By Erwin Bonifacio
Part 1
The Province of Capiz will be celebrating its 125th year of establishment as a civil government by virtue of Act No. 115 on April 15, 2026.
As a fitting tribute, allow me to share with you the journey of Capiz before the Taft Commission approved its transition to civilian rule.
In the first week of February 1901, an important event took place when General Martin Delgado, the revolutionary leader of Iloilo, surrendered along with many of his officers in Jaro. Seeing this as an opportunity after the revolutionaries’ setback in Panay, the Federal Party Committee of Capiz, led by Simplicio Jugo Vidal, began several efforts—one of which was to negotiate with General Ananias Diokno for his eventual surrender.
In response to Jugo Vidal’s efforts, General Ananias Diokno sent a letter to the Peace Committee of the Partido Federal of Capiz, requesting a meeting to plan the best way for him to appear with his entire command of troops. Acting on this appeal, on February 10, 1901, five representatives from the Committee received authorization from the American military commander in charge of the local forces.
They traveled aboard the General Blanco to the town of Jimeno (now Altavas), chosen as neutral ground for the peace negotiations. Diokno, preparing to surrender, sought guarantees to preserve his military honor and needed time to consult with his fellow officers before finalizing the details of his surrender.
However, impatience and distrust among American soldiers hindered the negotiations, leading to resumed fighting. During an encounter in Barrio Dalipdip, Jimeno (now Altavas, Aklan), on March 17, 1901, Diokno was wounded and captured.
Soon after, other high-ranking revolutionary leaders under his command also surrendered to the Americans, marking the end of organized resistance in Capiz. On March 19, 1901, General Saturnino Javillo surrendered in the outskirts of Sigma. Colonel Ramon Hontiveros surrendered on March 24, 1901, in Mambusao, and Colonel Severino Caoibes surrendered on March 30, 1901, in Banga, Aklan, ending resistance in the Aklan Valley.
Simultaneously, Jugo Vidal’s local peace committee also engaged in discussions with General Esteban Contreras. By the first week of March 1901, an extensive region from Pilar to Pontevedra was officially designated a neutral zone, leading to the suspension of hostilities. Ultimately, on March 30, 1901, General Contreras formally surrendered in Panay, relinquishing a total of eleven guns.
On April 5, 1901, Colonel Agustin Solis and his remaining men, the last organized resistance forces challenging American sovereignty in the province, surrendered with eighty-five guns. Subsequently, on April 9, 1901, Simplicio Jugo Vidal, on behalf of the Federal Party Committee in Capiz, delivered a telegram to the Directory of the Federal Party, informing that the province was completely pacified, thanking to the political tact displayed by the Provost Marshall, Captain David Shanks, and the efforts made by the federal committees.
(To be continued … )
