For the National Democratic Front–Negros island, “Papa Isio”, who led the Pulahanes Movement in 1896, is the true hero of the Negros revolutionary movement.

The province of Negros Occidental yesterday marked the 116th “bloodless revolution”, then led by Generals Juan Araneta and Aniceto Lacson. This event, called the “Great Bluff”, is marked every Nov. 5, the day when Negrenses attained their freedom from the Spanish colonizers.

Frank Fernandez, NDF-Negros spokesperson, said in a statement, however, that that Araneta and Lacson, are sons of Spanish collaborators, who were educated in Spain.

He called for the rectification of the November 5 history of the revolution, where Araneta and Lacson are hailed as the heroes of the revolutionary movement, that he described as “myths”, with historical facts blown out of proportion.

He said there is no truth to claims that Spanish soldiers surrendered to the troops of Araneta and Lacson, who were armed with fake rifles and cannons. There was already an order for all Spanish officials to surrender, he claimed.

It was Papa Isio and the Pulahanes movement who responded the call of the Katipunan for the armed revolution in Negros, and who had continued the fight against the Americans. He was later arrested and died, as a result of a collaboration between the American forces and local collaborators, Fernandez said.

He called for the rectification of the history of Negros, and for support to the armed struggle being waged by the New People’s Army.*GPB

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