Rajah Lakandula

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Rajah Lakandula (or Lakan Dula, "Lakan" being the Kapampangan equivalent of Rajah) was the native ruler of Tondok (a large part of which is now Tondo, Manila) when the Spanish colonization of the Philippines started. He ruled a community of native Muslim people in the north of the Pasig River.

He was one of three Muslim rulers in the Manila area during the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors led by Martín de Goiti and Juan de Salcedo in 1570. He fought the Spaniards for control of land and was defeated and captured. In 1571, he made a peace pact with Miguel López de Legazpi and handed over his throne to the Spanish.

[edit] His descendants

In 1587 Magat Salamat, one of the children of Lakan Dula, and Augustin de Legazpi, Lakan Dula's nephew and the chiefs of the neighboring areas of Tondo, Pandacan, Marikina, Candaba, Navotas and Bulacan were executed for secretly conspiring to overthrow the Spanish colonizers. Another incident happened in Pampanga during the famine. The Pampangos sought the help of the Borneans for their plan to enter Manila one dark night to massacre all the Spaniards. Unfortunately, a native woman married to a Spanish soldier betrayed the plan. Many Pampangos were arrested and executed.

In Northern Mindanao, Governor Fajardo executed the chieftain of the Manobos named Dabao, after he accepted Fajardo's offer of amnesty. David Dula y Goiti, a grandson of Lakan Dula with a Spanish mother escaped the persecution of the descendants of Lakan Dula by settling in Isla de Batag, Northern Samar and settled in the placed now called Candawid (Kan David). Due to hatred to the Spaniards, he dropped the Goiti in his surname and adopted a new name David Dulay. He was eventually caught by the Guardia Civil based in Palapag and was executed together with seven followers. They were charged with planning to attack the the Spanish detachment. In 1762, Palaris led a revolt of Pangasinan and waged war that last for two years. This rebellion was crushed in 1765 and Palaris was hanged. Apolinario de la Cruz or popularly known as Hermano Pule revolted caught and after a hasty trial was executed and his body was dismembered and exhibited in the town of Tayabas. The execution of local priests Gomez, Burgos and Zamora, in February 17 1872, maliciously charged by the friars gained sympathy among the natives that led to numerous uprisings. However these uprisings unfortunately ended up in the execution of leaders and sympathizers. For instance, the 13 martyrs of Cavite, leaders in Bulacan and Nueva Ecija but the most gruesome and well remembered of all these executions was the execution of Jose Rizal on Dec. 30, 1896.