We are currently witnessing a peace negotiation process between the government and the military rebels wherein those of officers and soldiers who had actually mounted coup attempts in the past and spilled blood of their fellow soldiers and of civilians on the street are about to be given amnesty.
A priest who served as parish priest in Makati's poblacion was not as lucky. No, Not Fr. Tony Unson who is the current one, but a parish priest of San Pedro Makati much earlier. This priest, according to the story that reached us, was an activist, specifically a Filipinist, in short an outspoken patriot. But unlike the military rebels the government is talking with at present, he never pursued his activism through the use of arms.
Neither was he trying to grab power from the government. But not just one but two witnesses testified at his speedy trial that he was aiming to become the president of a rebel-established republic.
The trial was being conducted in the aftermath of a military rebellion of some sort that was launched and foiled near Manila.
Said one testimony, "I, Corporal Pedro, learned that the president of the republic, should the revolt prove successful, would be the parish priest of San Pedro Makatri, whose name I do not know."
Another testimony went this way: "I Corporal Tolentino, went to manila for the mail. There I met Sergeant Corteza, Corporal Cadas and Yance who told me they were going to join the rebellion to establish a republic and to make the curate (parish priest) of San Pedro Makati president."
And so, this parish priest of our very own poblacion here in Makati was pronounced guilty. he was publicly executed along with two other men of the cloth, with the use of a cruel instrument.
His parish church, which stands along P. Burgos St., in Poblacion, Makati, still carries the historical marker identifying the parish as San Pedro Makati. Of course this is hardly noticed.
And who was that ill-fated parish priest? Well, the street beside this old church still carries his name.
But that, too, is perhaps hardly noticed. He was executed with two alleged co-conspirators by mechanical strangulation on February 17, 1872.
We are currently witnessing a peace negotiation process between the government and the military rebels wherein those of officers and soldiers who had actually mounted coup attempts in the past and spilled blood of their fellow soldiers and of civilians on the street are about to be given amnesty.
