Ap-at Nga Urok

 

Ap-at Nga Urok

Melchor F. Cichon.

April 24, 2020

 

Ap-at nga urok

Gasaot-saot sa tangkae.

Ro sambilog, ginlitson ni Juan.

Busa tatlo eon lang ro habilin.

 

Tatlo ka urok

Nagwarang sa lagwerta.

Ro sambilog ginbakae ni Pedro.

Ginhimo nga eskupado.

 

Ro habilin nga daywa nga urok

Nagpaligos sa suok.

Ro sambilog gindakop ni Ana.

Ginhimo na nga putsero.

 

Ro sambilog nga habilin nga urok

Nagbalik sa tangkae.

Ginpatambok ni Tay Itsong.

Gintakana sa masunod nga piyesta.

Moises Ilicito: The Assassin of Gen. Francisco del Castillo

 

Moises Ilicito: The Assassin of Gen. Francisco del Castillo

By

Melchor F. Cichon

Feb. 3, 2015

 

Who is Moises Ilicito?

He was born in Barangay Bigaa, Malinao, Aklan.

But what made him famous or infamous?

He was the assassin of the leader of Katipunan in Aklan, Gen. Francisco del Castillo.

No one really knows the birth place of Francisco del Castillo. It was said that Del Castillo is from Bantayan, Cebu. Other sources said that del Castillo was born in Aklan.

He went to Aklan because he met Candido Iban, an Aklanon, in Negros. From Negros, the two went to Manila and then to Australia to work as a pearl diver. From Australia, they went back to Manila and settled in Tondo where they met the brother of Andres Bonifacio, Procopio Bonifacio.

Through the request of Andres Bonifacio, they went to Aklan to spread the cause of the Katipunan.

Before the assassination of Del Castillo on March 17, 1897, Moises was an altar boy in Malinao, Aklan.

But later a fortune teller told his parents that someday, Moises would kill a man. To lessen his penalty in case such an incident would happen, his parents decided that he work in a Spanish government.

At the age of 21, he worked as a Guardia Civil in Capiz. By constant practice, he became a sharpshooter.

Then one day, a drunkard Spanish officer, a certain Lt. Olivares drew his sword and threaten to kill Moises. To defend himself, Moises drew his sword and fatally stabbed the Spaniard. He was jailed in a bartolina, inside the headquarters.

Meanwhile, Francisco del Castillo, Candido Iban and other Aklanon Katipuneros were very busy recruiting new members for the secret revolutionary society. Unfortunately, Candido Iban, his close friend, was apprehended by the guardia civil in Bagto, Lezo, while he was on his way home from Kalibo. Later, Iban was jailed in a garrison in Kalibo. Another incident that triggered del Castillo to attack the garrison in Kalibo was when he learned that his sailboat was towed away by the Spaniards. That incident slashed away their chance to get more help from their fellow Katipuneros.

When Moises learned that the Spanish authorities were looking for somebody to capture Francisco del Castillo, dead or alive, Moises volunteered. Because of his reputation as a sharpshooter, he was released from prison and was transferred to the garrison in Kalibo.

Francisco del Castillo and his leaders decided to attack the garrison in Kalibo on March 17, 1897.

From Mabilo, the Katipuneros marched to Kalibo. Upon reaching the place, Francisco del Castillo saw Moises Ilicito at the slightly opened window. He asked for Tan Juan Azarraga, the wealthiest person in Kalibo at that time. But he was told that Tan Juan was in the church convent. Moises asked del Castillo to surrender, but the later did not heed him. Moises fired at del Castillo.

Although it was said that del Castillo was hit with a bullet, he was not wounded. Angered, Del Castillo shouted at Ilicito: “otro mas fuego!” (Fire some more!). Del Castillo wanted to fire back, but Moises had hidden from del Castillo’s view. So he was not able to fire back. While del Castillo was thinking of his anting--anting, a white stone embedded his skin and a red hankerchief that would bring him back to life in case he is fatally shot at, Ilicito was also thinking of his counter attack on del Castillo’s anting-anting.

Ilicito remembered the suggestions given to him by his co-prisoner in Capiz to counter-act an anting-anting. He should put a cooked rice at the muzzle of his gun and then fire at his enemy. He did this, and he fatally fired at del Castillo. Del Castillo fell from his white horse. Upon seeing this, his assistant ran away, forgetting the instruction given him by his superior to put the red handkerchief on his superior’s face in case he is fatally shot.

That historic date in Kalibo temporarily stopped the Revolution in Aklan.

Later, Col. Ricardo Monet proclaimed amnesty to the remaining Katipuneros in Aklan. Through the intercession of the parish priest and the wives and mothers of the Katipuneros, some of them surrendered thinking that the amnesty was real. Unfortunately, the said amnesty was fake.

Twenty one of those who surrendered were detained. However, two of them, Cenon Quimpo and Nicanor Gonzales, were later released through the intervention of their wealthy families. So 19 of them were left behind. The 19 Katipunan members were later shot to death by the Spanish authorities to warn others not to rebel against the Spanish authorities.

But the revolution continued.

One of those who led the continuation of the revolution in Aklan was Gen. Eustaquio Gallardo, a member of Gen. Francisco del Castillo’s Katipunan.

One month after the death of Del Castillo, the Vivo Massacre took place in Vivo, Tangalan, Aklan wherein about forty Spanish troopers came to a feast, not knowing that it was just a ploy. At a drop of a handkerchief, the servants who were actually Katipuneros, started to hack them to death.

The Nineteen Katipunan members who were assassinated by the Spanish authorities on March 23, 1897 are as follows: Roman Aguirre, Tomas Briones, Domingo dela Cruz, Claro Delgado, Angelo Fernandez, Simon Inocencio, Catalino Mangat, Lamberto Mangat, Valeriano Masinda, Maximo Mationg, Simplicio Reyes, Valeriano Dalida, Isidoro Jimenez, Canuto Segovia, Gabino Sucgang, Francisco Villorente, Benito Iban, Candido Iban and Gabino Yonsal.

After the revolution, Moises Ilicito was appointed as a judge of Malinao, Aklan. Later, he married Nicolasa Mabasa of Banga, Aklan. He then decided to stay in that town. They had seven children: Jose, Angustia, Pedro, Beatriz, Paciico, Paciencia and Ester. Moises had another son from a certain Joaguina also of the town.

Moises died in Banga, Aklan on December 1, 1963 at the age of 106.

If one goes to Kalibo, he would see the Del Castillo Shrine, and if he goes to Banga Municipal Cemetery, he would see the modest tomb of Moises Ilicito.

Source: Barrios, J., Cichon, M. F., and Ilio, D. I. 1997. The Katipunan in Aklan. Manila: National Centennial Commission. 87p.

May Anne T. Jaro

 white rose--
dawn or dusk,
raining or shining still in bloom
***Melchor F. Cichon
Model: May Anne T. Jaro 

Joke Only on Librarianship

 

Joke Only On Librarianship

March 2024

 

Ersyl Tatoy Biray

Student inside a library: "Do you know one walking dictionary here?"

Librarian: "We don't walk dictionaries here. We sit them."

Ersyl Tatoy Biray

 

WJ Manares

A group of students on the third floor of a library were making noise. Due to their noise, the librarian told them, "Lower your voices!"

All the boys hurriedly went down to the second floor.

Willer Jun A. Manares

Banga, Aklan

 

Melchor F. Cichon

Student to a Librarian: "Sir, do we have a copy of the book, "Without Seeing the Dawn".

Librarian: "Sorry, we only have "Without Seeing the Book". Melchor F. Cichon

 

Melchor F. Cichon

A student to his classmates: "Who do you think is the noisiest person in the Library?"

One of his classmates answered: "The librarian herself!"

***Melchor F. Cichon

 

Ersyl Tatoy Biray

Reading a signage in the library, a student curiously asks the staff: "Is it 'Silence Please' or 'Silence Place'?"

Batting an eyelash, the staff answers: "You get silence in this place, or I place you in silence."

-Ersyl Tatoy Biray

 

Melchor F. Cichon

A signage in front of library staff's table reads: "Don't disturb. I'm busy!!!"

When a student peeps on the library staff's cellphone, he finds out that the staff is busy playing Mobile Legends (ML).--Melchor F. Cichon

 

Ersyl Tatoy Biray

Browsing on the stack in the library, a student finds a fiction book authored by a popular writer. He took it from the shelf and ask the staff if this can be borrowed overnight.

Student: "Can I sleep with this for a night?"

Staff: "Huh? Sorry, but that book is 'Taken'*. We have 'Single'** here for you if you like."

*Eric Bowman

**K.L. Slater

--Ersyl Tatoy Biray

 

Melchor F. Cichon

A librarian asked a group of students why they go to the library.

Student A: I go to the library to read books.

Student B: I go to the library to sleep. It's cool there.

Student C: I go to the library to charge my Cell Phone and play ML.

Student D: I go to the library to meet my boyfriend.

 

Melchor F. Cichon

Student: I heard that the library is the heart of the university. How about you Ma'am?

Librarian: I am the head of the University.

***Melchor F. Cichon

 

WJ Manares

It's getting late, but the librarian found out that there's still a student reading inside the library. She was concerned and decided to talk to him.

Librarian: Excuse me, why are you still reading that book? You can continue tomorrow.

Student: I'm sorry, Madame.

Librarian: Anyway, I will wait for you. Just finish that chapter you're reading.

Student: Thank you for your consideration, Madame.

Librarian: May I ask what the title of that book is?

Student: "*The Neverending Story."

*("Die unendliche Geschichte" is a fantasy novel by German writer Michael Ende, published in 1979. The first English translation, by Ralph Manheim, was published in 1983).

Willer Jun A. Manares

Banga, Aklan

 

Melchor F. Cichon

Librarian to a student inside the library: Read and your imagination will fly high. By the way, what is your favorite book and magazine?

Student: Twilight (The Twilight Saga, by Stephenie Meyer*) and Playboy Magazine.

*This book is listed number one as the worst book ever published (https://www.goodreads.com/.../2.The_Worst_Books_of_All_Time)

 

GOODREADS.COM

The Worst Books of All Time (7865 books)

 

Alrom Christian P. Ricafuente

Male student: Ma'am, can I borrow any romantic novels?

Librarian: Yes, you can. I guess you are inspired to have a girlfriend.

Male Student: I don't have a girlfriend. But I have a boyfriend.

 

Ersyl Tatoy Biray

Teacher to student: "If the library is the heart of the school, what is the librarian?"

Student: "The kidney, Ma'am. She filters the books, and cleanses the delinquent borrowers!"

- Ersyl Tatoy Biray

 

Melchor F. Cichon

Student: Ma'am, may I reserve the Discussion Room?

Librarian: Sorry, two lovebirds are still using it. They are still discussing their break-up.

 

Ersyl Tatoy Biray

Going inside the library at noontime, all tables seemed to have been occupied by students, thus, someone asked the library staff. "Are there available tables here?

The staff replied: "We have enough. Which would you want: periodic table, multiplication table, table of contents ...?"

- Ersyl Tatoy Biray

 

Melchor F. Cichon

 

Napansin ng isang library staff ang isang estudyanteng babae na pabalik-balik sa book shelves. Linapitan niya ito.
Library staff: Miss, anong libro ang hinahanap mo? Baka pwede kitang matulungan.
Estudyante: Hindi libro ang hinahanap ko kundi yong gwapong bookworm na nakasabay ko sa hagdan kanina.
Library staff: A, yon ba? Naroon siya sa Discussion Room nakikipagtukaan kay Mary. --

Melchor F. Cichon

 

A young male student: Ma'am, are you a book? A charming library staff: Why?
A young male student: I want to book with you tonight.  --Melchor F. Cichon, April 5, 2024

Why is salt not allowed in the library?
Because it is a-sin. --Melchor F. Cichon, April 5, 2024

 

Student to a Library Staff: Maam, do we have a book entitled Kanto by Tan Go?
Library Staff: Yes, but someone has reserved it. --Melchor F. Cichon, April 8, 2024

WJ Manares

only the book, "Sa Iyo't Iyo Lamang" is available.--WJ Manares, April 8, 2024

Serenade

full moon--
below the lady's window
Mel sings Ako'y Maghihintay.
***Itsong
March 9, 2024

Juan Posong

 Gatindog rang kilay
Kon makita ko si Juan Posong.
Sa tanan nga empleyado 8:30 gid kon magreport imaw sa opisina
Pero eksakto alas singko gid imaw kon mag-uli.

Snakes

 Snakes

snakes shed off their skins
to catch
more preys 

***Melchor F. Cichon
February 19, 2024

Dinagyang 2024

Dinagyang 2024--
Aklanons raise their eyebrows
when Ilonggos Sadsad in the streets
***Melchor F. Cichon
January 27, 2024