Del Pilar, Gregorio (1875-1899), was a Filipino military leader during the Philippines’ struggle for independence in the late 1800’s. Del Pilar was popularly known as “Goyo,” or “the Hero of Tirad Pass.” He was only 23 when he was made a general by Emilio Aguinaldo, president of the revolutionary government of the Philippines during the Filipino-American War (1899-1902). Del Pilar was killed in a battle with U.S. troops during the war.
Del Pilar became involved in the Filipino nationalist movement at the age of 13. He distributed writings by political reformists, such as José Rizal and Marcelo del Pilar, Goyo’s uncle. Their nationalist writings demanded that Filipinos be granted the same rights as the Spanish, and described abuses they claimed were committed by the Roman Catholic Church and the Spanish government. (See Rizal, José.)
In 1896, the Katipunan, a secret revolutionary army, tried to overthrow the Spanish government. Although Rizal had no connection with the society or the uprising, a Spanish military court found him guilty of promoting the rebellion. On the morning of Dec. 30, 1896, Rizal was executed.
Following Rizal’s execution, del Pilar joined the Katipunan. He fought in the Battle of Kakaronde Sili in January 1897, and his bravery won him a promotion to the rank of lieutenant colonel. In the Battle of Paombong, in August 1897, del Pilar led a successful surprise attack on Spanish troops during a Catholic Mass.
The United States, which had been assisting in the Filipino cause, defeated the Spanish in the Battle of Manila on Aug. 13, 1898. The United States kept troops in the Philippines, while the Filipinos planned self-government, electing a congress and approving a constitution. Tension began to mount between the Filipino and American armies, however. On Feb. 4, 1899, an American sentry shot a Filipino soldier who was trying to cross San Juan Bridge, near Manila, into American-held territory. As a result, war broke out between the Philippines and the United States. Del Pilar continued to fight with the revolutionaries, at this point against the U.S. troops.
Del Pilar’s last battle was the Battle of Pasong Tirad (Tirad Pass) in Ilocos Sur, which took place on Dec. 2, 1899. Del Pilar and his soldiers were hidden in trenches on either side of the narrow mountain pass in the Cordillera Mountains. From this vantage point, del Pilar’s troops could fire upon the advancing enemy. The American soldiers discovered a secret route to the spot, however, with the help of a local guide. The American troops took del Pilar and his soldiers by surprise. Del Pilar was killed in the battle.
Gregorio del Pilar was born on Nov. 14, 1875, in Bulacan (now Bulakan), northwest of Manila. He studied at the Ateneo de Manila.
