Home
Help
Login
Dedication
Acknowledgement
The Introduction
About the Author
Quirit Torrefranca
Ang Liso Sa Atong Kaliwat
Acknowledgement
The Introduction
About the Author
Quirit Torrefranca
Ang Liso Sa Atong Kaliwat
The Negotiator, Founder and Organizer
The man who earned the distinction as the organizer and founder of the town of Inabanga was not a native of the town but a stowaway who came from lloilo in Panay island who was wanted by the Spanish authorities in that island province. He came to Inabanga trom llolilo after several months of hiding in Cebu City. He arrived Inabanga hiding himself in a deck of a boat sell ing nipa in Cebu. In Inabanga he stayed among the natives.
He was kind, sympathethic and respectful to everybody whom he met in contact with which won the admiration of the people. He was tactful and sincere in all his dealings, a good mixer, an orator and a leader. His ability in public speaking could easily win friends and intluence people Because he was a Spanish mestizo and could speak the Spanish language with tluency, he easily gained the trust and confidence of the parish priest and the Spanish soldiers assigned in the town.
His exemplary ability in public speaking coupled with his pleasing personality earned him to become the over-all captain, spokesman, and liaison officer of the people. He proved his mettle when he was commissioned as a liaison officer to negotiate the complete surrender of the remaining followers of Dagohoy and his ally Tugpa, Who were holed in the mountain hideouts.
It was a very delicate and hazardous mission to carry because the remaining rebels were hostile against anybody who came to negotiate for peace and besides the place was difficult and dangerous. The rebels headquarters was on a high plateau, boundary of Inabanga and Talibon overlooking the caldron bottom-shaped plain of Danao town on the east side and a very stiff deep gorge of the Inabanga River on the west called Caelagan Cave where the rebles were holed. From Inabanga to the rebels hideouts one had to undergo several checkpoints posted by the rebels in Cawayan, Napo, Cambitoon, Pasanan
and finally on the side of the river across Caelagan Cave Strangers who dared to pass along the checkpoints were screened, questioned and grilled intensely before allowed to proceed to the last checkpoint.
This sagacious man, because he was determined to accomplish his mission even if his own safety was endangered, he proceeded unscared and uncouthed. His prowess in public speaking and his art in persuading people to come to his side was so effective that before reaching the rebels' hideouts and after learning that his coming was unwelcomed, at a shouting distance, Quirit delivered a very convincing appeal to the rebels to surrender. Some of the rebels who heard him speak with sincerity, in a loud voice, inquired who he was and who his companions were, he quickly answered,"I am Quirit Torrefranca, your
friend and I am alone." At this juncture he was allowed to confer with the leaders of the group.
The conference lasted for three days to find out whether Quirit was really sincere in his mission. On the fourth day, the rebels agreed to come down to the Poblacion to settle peacefully. They came down from their mountain lair by wave to start a new life with their families in the feritle flood plains along the banks of the Inabanga River. The priest not only succeeded in having the people returned to the service of God and his majesty but also succeeded in making them live peacefully and independently Thus, the town of Inabanga was formally founded and organized by the Spanish fathers under the able leadership of Quirit Torrefranca. He became the first elected captain when that office was declared elective.
In the organization of the town, Quirit was assisted by the kind and charitable parish priest of the town and other benevolent residents in the community. His assumption to take the reigns of the municipal government started a long line of capitanes until this finally abandoned to give way to the title of presidents, then mayor. The long line of capitanes of the town who were elected after Quirit Torrefranca could not be accounted beyond recall the order as they assumed office. However, names like Agustin Jumamoy. Mariano Fortich Basilio Aparici, Glicerio Lofranco. Braulio Flores, Julian Logrono. Anselmo Lofranco, Ignacio Torrefranca, Antonio Torrefranca, Hermogenes Torrefranca, Tomas Lofranco, Tomas Melicor and Tranquilino Cempron held the position
as capitan of the town before the revolution.
After the revolution the title of the town capitan was changed to presidente municipal. Those elected presidents were the following: Andres Melicor, Lazaro Melicor, Juan Logorno, Catalino Logrono, Amando Logrono, and Teofilo Logrono. During the Japanese occupation Jose Lofranco was designated by the free Bohol government to act as the town mayor but abandoned when Bohol surrendered and occupied by the Japanese. The Japanese installed Marcos Estillore as their temporary mayor but he was killed in Tubigon with other Japanese appointed town mayors when ambushed by the Negros Force who acted on their own without the order from the higher command. According to Candida (Didang) Estillore Anana, the only livingsurvivor of the family of Marcos Estillore, her father was appointed and installed as temporary mayor of Inabanga against his will by the Japanese Kempetai even with the strong endorsement of Fr. Valeriano Cabantan and Atty. Perpetuo Melicor and other prominent people in the town who attended the meeting But through the intercessiion and persuation of Japanese puppet Governor Hontanosas he (Marcos) was forced to accept the appointment unwillingly and against the wishes of his family. With his installation as mayor of the town during the Japanese occupation, the Inabangnons were saved from the atrocities of the Kempetai during their mopping-up operation. The Inabangnons consider him a hero for he sacrificed his own life to defend the safety of the thousands Inabangnons who were in hiding in the swamps and in the forested areas of the town. After WWII the following town mayors were elected: Margarito Anana, Jesus Jimenez, Sr., Teodulo Anora, Margarito Lofranco, Edilberto Jumamoy and the incumbent, Jose Jumamoy, Jr.
The man who earned the distinction as the organizer and founder of the town of Inabanga was not a native of the town but a stowaway who came from lloilo in Panay island who was wanted by the Spanish authorities in that island province. He came to Inabanga trom llolilo after several months of hiding in Cebu City. He arrived Inabanga hiding himself in a deck of a boat sell ing nipa in Cebu. In Inabanga he stayed among the natives.
He was kind, sympathethic and respectful to everybody whom he met in contact with which won the admiration of the people. He was tactful and sincere in all his dealings, a good mixer, an orator and a leader. His ability in public speaking could easily win friends and intluence people Because he was a Spanish mestizo and could speak the Spanish language with tluency, he easily gained the trust and confidence of the parish priest and the Spanish soldiers assigned in the town.
His exemplary ability in public speaking coupled with his pleasing personality earned him to become the over-all captain, spokesman, and liaison officer of the people. He proved his mettle when he was commissioned as a liaison officer to negotiate the complete surrender of the remaining followers of Dagohoy and his ally Tugpa, Who were holed in the mountain hideouts.
It was a very delicate and hazardous mission to carry because the remaining rebels were hostile against anybody who came to negotiate for peace and besides the place was difficult and dangerous. The rebels headquarters was on a high plateau, boundary of Inabanga and Talibon overlooking the caldron bottom-shaped plain of Danao town on the east side and a very stiff deep gorge of the Inabanga River on the west called Caelagan Cave where the rebles were holed. From Inabanga to the rebels hideouts one had to undergo several checkpoints posted by the rebels in Cawayan, Napo, Cambitoon, Pasanan
and finally on the side of the river across Caelagan Cave Strangers who dared to pass along the checkpoints were screened, questioned and grilled intensely before allowed to proceed to the last checkpoint.
This sagacious man, because he was determined to accomplish his mission even if his own safety was endangered, he proceeded unscared and uncouthed. His prowess in public speaking and his art in persuading people to come to his side was so effective that before reaching the rebels' hideouts and after learning that his coming was unwelcomed, at a shouting distance, Quirit delivered a very convincing appeal to the rebels to surrender. Some of the rebels who heard him speak with sincerity, in a loud voice, inquired who he was and who his companions were, he quickly answered,"I am Quirit Torrefranca, your
friend and I am alone." At this juncture he was allowed to confer with the leaders of the group.
The conference lasted for three days to find out whether Quirit was really sincere in his mission. On the fourth day, the rebels agreed to come down to the Poblacion to settle peacefully. They came down from their mountain lair by wave to start a new life with their families in the feritle flood plains along the banks of the Inabanga River. The priest not only succeeded in having the people returned to the service of God and his majesty but also succeeded in making them live peacefully and independently Thus, the town of Inabanga was formally founded and organized by the Spanish fathers under the able leadership of Quirit Torrefranca. He became the first elected captain when that office was declared elective.
In the organization of the town, Quirit was assisted by the kind and charitable parish priest of the town and other benevolent residents in the community. His assumption to take the reigns of the municipal government started a long line of capitanes until this finally abandoned to give way to the title of presidents, then mayor. The long line of capitanes of the town who were elected after Quirit Torrefranca could not be accounted beyond recall the order as they assumed office. However, names like Agustin Jumamoy. Mariano Fortich Basilio Aparici, Glicerio Lofranco. Braulio Flores, Julian Logrono. Anselmo Lofranco, Ignacio Torrefranca, Antonio Torrefranca, Hermogenes Torrefranca, Tomas Lofranco, Tomas Melicor and Tranquilino Cempron held the position
as capitan of the town before the revolution.
After the revolution the title of the town capitan was changed to presidente municipal. Those elected presidents were the following: Andres Melicor, Lazaro Melicor, Juan Logorno, Catalino Logrono, Amando Logrono, and Teofilo Logrono. During the Japanese occupation Jose Lofranco was designated by the free Bohol government to act as the town mayor but abandoned when Bohol surrendered and occupied by the Japanese. The Japanese installed Marcos Estillore as their temporary mayor but he was killed in Tubigon with other Japanese appointed town mayors when ambushed by the Negros Force who acted on their own without the order from the higher command. According to Candida (Didang) Estillore Anana, the only livingsurvivor of the family of Marcos Estillore, her father was appointed and installed as temporary mayor of Inabanga against his will by the Japanese Kempetai even with the strong endorsement of Fr. Valeriano Cabantan and Atty. Perpetuo Melicor and other prominent people in the town who attended the meeting But through the intercessiion and persuation of Japanese puppet Governor Hontanosas he (Marcos) was forced to accept the appointment unwillingly and against the wishes of his family. With his installation as mayor of the town during the Japanese occupation, the Inabangnons were saved from the atrocities of the Kempetai during their mopping-up operation. The Inabangnons consider him a hero for he sacrificed his own life to defend the safety of the thousands Inabangnons who were in hiding in the swamps and in the forested areas of the town. After WWII the following town mayors were elected: Margarito Anana, Jesus Jimenez, Sr., Teodulo Anora, Margarito Lofranco, Edilberto Jumamoy and the incumbent, Jose Jumamoy, Jr.