Gen. Ananias Diokno

Gen. Ananias Noblejas Diokno was the only Tagalog general to lead a full scale military expedition to the Visayas against the Spanish forces.  He led the Battalion Maluya, a revolutionary force organized by Doña Gliceria Marella Villavicencio and General Marasigan with the help of Timoteo Marella and Capitan Apolonio Admana.  He was also responsible for the transport of arms from Japan, sent by the revolutionary Government.

General Diokno with his officers and soldiers, embarked for Sorsogon on the steamers Bulusan, Taaleño and Purisima Conception, to help organize the first revolutionary government of the Bicol region. In November 1898, the Philippine forces reached the port of Pandan, Ibahay, Capiz and defeated the Spanish forces. After a week they went to Iloilo and demanded the immediate surrender of the Spaniards.

When the Americans came to Capiz on March 4, 1901 the Filipino troops were forced to flee to the mountains and later were urged to surrender. Many men surrendered but General Diokno, with a handful of loyal stalwarts retreated to the hinterlands and resorted to guerilla warfare. Having been badly wounded in a skirmish, he was captured and imprisoned by the Americans.

Gen. Diokno was born in Taal on January 22, 1860 and died on November 2, 1922 in Arayat, Pampanga.  His equally famous son, Ramon, father of Jose W. Diokno, was a congressman, senator and justice of the supreme court.