Remembering Tarik Suliman

Saturday, August 13, 2011

KAPAMPANGAN students are taught that the first Filipino hero is Lapu-Lapu because he killed Ferdinand Magellan.

However most of them do not know that the first Filipino martyr for freedom is Tarik Suliman of Macabebe.

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He was first to die in defending the Philippines from the invaders. He is not recognized as Lapu-Lapu is, probably because he lost while Lapu-Lapu won, as some historians prefer successful defenders to failed ones.

Other historians value martyrdom more than victory.

The people from Macabebe town now are urging Kapampangan legislators to file a bill acknowledging Tarik Suliman as the first Filipino Martyr for freedom.

Likewise, they want the towns of Macabebe and Masantol (which used to be a part of Macabebe) to declare June 3 "Tarik Suliman Day." And the "brave youth from Macabebe," despite his heroic sacrifice, faded into obscurity. Like Lapu-Lapu, Tarik Suliman fought the invaders, but unlike Lapu-Lapu, Tarik died defending his country's freedom.

The people here said that it is such a shame that while Lapu-Lapu had inspired a giant bronze statue at Luneta and even had a fish named after him, the only remembrance we have of Tarik Suliman is a small statue at the Macabebe Municipal Hall.

They believe we have a duty to correct this injustice to a great Kapampangan who inspired generations of Kapampangan freedom-fighters, from Fancisco Maniago who led the Kapampangan Revolt of 1660, to Francisco Makabulos and Maximino Hizon who fought in the Revolution, to Luis Taruc, Nilo Tayag, Bernabe Buscyno, Ninoy Aquino and all the courageous and daring men and women from the Kapampangan Region who dared to fight those who caused suffering and injustice among their fellowmen.

It was in 1521 when the Spaniards first arrived in the Philippine archipelago in Cebu, where they encountered Lapu-Lapu. But it was 50 years later, in 1571, that they proceeded to sail to Luzon, landing first in Manila, where they were initially registered but eventually welcomed by the tagalog chieftains Lakan Dulam, Rajah Matanda and his nephew Rajah Suliman.

The Spaniards under Miguel Lopez de Legazpi (whose tomb can be found today inside the San Agustine Church in Intramuros) assured the Tagalog chieftains that he had come "to teach them the true law of the one all-powerful God, creator of heaven and earth," wrote the Spanish chronicler Fray Gaspan de San Agustine in Conquistas de las Islas Filipinas in 1565-1615. After Legazpi made them swear allegiance to the King of Spain, he ordered the natives to build one large house for him, a chapter for the friar, and 150 medium-size houses for each of the Spanish soldiers.

The Tagalogs took all this with the typical grace of Oriental hospitality, but not their next-door neighbors, the Kapampangans. According to the Conquitas, more than 2,000 warriors on 40 caracoas (warships) sailed from Pampanga. "The most warlike and brave nation" led by "a brave youth" who was "the bravest on the island."

This was Tarik Suliman (historians only invented this name on the premise that he was most likely a relative of Suliman chieftains of Manila; other historians named him Bambalito).

The Kapampangan warriors, according to the Conquistas, "entered the town of Tondo through an estuary they called Bangcusay without being seen by the Spaniards, where they stayed for a few days discussing with Lakan Dula the best way to start the battle."

Legazpi sent two emissaries to Tondo to win Tarik Suliman over to their side. The young Kapampangan chieftain "replied excitedly that neither he nor his followers wanted to see (Legazpi) nor have his friendship, nor that of the Castallans... Having said this, he stood up and with audacity and ferocity, unsheathed his sword. Brandishing it, he said "may the sun divide my body in two, and may I fall in disgrace before the women for them to hate me - if I ever become even for the moment a friend to the Canstilans!"

Then, "he left and without going down the stairs, to show his bravery, jumped out of a window to the street below, then went directly to his caracoa. He told the Spaniards to inform their captain the he would wait at the mouth of the estuary, where he had earlier entered, for a battle,
After saying this, he began sailing, amid hurrahs, to the place he mentioned."

Legazpi sent 80 Spaniards led by his master-of-camp, Martin de Goiti, to Bangcusay. "Ahead of them," wrote the Spanish chronicler, "was the carcoa of the Moor leader (Tarik Suliman)" who "courageously fired some shots (the ancient Kapampangan had guns and cannons made by their Kabalen, Panday Pira Apalit) and fought animatedly and without showing any weakness or disarray, until he died from a rifle shot by one of the soldiers. With his death they began to fade away. They quickly scattered and fled."

More than 300 Kapampangans died in that battle of Bangcusay on June 3, 1571. The Spaniards proceeded to conquer the rest of the "widely spread province," meeting resistance only in Betis," the most fortified throughout the island of Luzon." Thus, the prehistoric Kapampangan Nation became La Pampanga, Spain's first province in Luzon, on

December 11, 1571. (Information from Macabebe Information Office)