Gen. Antonio Luna (Cofounder of La Independiencia)

Military Strategist

October 29, 1866 - June 5, 1899

     Antonio Luna was born in Urbiztondo, Binondo, Manila on October 29, 1866 to Joaquin Luna de San Pedro and Laureana Novicio.

     He initially went to a private school, then transferred to the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, where he finished his Bachelor of Arts in 1881. At the University of Barcelona in Spain he took Licentiate in Pharmacy and had his Doctorate in Pharmacy at the University of Madrid in 1890.

     He visited other European countries and met eminent Filipinos who were fighting for the rights of their countrymen. He also wrote poems and even won in literary contest. He likewise wrote articles for local and international papers. He founded the newspaper La Independencia, which printed articles of writers who were active in fighting for reforms in the Philippines. At first, Luna did not support the revolutionary movement. When the revolution began in 1896, Luna was suspected a rebel. He was arrested and exiled to Spain in 1897, but eventually freed through the intercession of his brother, Juan Luna, the eminent painter.

     He went to Ghent, Belgium and studied military science. When he returned to the Philippines, he decided to serve in the newly established government of Emilio Aguinaldo. Luna was appointed overall general of the Philippine Army. When the Filipino-American War began, Luna led the battles against the Americans. One of the bloodiest battle was the Battle of Calumpit, Bulacan.

     Luna was strict and disciplianarian, thus he had many secret enemies. Many were envious of his sudden rise of high rank. One of them was General Tomas Maskardo who refused to obey the orders of General Juan Luna. Once, he left an important battle to confront Maskardo. There was also an incident wherein Luna wanted to arrest some members of the Malolos Congress.

     On June 2, 1899 he thought that he received a summon from Emilio Aguinaldo for a meeting. He arrived in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija on June 5, 1899. While Luna was looking for Aguinaldo in a church convent to talk with him, he was ambushed by soldiers from Cavite who were angry with him. Suddenly, he was shot and stabbed several times. He died on the church courtyard.

     With Luna's assassination, the plan for the Filipino forces to regroup in the mountains and launch a guerilla warfare did not materialize.

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(Tagalog Version)

     Si Antonio Luna ay isinilang sa Urbiztondo, Binondo, Maynila noong Oktobre 29, 1866 kina Joaquin Luna de San Pedro at Laureana Novicio.

     Una siyang nag-aral sa isang pribadong paaralan. Lumipat siya sa Ateneo Municipal de Manila at dito tinapos ang Bachelor of Arts noong 1881. Sa Unibersidad ng Barcelona sa Espanya siya kumuha ng Licentiate in Pharmacy at nagtuloy ng Doctorate in Pharmacy sa Unibersidad ng Madrid noong 1890.

     Dumayo siya sa iba't-ibang bansa sa Europa at nakilala ang mga tanyag na Pilipinong lumalaban para sa karapatan ng mga kababayan. Tumutula rin siya at nanalo nanalo pa s amga paligsahang pampanitikan. Nagsulat siya sa mga lokal at pandaigdigang pahayagan. Itinatag niya ang pahayag na La Independencia na naglimbag sa mga manunulat na ibig ng reporma sa Pilipinas. Noong una ay hindi inayunan ni Luna ang rebolusyon. Ngunit nang sumiklab ang labanan noong 1896 ay pinaghinalaan na rebelde si Luna. Dinakip at ipinatapon siya sa Espanya noong 1897, ngunit napakawalan din siya dahil sa pakiusap ng kapatid na si Juan Luna, ang bantog na pintor.

     Nag-aral siya sa Ghent, Belgium ng siyensya-militar. Nang bumalik sa Pilipinas ay minabuti niyang maglingkod sa bagong tatag na pamahalaan ni Emilio Aguinaldo. Siya ay nahirang na Punong-Heneral ng Hukbong Pilipinas. Nang sumiklab ang giyera Filipino-Amerikano, nanguna siya sa pagsagupa sa Amerikano. Isa sa inilunsad niyang pinakamadugong labanan ay naganap sa Calumpit, Bulacan.

     Mahigpit sa disiplina si Luna kaya nagkaroon siya ng mga lihim na kaaway. Marami ring nainggit sa mabilis na pag-angat ng kanyang ranggo. Isa na si Heneral Tomas Maskardo na ayaw sumunod sa mga utos ni Heneral Luna. Minsan, iniwan niya ang isang mahalagang labanan upang komprontahin si Maskardo. May isang insidente ring gusto ni Luna na ipaaresto ang ilang miyembro ng Kongreso ng Malolos.

     Noong Hunyo 2, 1899 inakala niyang ipinatawag siya sa isang pulong ni Emilio Aguinaldo. Dumating siya sa Nueva Ecija noong Hunyo 5, 1899. Nang hinahanap ni Luna si Aguinaldo sa kumbento ng simbahan kausapin, tinambangan siya ng mga sundalong mula Cavite na may tiim na galit sa kanya. Walang ano-ano'y binaril siya't pinagtataga. Namatay siya sa harapan ng simbahan. 

     Dahil sa pagpaslang kay Luna, ay hindi na natuloy ang planong mabuo ang mga puwersang Filipino sa bundok at maglunsad ng gerilyang pakikipaglaban.