Filipino Martyr: PABLO O. TECSON

 PABLO O. TECSON
(1859-1933)
Revolutionist
Pablo Tecson was born on July 4, 1859 in San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan to Tiburcio
Tecson and Paula Ocampo.
After completing his primary education at the town school in San Miguel de Mayumo, his
parents sent him to the secondary school of Don Jose Flores in Manila. He enrolled his Bachiller en
artes at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran but the death of his parents prevented him from
continuing his studies. He returned to his hometown where he became cabeza de barangay for
eleven years and later appointed capitan de cuadrilleros assigned to apprehend bandits and
outlaws.
In April 1890, Tecson joined the staff of Patnubay nang Catolico, a short-lived religious
periodical with Father Mariano Gil as editor. His contemporaries were Father Mariano Sevilla,
Joaquin Tuason, Juan Evangelista, Pascual H. Poblete, Modesto Santiago and Gabriel Francisco.
By the time the revolution broke out in 1896, Tecson was already a member of the
Katipunan. It was not known, however, if Tecson participated in the battles. It was during the
second phase of the revolution that Tecson directly participated. In June 1898, he led attacks to the
Spanish garrisons in different part of Bulakan that yielded a good number of rifles and bullets. On
June 1, his group successfully attacked the San Miguel armory; three days after, the detachment at
Barrio Maasin, San Ildefonso; and on June 10 the Spanish detachment at Biak-na-Bato. Tecson
greatly helped the troops of General Manuel Tinio marched from Nueva Ecija to Northern Luzon.
He also allocated some of the arms he seized from the Spanish garrisons to the forces of General
Macabulos.
In October 1898, the revolutionary government of President Aguinaldo was set to draft a
constitution. During the framing of the constitution, an issue over the separation of the church and
state, and of having a state religion arose. There was a tie between the proponents of the issue and
the antis during the first deliberation. Tecson’s vote against the state religion and union of Church
and state finally settled the matter.
Like many of the revolutionary leaders, Tecson continued to fight in the libertarian
struggle until the Philippine-American War that broke out soon after they have taken most
provinces from the control of Spanish soldiers. He was assigned to protect part of Bulacan under
the command of General Gregorio del Pilar. He fought the Americans in Bulacan, Obando and
other parts of the province. Because of failing health, Tecson was assigned with easier task; as
guard of the prisoners of war.
On March 4, 1902, Tecson became governor of Bulacan. He was reelected to another term
on March 7, 1904. A year after his term ended in 1906, he was appointed Superintendent of
Agricultural Extension Work; a capacity he served until he resigned in 1911.
He donated a piece of land in San Miguel Bulacan to the Philippine Constabulary and a
telescope a Spaniard had given him before the revolution to the national library.
He died in 1933.
References:
Agoncillo, Teodoro A. History of the Filipino People. 8th ed. Quezon City: Garotech, 1990.
Eminent Filipinos. Manila: National Historical Commission, 1970.
Manuel, E. Arsenio. Dictionary of Philippine Biography Volume 3. Quezon City: Filipiniana,
1986.
Quirino, Carlos. Who’s who in the Philippines. Manila: Tahanan Books, 1995,