PEDRO KABOLA AND THE REVOLT OF 1923

the early life of Pedro Kabola

Pedro Kabola is a wiry, Ilocano field worker with an affinity for trouble. Born in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur during the last decade of the 19th century, he left his crowded birth place and joined other land seekers. At last he found himself in eastern Pangasinan. While fellow settlers cultivated homesteads, Kabola flitted from barrio to barrio, doing odd jobs here and there, earned a few centavos ( which was already enough money to survive during those times ) . But his main interest was learning the stormy legends of each barrio especially the tales of the daring bandits like Filipe Salvador, Apo Laqui, etc. Then his fertile imagination started fantasizing plans of liberating the Filipino masses. His first attempts were amatuerish. His initial attempts to form secret societies got him in trouble with the municipal authorities. Late in 1918, due to his Constabulary record, he had to leave Pangasinan and move his base of operation to Nueva Ecija.

This move did not improve his relations with the authorities. Trouble followed him wherever he went. By 1921, his records listed a series of alleged crimes: like sedition, extortion, conspiracy, horse thievery and attempted rape. In each instance--to the frustration of the police--provincial courts released Kabola on grounds of insufficient evidence. But sometimes notoriety could add luster to a crook's reputation especially if he has the gift of eloquence. In view of his successful circumnavigation of the law, he became a super hero in the eyes of the peasantry. They said he was invincible, like F. Salvador. By 1923, he started to work on his plans to liberate the masses and fight the establishment.

Early this year, Kabola and a few friends founded the KMM (Kapisanan Makabola Makasinag ). Peasant interest in this organization was stimulated by a variety of ingenious techniques. Kabola procalimed to his followers that he was in regular communication with the living personalities of Jose Rizal and Filipe Salvador. Rizal, for the information of our non-Filipino readers is the National Hero of the Philippines. These heroes, he said, commisioned him to lead a popular struggle for the liberation of the Philippines. Kabola also promised to his members that they will also be INVINCIBLE or INVULNERABLE just as he was. During those days, Filipinos believed in AGIMATS, ANTING-ANTINGS and other forms of Talismans.. These objects gave special powers to anyone who possessed them, that's what they said especially in the barrios. But Kabola did not advocate spiritual means to accomplish temporal ends. Instead, he called for the establishment of a secret people's army. With enough para- military groups, he said he would make surprise attacks on certain municipalities. These would cause anarchy first in the local level and with enough members nation wide, it would plunge the whole Philippines into disorder. Kabola said that the Emperor of Japan would intervene on behalf of Kabola and will drive away the Americans and the local authorities. Property redistribution would follow, he said and the Philippines would become a nation of peace, harmony and prosperity.

Kabola seemed to have a forboding of the upcoming events of the Japanese Invasion of the Philippines after the attack on Pearl Harbour. But the scenario he wanted to happen was quite different.

(to be continued )