Diego Silang was born in Pangasinan on December 16,1730 , of Ilocano parents. While still young, he was employed as a servant by the parish priest of Vigan. He was once sent by his master to Manila, but the boat was wrecked near the Cape of Bolinao He was captured by the Aetas of Zambales. Later. Later, he was ransomed by a Recollect Father of Bolinao and became the faithful servant of this kind friar. He was trusted by his new master and was often sent with important messages to Manila and was able to make friends with other Ilocano civil rights advocates on the way. Silang told the Spaniards that together with the Ilocanos, he would help drive the British away. The Spaniards did not trust him , so they put in prison. He was able to escape,and with his Ilocano followers, they drove the alcalde mayor (Don Antonio Zabala ) from Vigan. They demanded that the Spaniards and mestizos be expelled from Ilocos Sur and the tribute and forced labor be abolished. The bishop of Nueva Segovia raised a native army in Ilocos Norte against Silang but was defeated. Silang invaded Ilocos Norte and brought the greater part of the province under his authority. He established the Republic of Free Ilocos . He made Vigan the capital of his independent government and spread his revolutionary movement to Pangasinan and Cagayan.
Silang was an able military leader. He defended Vigan from Spanish reprisals and virtually became the uncrowned king of Ilocandia. The British offered an alliance with Silang which he accepted . The Spaniards could not capture Silang, so they hired a mestizo named Miguel Vicos to assassinate him. Vicos secretly went to Silang's house at Vigan on May 20, 1763 and shot him at the back . Thus, died the guiding genius of the Ilocos war of independence. But before he drew his last breath, he told his wife, Gabriela, to continue the fight for liberty. Gabriela avenged her husband , but was caught and hanged after making her witness her sixty men being hanged one by one.
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