Filipino Martyr: VALENTIN V. DIAZ

 VALENTIN V. DIAZ

(1849-1916)

Co-Founder of the Katipunan

Co-founder and one-time treasurer of the Katipunan, Valentin Diaz was born on

November 1, 1849 in Paoay, Ilocos Norte to Geronimo Diaz and Maria Villanueva. His family

moved to Tayug, Pangasinan in 1857.

Nothing is known of the educational background of Diaz. However, it can be presumed

that ha had studied because he became gobernadorcillo of the town. The position is equivalent to

that of the present-day municipal mayor. Moreover, he and his family must have been influential,

for the Spanish authorities awarded such position only to members of important families.

Exactly when and how he came to live in Tondo, Manila is also not known. However, when

Dr. Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio and other patriots formed the La Liga Filipina, he was among

those listed as its members.

At any rate, the reformist Liga was dissolved following the banishment of Rizal to Dapitan.

As a consequence, Bonifacio and the others decided that the time was opportune for them to

organize a more radical group.

Diaz was with former Liga members, like Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, and Jose Dizon,

when Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, a secret revolutionary society, during a meeting at the

house of Deodato Arellano at No. 72 Azcarraga Street, Tondo, on July 7, 1892. Diaz was one of

those who helped drew up the statutes of the society; he was then a court clerk when the first

supreme council was established. He was elected treasurer.

Before the outbreak of the 1896 Revolution, Diaz already held the rank of major in the

revolutionary army. He figured in the negotiation of the surrender of Tarlac on July 10, 1898, a

successful siege of the town by Francisco Makabulos. He was one of the signatories of the Pact of

Biak-na-Bato, which was promulgated on November 1, 1897. Later, he joined other revolutionaries

who went in self-exile in Hong Kong in keeping with the conditions of the pact. During the

Filipino-American War (1899-1902), he served as colonel in the Philippine Army.

Diaz died in Manila in 1916 at the age of 67.

References:

Agoncillo, Teodoro A. The Revolt of the Masses, UP, Quezon City, 1956.

Manuel, E. Arsenio Dictionary of Philippine Biography Volume II. Quezon City: Filipiniana

Publications, 1970.

____________. Dictionary of the Philippine Biography Volume I. Quezon City: Filipiniana

Publications, 1955.

Medina, Isagani R. Unang talata tungkol sa Paghihimagsik (Revolucion) noong 1896- 97,

sinulat ni Carlos Ronquillo y Valdez. Quezon City: UP Press, 1976.