The Enriquez Family of Bulakan, Bulacan

I trace my maternal ancestry to the mid-19th century Enriquez family of Bulakan, Bulacan. This family’s patriarch and matriarch were my great grandfather and great grandmother Vicente de Jesus Enriquez and Petrona Gatmaitan Sepulveda-Fernando.

Vicente and Petrona Enriquez had nine children: six boys and three girls. They were Alfonso, Anacleto, Severina, Victoria, Paula, Vicente Jr., Jose, Laureano, and Bonifacio. The first four sons joined the Katipunan, became high ranking members, and fought in the Philippine Revolution.

Alfonso became a captain and headed Brigada Pilar, the victorious Katipunan force in Bulakan. Anacleto became a general at age 20 and fell in the Battle of San Rafael on November 30, 1896. Vicente became a lieutenant-colonel and aide-de-camp (ayudante) to Gen. Gregorio del Pilar and, along with Jose, who became a lieutenant, survived the Battle of Tirad Pass. Vicente was the principal source of the details of the battle which would be chronicled by historians. Laureano and Bonifacio, the youngest of the Enriquez brood, did not join the Katipunan because they were too young.

Gen. Anacleto Enriquez and and fellow Bulakenyo Gen. Gregorio del Pilar were close friends from childhood. They were born only 10 months and 12 days apart (September 26, 1876 and November 14, 1875). In fact, Gen del Pilar was born on land adjacent to the Enriquez family house in Barrio San Jose, Bulakan. Together with Anacleto's younger brother Vicente, the two maintained their friendship as students of the Ateneo Municipal de Manila at Arsobispado St. in Intramuros.  It is said that Gen. del Pilar was inspired profoundly by Gen. Enriquez' death, leading him to emulate Gen. Enriquez' martyrdom.

Gen. Anacleto Enriquez 
from Retrato The Photo Archive of the Filipinas Heritage Library 
http://www.retrato.com.ph/photodtl.asp?id=PP01108

Because of the revolutionary activities of her children, Petrona Enriquez was arrested and detained by the Spaniards in the old Bilibid Prisons when hostilities broke out in 1896.  Her third child, Victoria Enriquez, was also arrested by the Spanish authorities.

Vicente Enriquez' father was named Anacleto Enriquez, which explains why he named one of his sons Anacleto. In turn, the former's father was a pure Spaniard by the name of Rafael Enriquez, about whom the Enriquez clan in the Philippines knows very little.

Petrona Enriquez' mother was Monica Gatmaitan, a first cousin of Blasa Gatmaitan, the mother of propagandist Marcelo H. del Pilar. That makes Blasa the aunt of Petrona Enriquez, and Marcelo H. del Pilar Petrona's cousin. Marcelo del Pilar therefore was Anacleto and Vicente Enriquez' uncle. 

My mother, Eneida Enriquez Reyes, told me time and again  that Petrona and her wealthy sister Eugenia contributed to the financial allotment that Blasa Gatmaitan sent to Marcelo H. del Pilar while he was campaigning for reforms in Spain.  

My mother also told me that my great grandfather Vicente occupied the position of “escribano” in Bulacan. She said that our great grandfather earned his living by writing legal documents, although she did not specify if Vicente Enriquez Sr. was a judge or a lawyer.

According to Black's Law Dictionary, an escribano is an officer in Spanish law who has “authority to set down in writing, and verify by his attestation, transactions and contracts between private persons, and also judicial acts and proceedings." Vicente Enriquez must have accumulated his properties writing legal documents for merchants, landowners, and the Catholic Church. With his means, Vicente Enriquez could afford to send his children to the Ateneo, the best school in those days.  

The last section of the invitation to Anacleto Enriquez' centennial celebrations on September 26, 1976. It shows the names of his parents, and the names of his siblings and their spouses. The matriarch, Petrona Enriquez,was arrested and detained by the Spaniards in the old Bilibid Prisons when hostilities broke out in Bulacan in 1896.The third child, Victoria Enriquez, who was also arrested by the Spanish authorities, never married. It translates:

THE HERO'S SIBLINGS

ALFONSO S.F. ENRIQUEZ (deceased) became Judge of Bulakan, Bulakan.

SEVERINA S.F. ENRIQUEZ (deceased) wife of former Bulakan Governor Trinidad Icasiano.

VICTORIA S.F. ENRIQUEZ (deceased)

PAULA S.F. ENRIQUEZ (deceased) wife of Don Francisco Morelos.

VICENTE S.F. ENRIQUEZ (deceased) aide-de-camp of Gen. Gregorio H. del Pilar.

JOSE S.F. ENRIQUEZ (deceased) became mayor of Bulakan, Bulakan.

LAUREANO S.F. ENRIQUEZ (deceased) became Treasurer of San Ildefonso, Bulakan.

BONIFACIO S.F. ENRIQUEZ became Judge of Polo, Bocawe, Bigaa, and Bulakan.

HIS PARENTS

Father: DON VICENTE ENRIQUEZ Y DE JESUS

Mother: DOÑA PETRONA SEPULVEDA FERNANDO Y GATMAITAN

From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

My direct grandfather, Bonifacio Enriquez (my mother’s father), was born on July 22, 1886. He was 15 days shy of six years old when the Katipunan was founded on July 7, 1892 and ten years old when the revolution broke out on August 23, 1896.

Although Bonifacio SF Enriquez was too young to have joined the fight, knowing his character, I think he would have followed his brothers had he been old enough. I am saying this because my mother told us that during the Japanese occupation, Bonifacio SF Enriquez helped a lot of Hukbalahap (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon) fighters, many of them his tenants. 

History of Bulacan, Bulacan

According to the official website of Bulacan, it is one of the oldest towns in the Philippines, having been founded by the Augustinians in 1572. Its patron is “Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion” (Our Lady of the Assumption). It was the long-standing capital of Bulacan province before the Americans moved the “capital de la provincia” to Malolos, shortly after occupation.

The word "Bulacan" comes from the Tagalog term "bulak", which means cotton. Because of the large quantity of cotton plants in the original settlement, it was named Bulacan.  The first Bulaceños were farmers, fishermen, handicraftsmen, and weavers.

The people of Bulacan first demonstrated their fighting capacity when, under the leadership of Spaniard Jose Pedro Bustos, a force of 8,000 Bulakeños retook the town from the British after 9 days of fighting. This battle occurred during the British occupation of Manila and environs from 1762 to 1764.   

Bulacan, Bulacan is very near to and shares a coastline with Manila. This contributed to Bulacan's prosperity in the early times. It was the capital of Bulacan province for much of the  Spanish period. Source: Wikipedia

As the administrative center of the province during the Spanish Period, Bulacan must have been a flourishing economic and cultural hub. Its nearness to Manila, with whom it shares a coastline, and the easy transportation made possible by rivers, hastened Bulacan’s commercial development.

Arguably, this prosperity created and sustained a Bulacan Ilustrado class, exemplified by the landed and educated Enriquez family. This Bulacan elite must have imbibed the same liberal-democratic theory that animated the love for freedom of the Ilustrados in other Philippine provinces.    

The most famous Ilustrado to be born in Bulacan, of course, was the great propagandist Marcelo H. del Pilar, who was born in Barrio Kupang. Gregorio del Pilar, the hero of Tirad Pass, was himself a member of this class.

The revolutionary martyrdom of Anacleto Enriquez, however, remains known to but a few Filipinos. Much less still is known about the participation and survival of his older brother Capt. Alfonso Enriquez and younger brothers Col. Vicente Enriquez, and Lt. Jose Enriquez in the Battle of Tirad Pass, and the fact that Col. Vicente Enriquez was the aide-de-camp of Gen Gregorio del Pilar. Finally, the incarceration of their mother, Petrona Enriquez, at the old Bilibid Prisons, and the arrest of their sister, Victoria, are also not generally known.

The Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion (Our Lady of the Assumption) Parish Church in Bulacan, Bulacan. It was established by the Augustinians in 1578, making it one of the oldest churches in Bulacan province. Behind it is the town cemetery, where my parents and grandfathers/mothers are buried. It is said that in this church, Gregorio del Pilar distributed "subversive" pamphlets authored by his uncle, Marcelo H. del Pilar.  Photo by Jacob Carpio

Alfonso, Anacleto, Vicente, and Jose Enriquez

Noted Bulacan historian Isaac C. Cruz Jr. was able to interview my grandfather Jose SF Enriquez before the latter died on January 18, 1965. Jose Enriquez held the rank of lieutenant in the Katipunan, and was among the 8 survivors of the Battle of Tirad Pass, as he told Cruz. 

According to Jose Enriquez, when hostilities broke out in Bulacan in 1896, their mother, Petrona SF Enriquez was arrested by the Guardia Civil because of the revolutionary activities of her four sons, Alfonso, Anacleto, Vicente, and Jose.  She was “dragged from her home” and detained at the Old Bilibid Prisons.

Earlier, in January 1895, recalls Jose Enriquez, Anacleto Enriquez joined the Katipunan at the age of 19 at a house in Tondo, Manila. In a solemn ceremony inspired by Masonic rites, Anacleto Enriquez made an incision on his left forearm, and dipped a pen in his blood.

Anacleto Enriquez Organizes the Bulacan Katipunan

Pledging eternal loyalty to the cause, he then signed on a document his nom de guerre: “Matanglawin” (Hawkeye). Anacleto Enriquez earned his nom de guerre because of his shooting prowess.  After the signing, Andres Bonifacio, whose nom de guerre was “May-Pagasa” (Optimist), instructed Anacleto Enriquez to organize a Katipunan chapter in Bulacan.

According to a marker in Barangay San Jose, Anacleto Enriquez, together with another Bulacan patriot, Doroteo Karagdag, established the Bulacan Katipunan at the Enriquez family house. This house burned down in 1898. They named the chapter "Balangay Uliran" (Model Chapter) 

In this historic house, the members and applicants of the "Balangay Uliran" had their secret meetings and initiation rites, which included the famous Katipunan blood compact. The Guardia Civil attacked the house, and arrested Petrona Enriquez. 

This historical marker, now displayed in the library-museum of the Marcelo H. del Pilar shrine in San Nicolas,  Bulacan, Bulacan, commemorates the memory of the Vicente Enriquez-Petrona Sepulveda Fernando home in San Jose, Bulacan, Bulacan. The house burned down in 1898 but is nevertheless remembered as the birthplace of the Katipunan in Bulacan, Bulacan.  The Spaniards raided this house in 1896 and arrested "Donya Petrona." It translates:

THE HISTORIC HOUSE OF THE ENRIQUEZ 

ON THIS PLACE, BARRIO SAN JOSE, BULACAN, BULACAN, FORMERLY STOOD THE BIG HOUSE OF HUSBAND AND WIFE DON VICENTE ENRIQUEZ Y DE JESUS AND DOÑA PETRONA SEPULVEDA FERNANDO Y GATMAYTAN AND THEIR CHILDREN AMONG WHICH WERE ANACLETO WHO BECAME A GENERAL, VICENTE ENRIQUEZ WHO BECAME AIDE-DE-CAMP TO GEN. GREGORIO H. DEL PILAR, ALFONSO ENRIQUEZ, WHO BECAME CAPTAIN OF “BRIGADA PILAR” AND JOSE ENRIQUEZ, WHO BECAME A LIEUTENANT OF GEN. “GOYO” AT TIRAD PASS AND MAYOR OF BULACAN 1912-1916.

IN THE YEAR 1896, UPON THE ORDERS OF ANDRES BONIFACIO, ANACLETO ENRIQUEZ, VICENTE ENRIQUEZ, AND DOROTEO KARAGDAG ESTABLISHED IN THIS HOUSE “BALANGAY ULIRAN” OF THE BULACAN KATIPUNAN. IN THIS HOUSE WERE ALSO HELD THE SECRET MEETINGS OF THE KATIPUNEROS AND THE MANY TESTS, OATH-TAKINGS, AND BLOOD COMPACTS OF THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE KATIPUNAN.

THE SPANIARDS ATTACKED THIS HOUSE, ARRESTED DOÑA PETRONA, BROUGHT HER TO MANILA, AND INCARCERATED HER AT BILIBID BECAUSE OF THE LOVE FOR THE MOTHERLAND OF HER CHILDREN.

GEN. ANACLETO ENRIQUEZ DID NOT GO HOME AGAIN BECAUSE HE WAS KILLED IN THE BLOODY BATTLE AT THE CHURCH OF SAN RAFAEL, BULACAN AT THE AGE OF ONLY 21. THIS HOUSE BURNED DOWN IN THE YEAR 1898. 

Photo by Jacob Carpio

Anacleto Enriquez was studying at the Ateneo in Intramuros when he connected with Bonifacio. The two developed a close friendship which led to Anacleto Enriquez’ joining the Katipunan. Because of his Katipunan activities, however, Anacleto Enriquez did not finish his baccalaureate studies at the Ateneo.  

Anacleto Enriquez showed organizational skills in expanding the Katipunan chapter in Bulacan. Balangay Uliran would eventually assume the name “Brigada Pilar,” ostensibly because its membership had reached brigade strength, or 3,000 fighters.   I am not sure if this was to honor town mates Marcelo H. del Pilar, or Gregorio del Pilar. Anacleto's older brother, Capt. Alfonso Enriquez, became the head of "Brigada Pilar."  

Some websites say "Balangay Uliran" was formed with the help of Gen. Isidoro Torres of Malolos. The same websites say the "pangulo" or president of Balangay Uliran was Doroteo Karagdag, the "kalihim" or secretary was Anacleto Enriquez, and that the "ingat-yaman" or treasurer was Anacleto's brother, Vicente Enriquez.

Jose Enriquez related how the townspeople were amazed by Anacleto Enriquez’ courage and organizing skill. I surmise what he was doing was difficult and dangerous ---- Katipunan then was a secret organization, there were spies and traps everywhere, and the penalty for subversive activities was death, often by garrote. Adding to Anacleto Enriquez’ mystique were his athletic build, handsome looks, gentlemanly manners, magnetic personality, Ateneo education, and well-respected family.

Anacleto Enriquez had political savvy as well: he initiated an effective whispering campaign against Spanish abuses in Bulacan, Bulacan. Before long, Anacleto Enriquez became a legendary figure in Bulacan.

Initially, Anacleto Enriquez was able to recruit about 200 Katipunan combatants in Bulacan. Included in this number were his brothers Vicente Jr. and Jose, who later fought at Tirad Pass. Vicente Enriquez became a Lt. Coronel and aide-de-camp to Gen. Gregorio del Pilar, while Jose Enriquez, as I said, became 2nd Lieutenant.

Vicente Enriquez became aide-de-camp to Gen. Gregorio del Pilar and survived  Tirad Pass. The US 33rd Volunteer Infantry Regiment under Col. Luther R. Hare described the Tirad Pass defenders as a "ragtag army led by a wily aide-de-camp." From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

Gen. Gregorio del Pilar and Gen. Anacleto Enriquez merged Balangay Uliran
of Bulakan, Bulacan with the group of  Gen. Isidoro Torres
to form Balangay at Sangguniang Apuy of Malolos, Bulacan.

Jose Enriquez, like Vicente Enriquez, was one of the survivors of Tirad Pass. From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

Jose Enriquez in his twilight years, but still wearing  the Katipunan uniform he wore as a 19-year-old. From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

Brigada Pilar’s Baptism of Fire

Brigada Pilar’s baptism of fire was an encounter in Masukol, Malolos Bulacan, a barrio abutting Manila Bay. Jose Enriquez related how astounded the Spanish forces were by the detachment’s organized fighting style. The group fought its second encounter in Calumpit, Bulacan. The Katipuneros must have travelled by water often, because Masukol and Calumpit have good riverine connections to Bulacan.

Ultimately, it was in an encounter on November 30, 1896, in the Catholic church of San Rafael, Bulacan that Anacleto Enriquez and about 800 members of Brigada Pilar met their glorious fate. San Rafael’s official website says that the Katipuneros descended on the convent attached to the church and occupied it.

They then destroyed its documents and records, ostensibly in a gesture of defiance. After this, they converted the church into a barracks. 

The Battle of San Rafael : Ankle Deep Blood

Three days later, the Guardia Civil learned of their presence. They sent a crack battalion (300 to 1,000 soldiers) of “cazadores” (hunters) led by Lt. Col. Lopez Arteaga to destroy Brigada Pilar. The Katipuneros were trapped in the church. They locked the church doors, but the cazadores broke the doors down with cannons. 

When the cazadores entered the church, fierce hand-to-hand combat ensued, with more than 800 Katipuneros getting killed-in-action, including the 20-year-old Gen. Enriquez. Many Katipuneros were bayoneted in the gut.  

According to eyewitnesses, blood reached ankle-deep from the church floor. My grandmother, Virginia Villaroman Enriquez, who was from San Rafael, told us in our childhood that because the fight occurred right after lunchtime, a lot of undigested rice mixed with the coagulated blood that blanketed much of the church floor.

Historical marker commemorating the Battle of San Rafael. It translates:

THE BATTLE IN SAN RAFAEL

ON THIS PLACE OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 30, 1896 ONE OF THE BLOODIEST BATTLES IN THE PROVINCE OF BULACAN BETWEEN KATIPUNEROS LED BY GENERAL ANACLETO ENRIQUEZ (MATANGLAWIN) AND SPANISH SOLDIERS LED ON THE OTHER HAND BY LIEUTENANT GENERAL LOPEZ ARTEAGA. WHEN THE SMOKE OF GUNFIRE CLEARED, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 800 PERSONS ON THE FILIPINO SIDE HAD THE ILL FORTUNE OF DYING. INCLUDED HERE WERE MATANGLAWIN AND OTHER KATIPUNEROS WHO FOUGHT FOR FREEDOM UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT.  

Photo by Cesar Aljama

Another historical marker near the San Rafael church. Photo by Cesar Aljama

Artist's depiction of the Battle of San Rafael November 30, 1896.  Photo by Cesar Aljama

The St. John of God Parish Church San Rafael, Bulacan as it stands today. Local people have told me  that Jose Rizal created the Noli Me Tangere characters Crispin and Basilio from actual events involving two sacristans that worked in this church. Photo by Cesar Aljama

My grandmother said that after seeing this, a lot of San Rafael’s folks swore not to eat caked chicken’s blood and rice again.  This delicacy, which came in half-inch cubes, was made by letting chicken’s blood drip from its slit throat to a plate of uncooked rice and leaving it to coagulate. It has been a favored component of “arroz caldo” and “tinolang manok” in Bulacan as far back as I can remember.    

She also told us that a lot of Katipunan bodies were transported by carabao drawn “caromatas” which passed in front of their house in Barrio Caingin. “The fighting reached the upper parts of the church. There was fighting on the choir loft. The struggle even reached the seldom used circular walkway at the base of the church’s dome which crowned the church’s altar,” she told us repeatedly.

This is the interior of the San Rafael Catholic church where the savage hand-to-hand combat took place. In this cramped space, probably more than a thousand men on each side fought. The battle began shortly after lunchtime. Blood reached ankle-deep from the floor, with lots of undigested rice mixed in.  Photo by Cesar Aljama   

Gregorio del Pilar Idolized Anacleto Enriquez

The town’s website also narrates that the “patio” (plaza) in front of the San Rafael church was littered with the bodies of Katipuneros, which led the “governadorcillo” (mayor) of San Rafael to order that a common grave for them be dug near the church.

Jose Enriquez recalled to Isaac Cruz that before his brother drew his last breath, Anacleto Enriquez told a subordinate to “send my love to my mother,” and “remember, carry on the fight.”

My grandfather, Bonifacio Enriquez, told us repeatedly that in the afternoon that Anacleto Enriquez died, their mother, Petrona, swore she saw a large shadow, somewhat in the shape of a hawk, fly across their living room, and out their window.   

Teodoro M. Kalaw, in his biography of Gregorio del Pilar titled “Life and Death of a Boy-General” wrote that Gen del Pilar could have been in Bulacan, Bulacan when the Guardia Civil returned victoriously from the Battle of San Rafael, shouting “Viva España!”

Kalaw quoted Gregorio del Pilar as asking, “How was Anacleto armed when he fell in Battle? I shall also know how to die for our country as he did.”

Gregorio del Pilar and Anacleto Enriquez were childhood friends, and, according to Kalaw, Gregorio del Pilar idolized Anacleto Enriquez.  They were born only a year apart, 1875 and 1876. Anacleto Enriquez was born in Barrio San Nicolas, Bulacan, Bulacan, while Gregorio del Pilar was born on a piece of land near Anacleto Enriquez’ residence in Barrio San Jose, Bulacan, Bulacan.

Vicente and Jose Enriquez Survive Tirad Pass

According to the website “Katipunan sa Bulacan,” Vicente Enriquez joined the Katipunan at the same time as his brother Anacleto, and this was in July 1892. This is 3 years earlier than 1895, the year offered by Jose Enriquez. He became a coronel on November 1, 1896, and was under the command of General Isidoro Torres, the Katipunan lead commander for Bulacan province.

He was actively involved in recruiting Katipunan members in Bulacan, and, with Anacleto and a certain Col. Asuncion, manufactured cartridges for shotguns. He did not finish his studies at the Ateneo because of his involvement in the Katipunan. 

Expedito Ibarbia, in his book “A Heart Too Far” wrote that Gen. Gregorio del Pilar authorized Col. Vicente Enriquez to handpick the sixty men who would defend Tirad Pass. Before ascending the pass, the group made a vow to fight to the death. The fighting went on for six hours, beginning in the morning of December 2, 1899.

The Texas Volunteers of the 33rd Infantry Regiment numbered around 600, under the command of Gen Peyton C. March. They were looking for a “rebel leader with a ragtag army led by a wily aide-de-camp.”

Gen. del Pilar’s force was gradually reduced by mortar fire to 8 men, excluding Col. Vicente Enriquez. When things became hopeless, del Pilar mounted his horse and urged it to climb a hill. He yelled to his men, “Gentlemen, you have done well. We are now at risk. Save yourselves.”

After saying this, del Pilar got hit in the shoulder by a sniper bullet. Bloodied, he drew his sword and shouted to his men, “You may now go and save yourselves.” Del Pilar then got hit a second time, this time a mortal wound in the neck. He fell off his horse. After seeing del Pilar fall, Col. Vicente Enriquez shouted to  his men, “Men, you heard the general, save yourselves.” Col. Enriquez and his men then slid down the 4,000 foot high chasm.

Included in his men was his kid brother, 2nd Lt. Jose Enriquez. The withdrawal saved the two from a youthful death. Vicente Enriquez was then 19 or 20 years old, and Jose Enriquez a few years younger.  

Bulacan Celebrates Anacleto Enriquez’ Centennial

On September 26, 1976, Hiyas ng Bulacan, Bulacan Historical Society, and the Municipal Government of Bulacan, celebrated Anacleto Enriquez’ centennial. This was done with the active participation of the Enriquez clan and especially the only living sibling of Anacleto Enriquez, former judge Bonifacio Enriquez, who was then 90 years old.  The celebrations were marked by morning Holy Mass for the hero at Bulacan’s Our Lady of the Assumption church,  unveiling of historical markers in Anacleto Enriquez’ birthplace and residence in Barangay San Nicolas, and San Jose, a short program, and lunch at Bonifacio SF Enriquez’ house. 

The cover of the invitation for Anacleto Enriquez' centennial celebrations. Emiliano Enriquez, was the eldest son of Jose S.F. Enriquez. That's my handwriting. Emiliano was probably named after Emilio Aguinaldo. It translates: 

THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE BIRTH OF GENERAL ANACLETO S.F. ENRIQUEZ, HERO OF THE BATTLE (1896) AT THE CHURCH OF SAN RAFAEL, BULAKAN.

September 1876 --- September 1976

HIYAS NG BULAKAN, BULACAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND THE TOWN GOVERNMENT OF BULAKAN IN COOPERATION WITH THE FAMILY OF THE LATE HERO LED BY THE ONLY REMAINING SIBLING FORMER JUDGE BONIFACIO S.F. ENRIQUEZ ARE GLAD TO INVITE YOU TO A GATHERING AT THEIR RESIDENCE AT SAN JOSE, BULAKAN, BULAKAN, ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1976, AFTER THE UNVEILING OF THE HERO’S HISTORICAL MARKERS.

Ms/Mrs./Mr. ______________________________________________

                                                                                (as relative)                          (as guest)         

From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

The program for Anacleto Enriquez' centennial celebrations. It translates:

P R O G R A M

Sunday, September 26, 1976

8:30 AM --- Mass at the Bulakan Parish Church

9:30 AM --- Unveiling of historical marker at the hero’s birthplace at Barangay San Nicolas, Bulakan

10:30 AM --- Unveiling of historical marker at the house where the hero lived at Barangay San Jose, Bulakan.

11:00 AM --- Brief program to honor the hero

12:00 noon --- LUNCH

G. JOSE P.W. TANTOCO

(President --- Bulacan Historical Society)

Master of Ceremonies

From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

My humble participation in all these was that I wrote the names of the invitees on the invitations and delivered quite a few. I was already a student activist at the University of the Philippines, and very proud to have a grandfather who died a hero in the Philippine Revolution.

Aside from being a good source for the above celebrations, the invitations also contained a list of the complete names of the eight other children of Vicente de Jesus Enriquez and Petrona Gatmaitan Sepulveda Fernando, and their spouses. It also contained other important details, such as the positions they or their spouses held in government.

The preparations for the event were supervised by Bonifacio Enriquez’ son-in-law and my father, Judge Domingo Coronel Reyes, municipal judge of Malolos, Bulacan. He coordinated with the president of Bulacan Historical Society, Jose PW Tantoco.

The above historical marker
GENERAL ANACLETO ENRIQUEZ
"HAWKEYE"
GREAT SON OF BULAKAN, BULACAN
SEPTEMBER 25, 1876
NOVEMBER 30, 1896

NOVEMBER 30, 1896. INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE SAN RAFAEL CHURCH OCCURRED ONE OF THE BLOODIEST BATTLES IN THE HISTORY OF BULAKAN, BETWEEN KATIPUNAN FORCES LED BY GENERAL ANACLETO ENRIQUEZ AND SPANISH SOLDIERS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF LT. COL. LOPEZ ARTEAGA. WHEN THE SMOKE OF GUNFIRE CLEARED, ANKLE-DEEP BLOOD FLOODED THE BAPTISTERY OF THE CHURCH. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 800 KATIPUNEROS WERE KILLED INCLUDING THE INTREPID GENERAL WHO FOUGHT FOR THE FREEDOM OF MOTHERLAND PHILIPPINES UP TO THE LAST MOMENTS OF HIS LIFE.

DEDICATED TODAY NOVEMBER 30, 2015 ON THE INITIATIVE OF THE BARANGAY GOVERNMENT OF SAN FRANCISCO, BULAKAN, BULACAN AS PART OF THE 119TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GENERAL'S DEATH

ON THIS ROCK, ON NOVEMBER 30, 1896, KATIPUNERO AND SPANISH BLOOD FLOODED ANKLE-DEEP. THIS ROCK IS PART OF THE FLOOR OF THE CHILDREN'S BAPTISTERY OF THE SAN RAFAEL, BULACAN CHURCH. THIS ROCK IS A MUTE WITNESS TO ONE OF THE BLOODIEST BATTLES IN THE HISTORY OF THE PROVINCE OF BULACAN, BETWEEN THE KATIPUNEROS LED BY GENERAL ANCLETO ENRIQUEZ AND SPANISH SOLDIERS LED BY LT. COL. LOPEZ ARTEAGA.

THIS ROCK WAS OBTAINED IN THE YEAR 1968 FROM THE SAN RAFAEL, BULACAN CHURCH UPON THE REPRESENTATION OF MAYOR ARTEMIO MENESES AND THOSE ASSIGNED TO GET IT WERE THE FOLLOWING:

                               SGT. FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ

                               PAT. ROBERTO MORELOS

                               PAT. RICARDO MARCELO

                               PAT. OSCAR SALVADOR

Above are the translated Anacleto Enriquez historical markers and bust located in Brgy. San Francisco Bulakan, Bulacan, constructed as part of the "Liwasang Anacleto Enriquez"  which was dedicated on November 30, 2015 to commemorate the 119th anniversary of the hero's death. On the foreground is an original slab from the floor of the San Rafael church where the bloody battle took place, and which, very likely, could have been covered with ankle deep blood, as the accounts of the encounter have told.

Alfonso, Vicente and Jose Enriquez after the Revolution

After surviving the Battle of Tirad Pass, Alfonso, Vicente and Jose Enriquez got on with their lives. They raised their families, entered politics, and inherited their share from Vicente and Petrona Enriquez' estate. Vicente Enriquez finished his law studies and passed the bar exams. Alfonso Enriquez became Justice of the Peace of  Bulacan, Bulacan.  

Jose Enriquez, or "Lolo Pepe" was fortunate in electoral politics. He got elected mayor of Bulacan, Bulacan in 1912 and served until 1916. As stated, he died on January 18, 1965. He had three children: Emiliano, Solita, and Pacita.

Vicente Enriquez as a candidate for the Philippine Assembly From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

Vicente Enriquez joined the fray in the contentious PRO vs ANTI rivalry of the Thirties, involving the rejection or acceptance by the Filipinos of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act.  He took the side of Sergio Osmeña and Manuel Roxas’ PRO.   As a PRO member, Vicente Enriquez ran for a seat in the Philippine Legislature, as representative of the first district of Bulacan province. He lost, however.

Vicente Enriquez married Josefa Rivera Ycasiano. They had ten children: Asuncion, Ramon, Luis, Remedios, Aurora, Salud, Maria, Lourdes, Jacinto, and Guillermo. The eldest, Asuncion became a nun with the Religious of the Assumption.

Luis "Ito" Enriquez married Juanita "Aning" Molina, daughter of Bulacan governor Jacinto Molina. They are the parents of former Bulacan mayor Vicente M. "Tito" Enriquez.

The Luis Enriquez - Juanita Molina Enriquez House, otherwise known as "The White House" in Bulacan, Bulacan. Former residence of Jacinto Molina, Bulacan provincial governor from 1938 to 1940. President Manuel L. Quezon slept in this house on his visits to Bulacan. 

Remedios, still alive as of this writing at 99 years old, married Francisco "Soc" Rodrigo, future Philippine senator. Her eldest son, Francisco "King" Rodrigo Jr., will marry Maria Elisa Cristobal Anson Roa or Boots Anson Roa on June 14, 2014.

By a twist of fate, Salud Enriquez married Mario del Pilar, nephew of Gregorio del Pilar.  Salud, or "Tiya Sally" and Mario named one of their sons Gregorio. Gregorio Enriquez del Pilar II became an anti-martial law activist and now teaches psychology at the University of the Philippines.

Maria married Dalmacio "Chito" Guidote. Lourdes married Fortunato Peña. Jacinto "Titong" Enriquez married Milagros "Mila" Santiago of Malolos. Mila Santiago Enriquez became a renowned Bulacan food historian, while one of their sons, Vicente "Bong" Enriquez III became a respected theatre director and founder of the town's theatre guild. Lastly, Guillermo "Momong" Enriquez  married Aurora Cruz.

Vicente Enriquez was afflicted with stomach cancer. He frequented Sibul Springs in San Miguel, Bulacan to cure his sickness. He even went to Vienna, Austria for treatment. My "Lolo Enteng" died on May 15, 1936 in Vienna, at the age of 56. 

Young Vicente Enriquez and Josefa Ycasiano with their children, circa 1920s. All in all they had ten children: Asuncion, Ramon, Luis, Remedios, Aurora, Salud, Maria, Lourdes, Jacinto, and Guillermo. From the Ching Reyes collection

Had Col. Vicente Enriquez, not survived the Battle of Tirad Pass, he would not have met Josefa Ycasiano and  these beautiful children would not have been born. One of them, Remedios,(2nd L-R back row) would marry Francisco "Soc" Rodrigo,who would become Philippine senator. She is still alive, at 99, as of this writing. On January 16, 2015, Remedios Enriquez Rodrigo was personally blessed by Pope Francis at the Mall of Asia Arena as she headed 4 generations of the Rodrigo family as they were presented to the Holy Father. From the Ching Reyes collection

Mrs. Remedios "Meding" Enriquez Rodrigo, widow of the late Senator Francisco "Soc" Rodrigo 
and last surviving child of Vicente SF Enriquez. This picture was taken during her 103rd birthday celebration  
Mrs. Rodrigo died age 104 on December 3, 2018.

Emiliano Enriquez, the eldest child of Jose Enriquez. I fondly called him "Tio Nanoy" He had two children by his first wife: Raul and Recaredo, and four by his second: Emelita (who graciously furnished many photos and manuscripts for this blog), Joselito, Juanita, and Emiliano Jr. I am most certain Jose Enriquez named him after General Emilio Aguinaldo. 

Jose Enriquez was elected Bulacan, Bulacan town mayor in 1913 and served until 1916. He is shown above with the town police force. From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

Bonifacio Enriquez

And, as for Bonifacio Enriquez, he became a lawyer and had a successful career in the judiciary. He became “Justice of the Peace” (Municipal Trial Court Judge) of three towns in Bulacan province namely: Polo (Valenzuela), Bocawe (Bocaue), and Bigaa (Balagtas). Bonifacio Enriquez also became one of the biggest landlords in Bulacan. In 1976, Bonifacio Enriquez was named "The Oldest Living Atenean." He died on February 18, 1980.

Bonifacio Enriquez married Virginia Villaroman of San Rafael Bulacan in 1914. They had three children: Recaredo, Rachel, and Eneida, whom he named after Virgil’s epic poem “Aeneid” Eneida Villaroman Enriquez, who died on November 2, 2012, was my mother, but that’s another story.

Dean Recaredo V. Enriquez, Bonifacio Enriquez' eldest child and my uncle, whom I fondly called  "Daddy Rec." Born on November 27, 1915, he finished his bachelors degree at the Ateneo and was about to become a Jesuit in 1945 or 1946 when he opted out of the Sacred Heart Novitiate to marry Lydia Garcia, with whom he begot seven children. He then began teaching philosophy at San Beda College, where he became one of the longest serving deans in its College of Liberal Arts.   

One story my mother always told me was that my direct grandfather, Bonifacio Enriquez, as a justice of the peace, officiated in the civil marriage of Eugenio Lopez Sr. and Pacita Moreno sometime in the late Twenties. The marriage was solemnized in picturesque Imbargo, the biggest mango orchard in Bulacan, and the jewel of Bonifacio Enriquez' estate.   

The Other Enriquez Siblings

The other Enriquez siblings didn’t do badly either. Severina Enriquez became the wife of Trinidad Icasiano, who became governor of Bulacan province. Paula Enriquez married Francisco Morelos, who belonged to another prominent Bulacan family. Laureano Enriquez became treasurer of San Ildefonso, Bulacan. Victoria Enriquez did not marry, but inherited the Enriquez ancestral house, which she bequeathed to her favorite nephew, Recaredo Enriquez, eldest child of Bonifacio Enriquez.

Mayor Jose Enriquez and the Bulacan, Bulacan police force. From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

The Vicente Enriquez - Josefa Ycasiano house. It was inherited by Jacinto "Titong" Enriquez who married Milagros "Mila" Santiago of Malolos. Photo by Edwin Francisco

Jose Enriquez in formal attire. From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

Vicente and Jose Enriquez (9th and 10th L-R) with future president Manuel L. Quezon (4th L-R) at the Damortis, La Union train station,  April 5, 1930.  They were very active in the PRO and ANTI politics of the Thirties. From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

Jose Enriquez (1st L-R) paying  Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo a visit in the early Sixties From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

The Bulacan Bulacan Katipuneros attend an election of officers of "Veteranos ng Himagsikan" in Paombong Bulacan, 1938. Standing, in white, with arms akimbo,  near Gen. Aguinaldo, is Jose Enriquez. From the collection of Emelita Tolentino Enriquez

Judge Bonifacio Enriquez, youngest of the Enriquez children, and my direct grandfather. His youngest child, Eneida, whom he named after the epic poem Aeneid by Virgil, was my mother. He was "Justice of the Peace" of Polo (Valenzuela), Bocawe (Bocaue), and Bigaa (Balagtas). Bonifacio Enriquez officiated in the civil marriage of Eugenio Lopez Sr. and Pacita Moreno sometime in the late Twenties. Bonifacio Enriquez and Eugenio Lopez Sr. worked together as young lawyers in the law office of Don Francisco "Paco" A. Delgado, also from Bulacan, Bulacan. Bonifacio Enriquez  was the one who gave me my nickname. From the collection of Judge Luis Enriquez Reyes

This is the marker at the birthplace of Gen Gregorio del Pilar, right next the Bonifacio Enriquez residence.  Photo by Mike C. Reyes

The Bonifacio Enriquez house in San Jose Bulacan, Bulacan.Just a few meters to the right is the marker of  Gen. Gregorio del Pilar's birthplace. Anacleto Enriquez lived here.  Photo by Mike C. Reyes

The Gregorio del Pilar birthplace marker from another angle. Anacleto Enriquez lived at the house just a few meters away. The two were childhood friends, with Gregorio or "Goyo" idolizing Anacleto or "Etoy" Photo by Mike C. Reyes

The marker up close. Gen. Gregorio del Pilar was the first governor of the province of Bulacan.  Photo by Mike C. Reyes

In 1948, Bonifacio Enriquez donated the land on which thismarker of the birthplace of Gen. Gregorio del Pilar stands. It is just a few meters from his residence. Photo by Mike C. Reyes

The lady holding the fan in the middle, front row, is my direct grandmother, Virginia Villaroman Enriquez, wife of Bonifacio Enriquez.Having grown up in San Rafael, Bulacan, she wasa witness to the November 30, 1896  Battle of San Rafael. Mrs. Enriquez was a teacher by profession and went to the Philippine Normas School (PNS). This picture of Bulacan, Bulacan teachers was probably taken in the Thirties. The no.1 person last row (L-R) whose forehead is hidden is Francisco "Soc" Rodrigo, future senator and son-in-law of Vicente Enriquez. From my personal collection.

The last known photo of Bonifacio Enriquez'  children, taken during a Villaroman clan reunion held at the residence of Rep. Pablo V. Ocampo in Sta. Ana, Manila, in 1995. L-R, Atty. Rachel Enriquez Fidelino, who was Wage Commissioner under President Marcos,  Dr. Recaredo V. Enriquez,who was a long-time Dean of San Beda College, and Eneida Enriquez Reyes, my mother. At the extreme right is my wife Loida B. Reyes  

My mother Eneida Enriquez Reyes, (L) with her "ateng" Rachel Enriquez Fidelino 

in 1995, about to attend the annual St. Theresa's College Manila Homecoming

On November 20, 1927, Bonifacio Enriquez hosted a picnic at Imbargo, his mango orchard cum fishpond property in Bulacan, Bulacan. It was to celebrate the passing of the bar exams by Rosenda Villaroman Ocampo, who was married to Judge Jesus Ocampo, who was a brother to Resident Commissioner Pablo Ocampo, and the sister of my grandmother, Virginia Villaroman Enriquez. Bonifacio Enriquez is 10th person, last row (L-R). My grandmother is the last person, second row, (L-R).My mother, then Eneida Villaroman Enriquez, is 10th person, front row (L-R). She was only 4 years old. My aunt, then Rachel Villaroman Enriquez, is 8th person, front row (L-R).My uncle, Recaredo Villaroman Enriquez, is 12th person front row, (L-R)  The year after, 1928, Bonifacio Enriquez, as justice of the peace, would marry Eugenio Lopez Sr. and Pacita Moreno right in this mango orchard. From my personal collection.