Today in the Past

Today, February 14, 1583, is the death of Governor-General Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa, third Governor-General of the Philippines.

In the lurid annals of Latin America, Father Bartolome de las Casas loomed large as the fighting champion of Indian rights; in the colonial history of the Philippines, Bishop Domingo de Salazar towered as the gallant champion of Filipino rights.

Bishop Salazar, defying the ire of the civil officials, courageously defended Filipino rights and liberties against the rapacious encomenderos and oppressive officials. On October 17, 1581, he called a council of various ecclesiastical dignitaries to discuss the liberation of Filipino slaves held by Spaniards. This council assailed the action of Governor-General Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa (1580-1583) and other civil officials in delaying the emancipation of Filipino slaves in violation of the King's order and declared that "the freedom of the Indians (Filipinos) could not be deferred as it was a matter of national and divine right and clear justice, just as he who has anything belonging to another is obliged instantly to restore it, as soon as he knows it, and the judge who tries the case is bound to order the restoration."

The following year (1582) Bishop Salazar convinced the first Concillar Council at Manila, attended by the heads of the different religious order. Upon his recommendation, the ecclesiastical conclave passed a great memorial which boldly defended the "natural rights" of the Filipino people.