PRINCIPALES OF TACLOBAN TO AGUINALDO, APRIL 6, 1899

Exhibit 1371.

[Original in Spanish. D.S. P.I.R., 879.6.]

TAKLOBAN, April 6th, 1899.

To the Honorable the President:

We the undersigned, the principal citizens and persons of rank of the town of Takloban, Province of Leyte, beg leave to state to your Excellency the following:

On the first of January last Brigadier General Vicente Lukban arrived in this port accompanied by Seņor Francisco Enage de Jesus and other gentlemen; and on the same afternoon Seņor Enage was appointed temporary Provincial Chief (undoubtedly at his own request), while Seņor Emeterio Enage was appointed Local Chief. This was done without the approval of the people of the locality, in fact without even consulting them, notwithstanding that they were represented on this occasion by the principal citizens of the community, which latter, however, were so completely surprised by this step that they were not able to make protest, for Article 2 of the instructions issued from your Headquarters on the 18th of last July relative to this matter was not complied with. We thought it better to await the day of formal elections and then we would be consulted. But, your Excellency, the day arrived and nothing was done. The Enages, or one of them at the instance of the other, called only their friends and comrades on the previous night, instructing them how to vote, and these instructions were carried out on the day set for the election, we, however, not having been called. In this manner Emeterio Enage, a man whom the people dislike on account of his bad character as shown by him during the four years I served as Gobernadorcillo under the Spanish Government was elected Local Chief. In all this time he did nothing for the people. He did, however, claim for himself the benefits of the "Prestacion Personal" service, out of which he built for himself a house, or rather a palace, entirely neglecting the public works of the Province which had to be kept up by utilizing the prisoners from the provincial jail. This exactly suits the plans of Seņor Francisco Enage de Jesus, who, himself, is now trying by every means in his power to become Provincial Governor or Chief, and he has made his intention known to the newly made Local Chiefs of this Province. General Lukban defended him with tooth and nail, notwithstanding the protest we presented to him. This, however, is natural as the Enages are his friends, and he has been staying in Emeterio's house. Not only did the General pay no need to our protest, but he even threatened us through his secretarY Esteban Aparri, saying he would shoot us for making the complaint. We are wounded in our dignity and delicacy at being excluded from the council of headmen and persons of rank as provided for in Article 2 of the Decree of the 18th of last June, and for the further reason that General Lukban has been manifestly partial in the cases of the Enages and Esteban Aparri.

This, Honorable Sir, is not the only election in which favoritism and injustice have been showing; the same has also occurred in other towns through the machinations of the ever notorious Francisco Enage, now candidate for Governor. He and General Lukban are inseparable, and their sole occupation is in organizing factions and working up favoritism, though they are constantly teaching the contrary. The Local Chiefs recently elected, or, better still, appointed, without having been sworn in or approved as provided in the 7th Article of the government regulations on the subject, have discharged their offices and continue to do so up to the present time, vying with one another to see, as the saying is, who can make most hay while the sun shines.

The elections, Honorable Sr. President, have, with the exception of one, been presided over by General Lukban or by persons commissioned by him; and he didn't even notice the Politico-Military Governor appointed by you, namely, Seņor Ambrosio Moxica who is now here in the Province, and to whom undoubtedly belongs the right to preside over such meetings since war has not yet been declared in this Province, nor has it been formally menaced by the enemy. Only under these circumstances could Article 8 of said Decree be applied.

In view of the grounds set forth, and with a view to avoiding disturbances and factions throughout the various towns, and to having all move on united towards progress, we humbly implore of Your Excellency in that justice and philantrophy which so characterize you that you declare said elections null, especially that of the town of Takloban; and that you further order that new elections be held in the same, and only by the Politico-Military Governor Sr. Moxica, or by some other person designated by your Excellency, to the exclusion of Seņores Lukban, Enages and Aparri and their followers; and that all the inhibitants be cited to appear in accordance with Article 2 of the Decree previously invoked. It is not true that this town does not want independence, as the persons above mentioned have stated, and it would be absurd to believe it. They say this only for the purpose of carrying out their malevolent intentions.

And to this end we beg and pray you that our request as set forth above be granted, as we only ask that justice be done this Province.

May God guard you many years.

(Signed) Alejandro de los Reyes, and twenty-one other signatures.