23 July 2025 Feature | Surigao Historical Society | Local History
In the twilight of Spanish colonial rule, when the winds of change swept across the Philippine archipelago, Surigao stood not in silence but in the resolute roar of rebellion. At the center of this upheaval was a dramatic and deeply personal tale of two Surigaonon brothers, Simon and Wenceslao Gonzalez, whose courage and convictions ignited one of Surigao’s most decisive revolutionary moments.
Dr. Fernando A. Almeda Jr.'s Surigao Across the Years, in its chapter "Presion: Tale of Two Brothers," captures this gripping saga in riveting detail. The title, “Presion,” a Spanish word for pressure or strain, perfectly mirrors the tension of the times, a province pressed between the crumbling Spanish regime and the uncertain dawn of a new nation.
Simon and Wenceslao were no ordinary rebels. They were appointed by Emilio Aguinaldo himself, leaders entrusted with organizing the resistance in northeastern Mindanao. Upon their return to Surigao, their revolutionary fervor was met with both enthusiasm and resistance. "Juan", also referred to in some accounts as "Alejandro", Simon’s father and fondly called "Jantoy," was elected by local representatives or principales of the local council as gobernadorcillo of the municipio de Surigao, symbolizing civil support for the revolutionary cause. Simon, meanwhile, was appointed directly by Aguinaldo as the Military Commander of Mindanao.
Yet, the brothers’ campaign was not only against the Spanish friars and colonial government, it was also a confrontation with entrenched interests, class loyalties, and internal divisions. The missionaries were confined, their properties seized, and the church's symbols replaced with emblems of revolutionary power. In nearby Cantilan, the papal flag was raised as an ironic statement of ecclesiastical allegiance, subverting both colonial and revolutionary symbols.
The revolution in Surigao was not a monolith. In Butuan, the Gonzalezes staged a powerful demonstration, consolidating control, but that show of strength only masked the fragile alliances holding their campaign together. Fr. Sanchez and others managed dramatic escapes; uprisings flared and flickered.
The drama escalated when the Gonzalezes were arrested, a move that suggests either internal betrayal or a calculated strategy to avoid full-scale conflict. Adding to the intrigue was the mysterious presence of Garcia, a Baganga native turned policeman, whose shifting loyalties and brutal enforcement tactics complicated the revolutionary map.
In Cortes, a beach “too quiet” became a haunting metaphor for the stillness before catastrophe. Revolutionaries gathered in secret meetings, plots whispered among bamboo walls. A Council of War in Tago sealed the fate of Surigao’s rebellion, a plot to assassinate American soldiers emerged, only to collapse under the weight of its own paranoia and poor execution.
Eventually, the Surigao resistance offered a staged surrender to the Americans. It was a calculated move, one last maneuver by men now cornered by colonial power and local disillusionment. With their revolution unraveling, the Gonzalezes, once hailed as heroes, faded into the shadows of history, their legacy both honored and complicated.
But their story endures.
Through Almeda’s meticulous retelling, the “Presion” chapter unveils not just a tale of rebellion, but a reflection of the tensions that defined Surigao’s identity at the turn of the 20th century. It shows how loyalty, ambition, and the yearning for liberation intersected in complex, often contradictory ways.
“Presion: Tale of Two Brothers” offers more than a local episode, it is a microcosm of the Philippine revolution’s moral ambiguities and regional dynamics. Surigao’s struggle was not fought in Manila’s shadow but on its own terms, in its own language, and with its own heroes.
The Gonzalezes remind us that history is not merely shaped by grand narratives but also by the personal convictions of those willing to act, sometimes to lead, often to fall, but always to hope.
Interact with the book through Artificial Intelligence (AI): Visit the customized GPT by Open AI HERE and the Book Section of the Surigao Historical Society HERE
Click here to know the Editorial Team, Copyright and Authorized Digital Use Statement
