CAPT. POTENCIANO DELFIN, EUCEBIO DELFIN, AND CAPT. VALENTIN DELFIN 3 REVOLUTIONARY HEROES OF CAPIZ (EXCERPTS FROM HISTORY OF CAPIZ)

Capt. Potenciano Delfin, Eucebio Delfin, and Capt. Valentin Delfin            3 Revolutionary Heroes of Capiz (excerpts from HISTORY OF CAPIZ) 

Battle of Tanza del Norte -The battle of Tanza del Norte (Tanza Norte) on May 4, 1897 was the most important Capiznon-Spanish battle because it was participated by the revolutionaries from the municipalities of Pan-ay (now Panay), Pontevedra, Panit-an (now Panitan) and Pilar. On March 18, 1897, a day after Gen. Del Castillo’s death in Aklan, a group of some 150 Capiznon fighters met in Barrio Monteflor in Pilar. In this meeting which was presided over by Capt. Juan Arce, they discussed the implications of death on the Capiznon revolutionary activities. They also decided to link up with other revolutionary groups. In early April, the group received Capt. Arce’s invitation for them to join a big battle to be fought on May 4 in Barrio Tanza del Norte, Pan-ay.

On August 27, the revolutionaries of Pilar arrived in Pan-ay for the battle.  Capt. Arce, coordinator of the mobilization of troops from four municipalities and Gen. Esteban Contreras, leader of the troops from Pan-ay and Pontevedra, welcomed them.  Five days later, revolutionaries from Panit-an led by Capt. Potenciano Delfin arrived to beef up the fighting force.  But the Capisnon fighters were disorganized during the battle on May 4.  Arce, Contreras and Delfin led their respective troops based on a defective war plan.  Nobody served as commander-in-chief and the Capisnon fighters took orders from their respective troop leaders.  The Spanish soldiers and their native carbiners were also disorganized because the attack caught them by surprise.

  

While the battle raged, Spanish officials in the nearby town of Capiz sent a reinforcement of Spanish soldiers and native infantrymen (quintos) to Pan-ay.  At Barrio Lahab, outside the town proper of Pan-ay, the revolutionaries including Pulahan members from Panit-an and Pan-ay who were earlier recruited by Papa Macario interceted by reinforcement.  Although outnumbered the Spaniards won because they had better ammunition.

By the second day of fighting, about 115 revolutionaries died in action. At dawn of the third day, realizing that they were losing the battle, Gen. Contreras, Pascual Barza, Santiago Blanco, Ramon Contreras and Alejandro Balgos retreated to Gibwangan, a sitio of Barrio Bato near the bank of Pan-ay River. From Gibwangan they escaped in a banca to the waters of Tinagong Dagat.

Gen.  Contreras, his companions and other revolutionaries proceeded to Pontevedra where they regrouped and assessed the results of the battle, Capt. Arce and the Pilareños, on the other hand, escaped through the swamps on their way back to Barrio Monteflor.  Delfin and his fighters from Panit-an hiked back to their town, passing through the Barrios of Calitan, Bago Chiquito, Lus-onan, Linao and Bahit.

Other Battles

There were other Capiznon-Spanish battles from February 24, 1897 to the end of 1898. Most of the battles in Sigma were led by Gen. Saturnino Javillo. He was assisted by Anacito Domingo and Capt. Juan Arce. Capt. Valentin Delfin, on the other hand, was the revolutionary leader in most battles in the town of Panit-an. Other revolutionary leaders of Panit-an were Capt. Potinciano Delfin and Eucebio Delfin.

Papa Macario led the battles in Tapaz, and together with Juan Faduga, launched the assaults on the Spanish garrison in Dumalag. The revolutionary leaders of the battles in Mambusao were Don Ramon Hontiveros, Teniente Juan de Pedro and Teniente Laureano Luces.

The greatest Capisnon revolutionary leader was Capt. Juan Arce.  As Katipunero, Arce organized the agraviados from Ivisan to Pilar into revolutionary troops.  He then mobilized the troops from Pan-ay, Panit-an, Pontevedra and Pilar in the Battle of Tanza del Norte.  Unfortunately, Del Castiollo did not live long enough to see this battle.

Tactically, arce belonged to the Aklan chapter of the Katipunan, but when Del Castillo died, he attached himself to the revolutionary force of Gen. Saturnino Javillo of ‘Sigma.  This was the reason why he also saw action in the Capisnon-Spanish battles in that town.  Concurrent with his duties under Gen. Javillo, he temporarily led the revolutionary group in Pilar which he was organizing at the time of Del Castillo’s death.

Finally, Arce was the greatest Capisnon revolutionary because, while serving as the leader of a troop in Pilar, he died fighting for the revolutionary cause at the Battle of Balisong.  No other revolutionary leader in Capiz met such a heroic end.

JUST TO ADD THE OTHER CONTRIBUTION OF THE DELFIN FAMILY IN HISTORY.: Even during the Japanese Occupation during world war II my lolo, Mayor Hugo R. Delfin resisted the Japanese Government joined the Civilian Resistant movement and was Deputized by then Governor Tomas Confessor as Deputy Governor for Panay and Romblon.

Another Delfin who played another important role in another Revolution was General Roberto Delfin of ANTIQUE whose roots hails from Panitan Capiz as well, in the world-renowned PEOPLE POWER REVOLUTION was one of the Original founders of REFORMED ARMFORCES MOVEMENT OR THE RAMBOYS with fellow Capiznon General Bebit, Col. Red Kapunan,and Sen.Gringo Honassan of Bicol. The bloodless revolution that toppled the Marcos Regime. And in the Economic Revolution the OFW Movement, I guess Senator Oscar Delfin of Guam married to a Layson of Molo, IloiloCity, pioneered in Opening Guam and Hawaii For Ilonggos were more than 20,000 to 30,000 of them relocated to work for the rehabilitation of Guam and Hawaii, Postwar era and the Ilocanos followed soon. He partnered with Congressman Pascualing Espinosa of Iloilo City. That I believe was the first OFW in a massive wave in history and later migration in mainland America. So start the Diaspora of Filipino workers looking for greener Pastures around the world for God, Family, and Country.