Francisco Dagohoy

Francisco Dagohoy (born Francisco Sendrijas; c. 1724) was a Filipino revolutionary who holds the distinction of having initiated the longest revolt in Philippine history, the Dagohoy rebellion. This rebellion against the Spanish colonial government took place on the island of Bohol from 1744 to 1829, roughly 85 years.

Dagohoy, was born in 1724, and that he was a native of Barangay Cambitoon, Inabanga, Bohol. He was also cabeza de barangay, or one of the barangay captains of the town.

His name derives from an amulet ("dagon" in Cebuano) he wore, which people believed gave him the charm of a gentle wind or "hoyohoy" (or huyuhoy) and the power to jump or fly-over from hill to hill or across rivers like a gentle flowing wind. He was believed to have clear vision inside dark caves and be invisible whenever and wherever he wanted. The name Dagohoy is a concatenation of the Visayan phrase dagon sa huyuhoy or "talisman of the breeze" in English. His brother is named Sagarino Dagohoy. Sagarino was refused a proper burial by a Jesuit priest, who was then killed by Francisco.

Fight against Spain

The Dagohoy rebellion was one of two significant revolts that occurred in Bohol during the Spanish Era. The other was the Tamblot uprising in 1621 led by Tamblot, a babaylan or native priest from Bohol which was basically a religious conflict.

Unlike the Tamblot revolt, the Dagohoy rebellion was not a religious conflict. Rather, it was like most of the early revolts which were ignited by forced labor (polo y servicios), bandala, excessive tax collection and payment of tributes. On top of these injustices of the Jesuit priests, what triggered Dagohoy most was the refusal of the Jesuit priest to give a Christian burial to his brother who died in a duel. This caused Dagohoy to call upon his fellow Boholanos to raise arms against the colonial government. The rebellion outlasted several Spanish governors-general and several missions.

In 1744, Gaspar Morales, the Jesuit curate of Inabanga, ordered Francisco's brother, Sagarino, who was a constable, to capture an apostate fugitive. Sagarino pursued the fugitive, but the latter resisted and killed him. Morales refused to give Sagarino a Christian burial because he had died in a duel, a practice banned by the Church.

Infuriated, Francisco instigated the people to rise in arms. The signal of the uprising was the killing of Giuseppe Lamberti, Italian Jesuit curate of Jagna, in January 1745. In 1825, Mariano Ricafort Palacin (1825–1830) became governor-general of the Philippines. Upon his order, alcalde-mayor Jose Lazaro Cairo, at the head of 2,200 Filipino-Spanish troops and several batteries, invaded Bohol on May 7, 1827. The Boholanos resisted fiercely. Cairo won several engagements but failed to crush the rebellion.

Death Francisco Dagohoy probably died before 1829. He did not die because of his staunch opposition of the Spaniards, but rather, peacefully from old age and sickness.

Legacy Dagohoy features in the Bohol provincial flag as one of the two bolos or native swords with handle and hand-guards on top. These two bolos, which are reclining respectively towards the left and right, depict the Dagohoy and Tamblot revolts.

Dagohoy is acknowledged in Philippine history as the initiator of the longest insurrection on record. His revolt lasted 85 years

A film based on his life starring Mario Montenegro as Dagohoy and directed by Gregorio Fernandez was released in 1953.

The town of Dagohoy, Bohol is named in his honor. It was the former President Carlos P. Garcia (then Vice President), a Boholano, who proposed the name.

A historical marker on Dagohoy's grave in the mountains of Danao, Bohol has been placed in his honor. The Dagohoy Marker in Magtangtang, Danao, from Tagbilaran was placed by the Philippine Historical Committee to honor the heroic deeds of Dagohoy. Magtangtang was Dagohoy's headquarters or hideout during the revolt. Hundreds of Dagohoy's followers preferred death inside the cave than surrender. Their skeletons still remain in the site.

Ships from the Philippine Navy and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources was named after him.