History of Pila

The placid life of Pila was rent asunder from 1896, when the revolution against the Spanish colonizers broke out, until 1902 when the Americans, the new colonizers, reorganized the municipal government under their rule (Gotiangco 1980:175, Gleeck 1981:1-13). (53)

On 15 November 1896, General Severino Taiño of Pagsanjan fought fiercely against the Spaniards at the Battle of Sta. Cruz. The colonialists rush two commands of soldiers from Manila to help their beleaguered colleagues. The Filipino rebels had to retreat to the surrounding towns, including Pila, where a good number of them came from. In retaliation, the Spaniards assaulted the remaining pockets of resistance in the next few days. When they reached Pila, they expected the municipal authorities to demonstrate their loyalty by giving them assistance as in the other towns. But the following officials were nowhere to be found: Capitan Municipal (Mayor) Don Feliciano Relova; Juez de Paz (vice-Mayor) and ex-Gobernadorcillo Don Luis N. Rivera; the Filipino coadjutor, Padre Jose Gonzaga; Don Regino Relova, the mayor’s son; and their assistants. Fabian Puso and Maximo Cacha. Not surprisingly, they were branded personas sospechosas. A certain Quisumbing of Los Baños denounced them as supporters of the Katipunan (Gotiangco 1980:101-175, Gleeck 1981:1-13, Ruiz 1969).(54)

The missing officials reappeared in Sta. Cruz on 23 November to deny the charges against them. Nonetheless, they were summarily arrested, their elbows were tied behind their backs and they were thrown into the provincial jail, which was already packed with captured rebels. They languished in prison for nine days. They were only released at the behest of the mayors of Luisiana, Majayjay and Lucban who claimed that the suspects were passing through their towns at the time in question in order to report to the alcalde mayor of Tayabas since Sta. Cruz was then in disarray. However, the mayor of Luisiana and his secretary, who had vouched for them, were themselves eventually arrested as traitors, imprisoned and executed by a firing squad (Gotiangco 1980:101-175; Gleeck 1981:1-13). (55)

In the second phase of the Revolution in 1898, the people of Pila took arms again under General Paciano Rizal, the national hero’s brother, who was the commanding general of Laguna. Aguinaldo appointed Telesforo Franco of Barrio San Roque as the mayor of Pila who, together with Captain Simplicio de la Cruz, formed a unit of Pileño soldiers. Beleaquered again and defeated, the Spanish officials finally withdrew from the province (Gotiangco 1989:133-138). (56)