By Bernard Supetran
Local officials of Naga City and other city and municipal governments in the Bicol region recently commemorated in simple rites the 124th anniversary of the martyrdom of 15 patriots, collectively known as “Quince Martires”.
Falsely accused of plotting to kill Spanish officials in the region, they were hastily tried and sentenced by a military court on Dec. 29, 1896 with death, imprisonment and exile.
Composed of prominent ilustrados, 11 of them were executed at Bagumbayan on Jan. 4, 1897, two died in prison, while the other 2 died while on exile.
Aimed at stopping the spread of the Philippine Revolution in the Bicolandia, the execution instead further fanned the flames of the uprising in the region.
The 15 martyrs are priests Inocencio Herrera, Gabriel Prieto and Severino Diaz, Manuel Abella, Domingo Abella, Camilo Jacob, Florendo Lerma, Macario Valentin, Mariano Melgarejo and Cornelio Mercado.
Their remains were buried at a common grave which were never identified.
Those who died in prison were Leon Hernandez and Mariano Ordenanza, while those who died in exile were Mariano Araña and Ramon Abella.
Their martyrdom are immortalized at Plaza Quince Martires in the heart of Naga City, which was formally dedicated on November 30, 1923.