Moises Ilicito: The Assasin of Francisco del Castillo

Moses Ilicito: The Assasin of Francisco del Castillo

By

Melchor F. Cichon

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, Francisco del Castillo.

Before that incident happened, 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, he fatally stabbed the Spaniard. Moises drew his sword and fatally staff 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 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, they 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. 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 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 mussle 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 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. Two of them were later released through the intervention of their wealthy families. So 19 of them were left behind. The 19 Katipunan members were later assassinated by the Spanish authorities to warn others not to rebel against the Spanish authorities. But the revolution continued.

After the revolution, Moises Ilicito was appointed as a judge of Malinao. Later, he married Nicolasa Mabasa of Banga. 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 Banga, Aklan.

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

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

RAFFLESIA—THE LARGEST FLOWER IN THE WORLD IS ALSO FOUND IN ANTIQUE AND IN BUKIDNON

RAFFLESIA—THE LARGEST FLOWER IN THE WORLD IS ALSO FOUND IN ANTIQUE AND IN BUKIDNON

By

MELCHOR F. CICHON

April 1, 2002

Do you know that the largest flower in the world can also be found in the Philippines?

That’s right! I saw it myself in Antique on March 30, 2002.

This flower can also be found in Bukidnon, according to an Antiqueňo who worked as a farmer in Bukidnon for 16 years.

The Rafflesia flowers in Antique have so far been found in two different sites. They can be seen at the forest land of the brothers Michael, Jennybert, and Sunday Cabigunda  along Kilometer 136, Sitio Apong, Brgy. Cabladan, Sibalum, and at forest land of Betty Mission along Kilometer 134, Aningalan, San Remgio, Antique. The nearest landmark is the Aningalan Elementary School, San Remigio, Antique at KM 136 on the highway from San Remigio, Antique to Leon, Iloilo.

This flower is scientifically known as Rafflesia, named after the British colonial administrator of Singapore when it was colonized by the Great Britain.

There are about 12 known species of Rafflesia worldwide. The reported species in the Philippines is Rafflesia manillana Teschemacker which was discovered in Luzon. Unfortunately, no picture is posted of this plant in the internet.

Rafflesia is locally known as Calo Ni Usong in Sitio Apong, Brgy Cabladan, Sibalum, Antique where the first citing was recorded; in Aningalan, San Remigio, also in Antique, it is called Uroy. But in Bukidnon, it is called Bagong.

The largest specimen, Rafflesia arnoldii, was found in the rainforests of Indonesia. It measured about 1 meter in diameter from the tips of the opposite petals, and weighs about 9 kilos.

In the Philippines, aside from those specimens found in Antique, Rafflesia  is also found in Kabangalan, Bukidnon.

How was Rafflesia discovered in Antique?

According to Sunday Cabigunda, his brother Michael requested somebody to cut bamboos in their land. To check whether there really were cut bamboos, the two brothers, Jennybert and Michael went to the land on July 20, 2001.  While checking the bamboos, Michael found a unique flower.

Michael is a member of an ecological group in Antique that is. In one of their seminars, their resource person showed them pictures of endangered flowers of the Philippines. One of those flowers shown to them is Rafflesia.

Rafael remembered he saw this plant in their land. He told his group about his discovery.

A visit was made by the group in March 2002. The group was convinced that the plant seen by Michael is indeed the Rafflesia sp., the biggest flower of the world. And it has been considered one of the rarest and endangered flowers in the Philippines. Pictures were taken. A radio station in San Jose, Antique broadcast it. That triggered many Antiqueños to see the plant. As of March 30, 2002, more than one thousand people visited the site in Sitio Apong.

While visiting the said site on March 30, 2002, somebody told me that the same plant has also been found in the kapehan, or an area where coffee trees are planted, of Betty Mission. I asked the owner to accompany me to the said site. Mrs. Mission, the Barangay Secretary, and her husband accompanied this writer to the site. There I found three dried Rafflesia flowers and two buds, located feet apart.

The seeds of this flower are microscopic, about 1 millimeter long, and it can be seen by the naked eyes only after it sprouts into a flower. Its bud looks like that of a brown onion, but it can grow as big as that of a cabbage. It has no stem or leaves. Unlike the Rafflesia arnoldii of Indonesia, the Rafflesia that I saw at Aningalan grows from its tuber embedded in the soil that looks like the tuber of ubi.

The sap of the tuber is very bitter, according to Mr. Jose Loplop. He said that a certain Benito Valentin of Antique experienced a swelling of his lips and numbness of his tongue after he tasted the sap of the tuber of this plant in Bukidnon.

Mr. Loplop is a native of San Remigio, Antique who worked as a farmer for 16 years in the lands of Mr. Ricardo Torecha in Kabangahan, Bukidnon, and a close friend of Mr. Valentin.

The swelling and the numbness were cured after he robbed them with coconut oil.

The flower of Rafflesia that I saw at Aningalan is about an inch from its tuber. The full-bloom flower that I saw in Sito Apong was maroon and it is about 1 ½ feet in diameter. I failed to see white spots on its five petals as mentioned in the various files in the internet. I was about one meter away from the full-blown flower located in Sitio Apong.

The biggest Rafflesia flower that Mr. Jose Loplop saw in Bukidnon was about three feet in diameter. This is the same size that is being talked in Antique.

The one that I saw in Sitio Apong, Brgy. Cabladan, Sibalum on March 30, 2002, was about 1 ½ feet wide.

It has five rounded, separated petals. In the middle, you can see a cauldron-like cup with spiked disk.  Inside this disk are either sepals or stamina, depending upon whether the plant is male or female. The specimen found in Indonesia has one or two sepals. But the one that I saw in Sitio Apong has more than ten sepals.

It is possible that the specimens found in Antique belong to a new species.

The smell of this flower, according to my informants in Antique, is like that of a rotting meat that attracts swarms of flies, especially the big ones, locally known as lagong or bangaw. This is also corroborated by Mr. Loplop. This is the same smell described in the specimens found in Indonesia.

The bad odor according to Mr. Loplop can be smelled to as far as thirty meters away. This is evident immediately after it has bloomed.

The blooming of this plant takes place at night.

But after five days, the flower starts to dry up, and it becomes odorless. The first to rotten is the middle part of the flower. The dried petals turned from maroon to black, and odorless. They looked like the dried edible fungi locally known as tainga ng daga.

Its bad smell serves as its defense mechanism from its predators and probably to attract flies for its pollination.

This plant grows in shady places. The more fertile the soil is, the bigger the flower becomes. As mentioned earlier, its flower can grow as wide as 36 inches wide. The bud of this plant blooms after 12 months.

Aside from being the largest flower on earth, what else can we get out of this?

Since the sap of the tuber of this plant can cause swelling of the lips and numbness of the tongue, it very much possible that the sap of this flower contains much tannins and alkaloids. These chemical compounds can be used as pesticides. It is also possible that antibiotics can be produced from this plant. The bad smell that is being emitted by this plant is still unknown, but most probably it is nitrogen base.

Since this plant has been considered endangered and very rare, can it be propagated artificially? Yes, it can.

In an article “Award for Success in Rafflesia Research” published in the Internet (http:www.geocities.com/the Tropics/Shores/3187/Rafflesia.html), it is reported that Dr. Jamili and his team of Sabah Parks in Indonesia were able to propagate Rafflesia by inoculation in January 2000.

About ten years ago, I wrote an article about biab, the wonder plant of Antique.  It was published in Panay News. Unfortunately, my copy of that article is missing.

This biab plant is also found in San Remigio, Antique. It is a vine, and it has a tuber. The sap of this tuber contains a lot of tannin and alkaloids, and according to Dr. Vicenta Gacutan of the Division of Biological Sciences, U.P. in the Visayas, in Miag-ao, Iloilo, the tuber of biab contains a lot of tannin, and it is antifungal.

To date, two undergraduate theses have already been undertaken on biab. The latest thesis is the production of a bath soap mixed with the tincture of biab. Two scientific projects have also been undertaken, not to include the one that is on-going.

With this initial preparatory information like biab, it can be surmised that many medicines can be produced from Rafflesia.

I hope that this article will awaken the leaders of Antique to protect their natural resources as mandated in Executive Order No. 247 dated 18 May 1995 otherwise known as Prescribing Guidelines and Establishing a Regulatory Framework for the Prospecting of Biological and Genetic Resources.

How I Became a Librarian

How I Became a Librarian

While studying fisheries at the College of Fisheries, UP Diliman, Quezon City, I happened to see an announcement at the bulletin board at the Vinzons Hall. It said that the UP Main Library was in need of a Library Assistant.

I had no idea on what kind of work I would have since I did not have a background in librarianship. The only experience I had, if that could be called an experience, was my constant visit to the library.

When I had no class, I would frequent the library to read just anything. But I always looked for journals and magazines that featured poetry and short stories. I preferred literary criticisms.

When I approached the secretary, Beth, of the University Librarian, and told her that I was applying for the library assistant position, I was immediately accepted.

But I had to work for two months as an apprentice, without pay.

I accepted the offer. But I told her that I still had to continue my work at the Narra Residence Hall where I worked as a student assistant. I was allowed to continue my work at the residence hall.

At the residence hall, I had to work for three hours from 5:00 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday, without monetary compensation. But I could have free three meals a day, Monday to Sunday.

My work there was to give rice to the buying students. After supper, I would mop the floor, then I could eat my supper and go home to my boarding house at the White House located at the back of the UP College of Fisheries Building. Or I could first take my supper then mop the floor.

At the UP Main Library, I would shelve the returned books, or locate the requested books at the Stack Area. I therefore worked as a shelver and Pager.

I must have been very effective in this work because I always got a salary increase.

But later on when I started to question the policies of the University Library, especially when I became the Editor in Chief of the Moog ng Aklatan, the official organ of the UP Main Library employees, Miss Marina Dayrit, the University Librarian freezed me. I was even transferred to the Institute of Mass Communication so I would be far from my close friends at the UP Main Library. Later, I was transferred to the UP Manila in Padre Faura. I do not know if Miss Teresita Ledesma had a hand on this. 

At that time she was the librarian in charge of the library at UP College Manila.

But I liked my works at these libraries because they gave me a chance to widen my knowledge in library works.

Immediately after I received my first salary at the UP Main Library, I told my supervisor at the UP Narra Residence Hall Cafeteria that I was resigning.

My supervisor at the UP Cafeteria offered me to live in their house, free of charge, but I turned it down. I did not know what kind of life I would have there. Anyway, I was already receiving a salary.

My salary? One hundred forty pesos a month! But then the jeepney fare then was only ten centavos, and my boarding house fee was only fifteen pesos a month. Coke or Pepsi cost only ten centavos.

I continued working at the UP Main Library.

In 1972, I got married.

At that time, I was assigned at the Technical Section of the UP Main Library.

At that time too, Ms. Teresita Ledesma, from Iloilo  was already working at the UP in Iloilo (UPIC).

One time, she came to the UP Main Library. I talked to her on the possibility of transferring to UPIC. She must have talked with Ms. Dayrit. Later Ms. Dayrit asked me if I wanted to transfer to Iloilo. And I immediately said yes.

By then, Bing was teaching at Raja Soliman High School as a mathematics teacher. I requested that she be given an appointment at UPIC Library. My request was granted

Later the UPIC Library became UP College Iloilo Library. When the University of the Philippines in the Visayas was created, the UPCI Library automatically became the UPV University Library, headed by a university librarian. Ms. Ledesma became the first University Librarian of the UP in the Visayas Library, now the UP Visayas University Library.

A BREAKTHROUGH: INSTANT BAGOONG

A BREAKTHROUGH: INSTANT BAGOONG

By Melchor F. Cichon

Everybody is familiar with instant coffee, instant salabat, instant noodles, etc. But nobody has heard of even thought of someone producing Instant Bagoong—that smelly, yet sought-after Filipino delicacy.

Yes, Instant Bagoong.

It is now possible to produce this appetizer instantly and enjoy its taste and aroma just like the traditional bagoong.  Aside from that, it is now possible to transport this product anywhere without hearing any unpleasant comments from seatmates.

This breakthrough was developed in 1996 by then an undergraduate student, Liza Marie T. Jaranilla of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, U.P. in the Visayas, Miag-ao, Iloilo. Her adviser was Prof. de la Cruz.

In her thesis entitled “Development of a Cabinet-Dried and Vacuum-Dried ‘Bagoong’ As a Potential Convenience Food Item,” Jaranilla points out that the appearance of the Instant Bagoong she produced resembled with that of the traditional bagoong when it was hydrated or mixed with water.

Before the mixture was cabinet or vacuum-dried, the shrimp (Acetes sp.) was mixed with ionized salt in 1:6 ratio. That is one part of salt to six parts of shrimp by weight.

The mixing was done by hand. It was done seven hours after it was caught to develop a reddish purpose color shrimp bagoong. This color is said to be the ideal color of shrimp bagoong. 

Fermentation of the mixture lasted for one month, although one week fermentation is  already enough.  After which, the bagoong was vacuum- or cabinet-dried.

Jaranilla found out that in terms of aroma and flavor, the dried bagoong produced by the cabinet method was superior than the one produced by vacuum drying.  However, in terms of color, the vacuum-dried bagoong was better.  It had reddish purple color, while that one produced y cabinet-drying method was brownish.

The temperature used by Jaranilla for the vacuum-drying ranged from 40-45oC for 10-12 hours at 10-15 pound per second, while in the cabinet-drying method, the same temperature was used but the drying period was 16-18 hours.

When the dried bagoong was exposed to room temperature, both products developed molds and halophilic organisms that caused their spoilage. Halophilic organisms are those organisms that grow in salty products. However, product done through vacuum-drying method has less molds and halophilic organisms than in cabinet-drying method.

She therefore recommends that, after the process, the dried bagoong be sealed immediately in moisture-vapor proof material like cellophane or polyethylene to lengthen its self-life.

The product produced by Jaranilla is still in its preliminary stage, but once it is given enough funding for its product improvement, this technology will earn millions of peso for the Filipinos.