Ladislao Diwa - The Revolution

The Revolution

The Spanish authorities arrested Diwa shortly after the Katipunan was uncovered in August 1896. He was arrested in Betis, Bacolor, Pampanga and brought to Manila. He was imprisoned at Fort Santiago in the same cell as Teodoro Plata, who was arrested earlier. The Spanish then unleashed a series of executions to quell the uprising, including that of Rizal who was executed by musketry on December 30, 1896.

On February 6, 1897, Plata was brought out of their common cell and executed at the field of Bagumbayan. Four days later, Diwa was unexpectedly released in a prisoner exchange between the Spanish authorities and the Filipino revolutionists. He fled to Cavite to join the revolutionary troops of Mariano Trías but the entire province was then under siege and he had to covertly cross enemy lines. After joining the revolutionists, he became active in combat and became instrumental in the surrender of the Spanish forces under Leopoldo Garcia. Because of this, Diwa was promoted to colonel in the revolutionary army. When the First Philippine Republic was organized, he was named first civil governor of Cavite.