jugo Vidal’s election marked another political transition in his career. Only months earlier, he had served within the Spanish reform administration. He was now participating in the political institutions established by the revolutionary government.
On April 22, 1899, at the Casa Gobierno in Capiz, the assembly of the Popular Junta and prominent residents that formally installed the officials elected to the Provincial Council.
Two days later, on April 24, Graciano Punsalan, former interim Political-Military Governor, and his secretary, Daniel Farol, formally turned over the papers, equipment, and furniture belonging to the provincial government to Simeon Dadivas, President of the Provincial Council, together with Ramon Contreras, Councillor for Police; Alejandro Pardo, Councillor for Justice; and Pacifico Conlu, Councillor for Revenue.
The new government soon faced another challenge: defining Capiz’s position toward the Americans. On May 4, 1899, a Junta Magna (Grand Assembly) was convened at the Casa Gobierno under President Simeon Dadivas, with the participation of Simplicio Jugo Vidal, Representative of the Province, and other provincial officials and prominent residents. During the assembly, Dadivas presented a printed proclamation issued by the American Government, written in Spanish and Tagalog, which Jugo Vidal was called upon to read aloud to those present.
The proclamation prompted the assembly to discuss the position of the people of Capiz regarding the American attempt to establish sovereignty over the Philippines. Following patriotic statements by Jose Altavas, Salvador Laguda, and Estanislao Alcantara, the assembly unanimously declared its opposition to foreign domination. It resolved that, should the Americans request negotiations, a delegation of Capiz’s most educated and distinguished citizens would be formed to convey the province’s firm determination not to accept American sovereignty.
The assembly further affirmed its commitment to preserving the freedom and independence already regained by the Filipino people, even at the cost of further sacrifice, in solidarity with the Philippine Republic and its National Assembly.
Unfortunately, the administration of Simeon Dadivas was brief, as it was dissolved upon the assumption of General Ananias Diokno as Political-Military Governor of Capiz on June 18, 1899.
