Moises Ilicito: The Assassin of Gen. Francisco del Castillo

Moises Ilicito: The Assassin of Gen. Francisco del Castillo
By

Melchor F. Cichon


Who is Moises Ilicito?

He was born in Barangay Bigaa, Malinao, Aklan.

But what made him famous or infamous?

He was the assassin of the leader of Katipunan in Aklan, Gen. Francisco del Castillo.

No one really knows the birth place of Francisco del Castillo. It was said that Del Castillo is from Bantayan, Cebu. Other sources said that del Castillo was born in Aklan.

He went to Aklan because he met Candido Iban, an Aklanon, in Negros. From Negros, the two went to Manila and then to Australia to work as a pearl diver. From Australia, they went back to Manila and settled in Tondo where they met the brother of Andres Bonifacio, Procopio Bonifacio.

Through the request of Andres Bonifacio, they went to Aklan to spread the cause of the Katipunan.

Before the assassination of Del Castillo on March 17, 1897,  Moises was an altar boy in Malinao, Aklan.

But later a fortune teller told his parents that someday, Moises would kill a man. To lessen his penalty in case such an incident would happen, his parents decided that he work in a Spanish government.
At the age of 21, he worked as a Guardia Civil in Capiz. By constant practice, he became a sharpshooter.

Then one day, a drunkard Spanish officer, a certain Lt. Olivares drew his sword and threaten to kill Moises. To defend himself, Moises drew his sword and fatally stabbed the Spaniard. He was jailed in a bartolina, inside the headquarters.

Meanwhile, Francisco del Castillo, Candido Iban and other Aklanon Katipuneros were very busy recruiting new members for the secret revolutionary society. Unfortunately, Candido Iban, his close friend, was apprehended by the guardia civil in Bagto, Lezo, while he was on his way home from Kalibo. Later, Iban was jailed in a garrison in Kalibo. Another incident that triggered del Castillo to attack the garrison in Kalibo was when he learned that his sailboat was towed away by the Spaniards. That incident slashed away their chance to get more help from their fellow Katipuneros.

When Moises learned that the Spanish authorities were looking for somebody to capture Francisco del Castillo, dead or alive, Moises volunteered. Because of his reputation as a sharpshooter, he was released from prison and was transferred to the garrison in Kalibo.

Francisco del Castillo and his leaders decided to attack the garrison in Kalibo on March 17, 1897.

From Mabilo,  the Katipuneros marched to Kalibo. Upon reaching the place, Francisco del Castillo saw Moises Ilicito at the slightly opened window. He asked for Tan Juan Azarraga, the wealthiest person in Kalibo at that time. But he was told that Tan Juan was in the church convent. Moises asked del Castillo to surrender, but the later did not heed him. Moises fired at del Castillo.

Although it was said that del Castillo was hit with a bullet, he was not wounded. Angered, Del Castillo shouted at Ilicito: “otro mas fuego!” (Fire some more!). Del Castillo wanted to fire back, but Moises had hidden from del Castillo’s view. So he was not able to fire back. While del Castillo was thinking of his anting--anting, a white stone embedded his skin and a red hankerchief that would bring him back to life in case he is fatally shot at, Ilicito was also thinking of his counter attack on del Castillo’s anting-anting.

Ilicito remembered the suggestions given to him by his co-prisoner in Capiz to counter-act an anting-anting. He should put a cooked rice at the muzzle of his gun and then fire at his enemy. He did this, and he fatally fired at del Castillo. Del Castillo fell from his white horse. Upon seeing this, his assistant ran away, forgetting the instruction given him by his superior to put the red handkerchief on his superior’s face in case he is fatally shot.

That historic date in Kalibo temporarily stopped the Revolution in Aklan.

Later, Col. Ricardo Monet proclaimed amnesty to the remaining Katipuneros in Aklan. Through the intercession of the parish priest and the wives and mothers of the Katipuneros, some of them surrendered thinking that the amnesty was real. Unfortunately, the said amnesty was fake.

Twenty one of those who surrendered were detained. However, two of them, Cenon Quimpo and Nicanor Gonzales, were later released through the intervention of their wealthy families. So 19 of them were left behind. The 19 Katipunan members were later shot to death by the Spanish authorities to warn others not to rebel against the Spanish authorities.

But the revolution continued.

One of those who led the continuation of the revolution in Aklan was Gen. Eustaquio Gallardo, a member of Gen. Francisco del Castillo’s Katipunan.

One month after the death of Del Castillo, the Vivo Massacre took place in Vivo, Tangalan, Aklan wherein about forty Spanish troopers came to a feast, not knowing that it was just a ploy. At a drop of a handkerchief, the servants who were actually Katipuneros, started to hack them to death.

The Nineteen Katipunan members who were assassinated by the Spanish authorities on March 23, 1897 are as follows: Roman Aguirre, Tomas Briones, Domingo dela Cruz, Claro Delgado, Angelo Fernandez, Simon Inocencio, Catalino Mangat, Lamberto Mangat, Valeriano Masinda, Maximo Mationg, Simplicio Reyes, Valeriano Dalida, Isidoro Jimenez, Canuto Segovia, Gabino Sucgang, Francisco Villorente, Benito Iban, Candido Iban and Gabino Yonsal.

After the revolution, Moises Ilicito was appointed as a judge of Malinao, Aklan. Later, he married Nicolasa Mabasa of Banga, Aklan. He then decided to stay in that town. They had seven children: Jose, Angustia, Pedro, Beatriz, Paciico, Paciencia and Ester. Moises had another son from a certain Joaguina also of the town.

Moises died in Banga, Aklan on December 1, 1963 at the age of 106.

If one goes to Kalibo, he would see the Del Castillo Shrine, and if he goes to Banga Municipal Cemetery, he would see the modest tomb of Moises Ilicito.


Source: Barrios, J., Cichon, M. F., and Ilio, D. I. 1997. The Katipunan in Aklan. Manila: National Centennial Commission. 87p.