Tamblot

Tamblot was a babaylan or native priest from Bohol, Philippines, who led the Tamblot Uprising in 1621 to 1622 during the Spanish era. He opposed the new religion spread by the Spaniards and fought against the subsequent conversion of the Boholanos to the Catholic faith. According to Legend, he challenged the Spanish priest, and when he won, he earned the trust of the people. He exhorted them free themselves from Spanish oppression, leading 2,000 followers in what was dubbed as the "Tamblot Uprising" or "Tamblot Revolt".[1]

Carvings of Tambot and fellow Boholano hero Sikatuna

Biography

Little is known about Tamblot except that he was a tagalogenio of Barrio Tupas, in Antequera town who led a number of his pagan followers to wage a religious war against the Spaniards for fear that their Bathala would be replaced by the God of the Catholic religion.[2]

Tamblot Uprising

According to Spanish accounts of Fr. Juan Medina (History of the Augustinian Order in the Filipinas Island, 1630) Tamblot gained followers when he and his priests showed 'miracles' around the surrounding villages. He would pierce bamboos poles with a small knife from which rice and wine would flow out of magically.[3] Another account by Fr. Murillo Velarde (Historia de Phelipinas, 1749) stated that Tamblot promised his disciples that weapons would bounce off their skin, bejuco vines would provide distilled wine, tree leaves would turn into saranga (fish) for food and banana leaves into linen for clothing. He promised them that once a shrine was created in the seclusion of the hills, that he and his followers would be able to lead a life full of bounty thanks to the miracles the diwata would provide. They would also be free from tax and church duties required of them by the Spanish authorities.[4]

He quickly gained followers many in turn went to other villages performing the same miracles and preaching his message as his priests. He preached that with his magic, the native gods ie diwatas would protect them from the Spanish weapons and they would be able to vanquish them from the island. He instructed his followers to gather much goods and rice in order to set up a bastion in the foothills expecting an impending attack. Four villages around the towns of Loboc and Baclayon defected to his movement. All in all, Tamblot supposedly built a shrine for the diwata surrounded by hundreds of huts of his followers deep in the mountains. His message spread far and wide around the Visayas region including Pintado and Leyte that roused the alarm of local priests in the city of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus. The priests encouraged the alcalde mayor of Cebu, Juan Alcarazo to take action against the Boholanos in order to stifle the spread of their movement. Alcarazo hesitated to act as he did not have permission from his superior the governor-general, Alonzo Fajardo. In some accounts, Alcarazo supposedly had sent messages to the rebels for them to lay down their arms which the Boholanos flatly refused.[4]

The priests were finally able to persuade him to act early to stamp out a full scale revolt that might spread throughout other islands. He assembled a small contingent of 50 Spanish and 1000 native troops, mostly Sialo warriors armed with swords and shields as well as Spanish firearms. An account by Aduarte added that the contingent consisted of Cebuanos as well as Kapampangan warriors with a Spanish priest, the total force numbering more than a 1000.[4] Upon landing in Bohol using four caracoas, they started marching on New Year's Day of 1622 seeking out the mountain stronghold of Tamblot's followers. The journey took five days through steep terrain and swamps but finally reached their base.

On the sixth day, conflict started with the rebels killing a native ally in a skirmish. The next day after that, an estimated 1500 strong force ambushed the Spanish vanguard defended by a 16 Spanish troops and 300 native allies. Spanish and Cebuano soldiers fired volleys of musket shot on the Boholanos killing many. Tamblot's men was forced to retreat to a bamboo thicket. The Spanish troops pursued them but were bogged down by a sudden heavy rainfall. As heavy rain started to pour it briefly slowed down their rate of their fire giving a momentary time lapse for Tamblot's men to counter. Tamblot and his priests encouraged their followers to attack head on stating that the rain was a miracle from the diwatas. Fortunately for the Spanish forces, the shields of the Cebuanos were able to keep the guns dry enough from the rain continuing massive damage against the Boholano counterattack. The continued volley of fire mowed down charging Boholano zealots enough to rout them. Most were sent fleeing further into the mountains.[3]

The Spanish troops then seized upon the stronghold, with a manned stone redoubt from where the natives hurled stones and clods of earth/mud. During the battle, Alcarazo was supposedly hit and knocked out momentarily with a rock thrown by the enemy. He recovered thanks to the protection of his helmet and quickly rallied his troops. The troops raised their shields as they were pelted by stones, and eventually were able to gain access to the redoubt. Slaughter of the defenders ensued. The base was pillaged; booty of food, gold, silver and bells were collected. For four more days the Spanish troops pursued the many who fled, either killing them or finding them dead of hunger.[4]

The Spanish colonial troops dispersed or killed the remaining of Tamblot's followers. Some of the leaders were hanged and the rest were given amnesty. Some of those they captured were sentenced to enslavement of 10 years. The troops returned to Loboc. Alcarazo left a contingent of native troops and within weeks arrived back at Cebu victorious. Six months later, another group of rebels reformed and set another base on the peak of another mountain. Alcarazo again returned to Bohol with more troops. After a vicious uphill campaign, wherein the attacking force was harassed by defenders as they slowly raced up the steep mountain stronghold incurring much losses, the Spanish forces were able to reach top. After a fierce battle, the defenders were overpowered again by musket fire. The natives were either routed and fled, or killed outright ending the revolt.[4]

Alcarazo was given commendation. Part of the war booty he collected was awarded to him by the governor for his swift actions in Bohol.[3]

Legacy

Tamblot's movement and uprising influenced other leaders who had contempt of the Spanish overlordship to rebel. One such revolt was Bancao's revolt in Leyte which also occurred in 1622 and was also put down by Alcarazo.

The Tamblot uprising was one of two significant revolts that occurred in Bohol during the Spanish Era. The other one was the Dagohoy Rebellion, considered as the longest rebellion in Philippine history. This rebellion was led by Francisco Dagohoy, also known as Francisco Sendrijas, from 1744 to 1829.[5]

Tamblot 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, symbolizing that a true Boholano will rise and fight if supervening factors embroil them into something beyond reason or tolerance.[6]

References
  1. Pugay, Chris Antonette P. "The Revolts before the Revolution". www.nhi.gov.ph. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007.
  2. Ocon, Dodong. Abatan River: Its Beauty history www.boholchronicle.com Retrieved 28 November 2006. Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Blair, Emma (1906). The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 Vol. 24. Arthur H. Clark Company. pp. 116–119.
  4. Blair, Emma (1906). The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 Vol. 38. Arthur H. Clark Company. pp. 87–94.
  5. Readings From Bohol's History www.aenet.org, Source: Philippine Political and Cultural History. Volume I. Gregorio F. Zaide Retrieved 15 November 2006.
  6. Bohol Flag and Seal Provincial Government of Bohol Retrieved 21 December 2006.
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