<< Cont'd from Chapter 7, Page 1

      The first Pagsanjeños to join the revolutionary Katipunan of Andres Bonifacio and to sow the seeds of revolution in the Second District of Laguna were Severino Taiño, Francisco Abad (Taiño's friend and compadre), Mariano and Santiago Crisostomo (brothers), Tomas Torres, Sergio Garcia, Gregorio Rivera, Severo Sumulong, Claro Zaide (brother-in-law of Taiño), Pedro Caballes, and Manuel Zalamea. The president of the Katipunan chapter Maluningnin in Pagsanjan was Mariano Crisostomo, a rich landlord and businessman.
      As a revolutionary leader, General Severino Taiño rose to fame for raising the first cry of the Philippine Revolution in Pagsanjan on November 14, 1896 and later liberated the provincial capital of Santa Cruz from the Spaniards on August 31, 1898. His intimate friend, Colonel Francisco Abad perished in combat against the Spanish enemy in the furious fight at Sambat on November 16, 1896. He is now acclaimed in local annals as the "Hero of Sambat." Claro Zaide, a wealthy carriage manufacturer, was the financier of the Pagsanjan katipuneros.
      Two Pagsanjeño intellectuals represented the whole province of Laguna in the famous Malolos Congress. They were Higinio Benitez, a judge and lawyer, and Graciano Cordero, a teacher and scholar. They participated in the drafting of the Malolos Constitution of 1899 and were among its signers.

The Pagsanjan in World War II

      During the Second World War the Pagsanjeños demonstrated their courage, patriotism, and fighting spirit. As soldiers, guerillas, and civilians, they fought well for freedom and democracy against the Japanese invaders.
      Many Pagsanjeños, as officers and soldiers of the USAFFE, bravely resisted the enemy at the bloody battlefields of Atimonan, Mauban, Bataan, and Corregidor. Among those who survived the war were Colonel Victor Gomez, Cipriano Ramiro, Salvador Ramiro, Atty. Jose Guevara, Dr, Ildefonso Gomez, Dr. David Cabreira, Dr. Augusto Hocson, Fidel Llamas, Luis Rivera, Elias Lavadia and Remo Lavadia.
      After the fall of Bataan and Corregidor, the Pagsanjeños launched a guerilla war against the Japanese conquerors. Pagsanjan became a secret center of guerilla activities. Numerous citizens in town supported the guerillas at the risk of their lives. Among them were Emilio Aquino, municipal mayor; Manuel Soriano, who later succeeded Aquino as municipal mayor; Dr. Antonio Gomez, physician and rich landlord; Eriberto Gomez, businessman; Pedro Pablo, high school teacher; Pio Caballes and Emilio Gomez, businessmen; Dr. Salvador Umale, dentist; and Salvador Unson, landlord and professor.
      Many Pagsanjeño guerillas suffered imprisonment, torture, and death for freedom's sake. Outstanding among them was Cipriano Zaguirre, former town presidente and local commander of the Fil-American guerillas. He was taken prisoner by the Japanese who tortured him for several days, and, finally executed him on the night of August 25, 1942. By sacrificing his life for the cause of freedom and democracy, he deserves to be accoladed as Pagsanjan's guerilla hero. In recognition of his heroism the grateful municipal government named a public square "Plaza Zaguirre" after him, at the center of which now stands his life-size monument.
      Many Pagsanjeño guerillas and their civilian supporters also lost their lives during the war. They were like-wise tortured and executed by the brutal Japanese soldiers. Among them were Dr. Antonio Gomez, Vicente Santos, William Labit, Jorge Gallardo, Paulino Cataluña, and James Reyes.

A Town of Six Generals and A Commodore

      Of the 1,400 towns in the Philippines, Pagsanjan is the only one to have produced six army generals and one navy commodore. First among those army generals was General Severino Taiño of revolutionary fame, in whose honor has been named a town street leading to the town of Lumban. He fought valiantly against the Spanish troops and, with General Paciano Rizal's cooperation, liberated Santa Cruz, Laguna on August 31, 1898.
      The other five Pagsanjeño generals after Taiño are Lieutenant General Manuel Yan, who retired as Chief of Staff of the Philippine Armed Forces and has become Philippine ambassador to Thailand, and the four: Brigadier General Fidel Llamas, Brigadier General Elias Lavadia, Brigadier General Cipriano Ramiro, and Brigadier General Luis (Bobby) Rivera.
      Of the six Pagsanjeño generals, only one died in combat. He was Brigadier General Ramiro, who perished in a helicopter crash in Barrio La Union, Castilla, Sorsogon Province on June 30, 1973 while campaigning against dissidents.
      The lone navy commodore from Pagsanjan is Commodore Remo Lavadia, brother of Brigadier General Elias Lavadia. The rank of commodore in the navy is equivalent to brigadier general in the army. Thus it may be said, in the final analysis, that Pagsanjan has produced a total of seven generals (including Commodore Lavadia) -- a proud record indeed for a little town. This record is unsurpassed by any other town not only in the Philippines but also in other countries of the world. Its uniqueness is enhanced by the fact that two of seven Pagsanjeño generals are brothers -- Elias and Remo Lavadia.