Viray: The Pasudeco Pampanga shooting

PASUDECO is about to exit from our consciousness. Megaworld would soon rise in the area where the sugar central was.

Do you know that Camp Olivas and Pasudeco have a common history? It is a story of passion. It is a story of crime. It is action packed.

On July 29, 1939, sugar cane planters from the neighboring town of Mexico barged into the Pasudeco office in San Fernando. Four men – brothers Carmelino and Gregorio Timbol, their nephew Dalmacio and bodyguard Geronimo Buan were armed.

The top executives, Pasudeco founder and President, Don Jose Leoncio (Pitong) De Leon and associate Don Augusto Gonzalez were in the administrative office.

The planters wanted Don Leoncio and Don Augusto to sign an agreement that would increase their participation profit at 60 percent, instead of the prevailing 55 percent. The executives refused to sign. There was heated discussion. There were grave threats. There was altercation. There was commotion. Ambrosio Razon, the Pasudeco accountant who was a witness to the action, called the Philippine Constabulary (Region III).

Sent to the office was Captain Julian Olivas, who was unarmed. He tried all means to pacify the intruders. He issued a stern warning that the two Pasudeco bosses were under his care. So it seemed that everything was under control.

Then...a burst of gun fire. As Olivas was headed for the door, the Timbol brothers shot him with several volleys. A melee ensued. Buan shot Gonzalez in the chest. Gregorio (nephew) shot De Leon while he was running towards the bathroom. The Timbols and cohort escaped thru the window although Carmelino was wounded in hostile fire from Pasudeco guards.

Three bodies. Three dead. All influential persons. De Leon is Pampanga’s first multi-millionaire, Augusto also a millionaire and a brother Bienvenido Gonzalez, University of the Philippines President. Captain Julian Olivas, a promising career, ended. (By the way, Camp Olivas was named after this soldier)

This event shocked the whole nation in the Quezon era.

Dalmacio Timbol and Geronimo Buan were shortly arrested, while the Timbol brothers surrendered to the police the next day. On April 20, 1940, the Court of First Instance of Pampanga found Gregorio Timbol, Carmelino Timbol, Geronimo Buan and Dalmacio Timbol guilty of three counts of murder. All, except Dalmacio were sentenced to death.

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph