149. GOMBURZA @ 150

 

GOMBURZA @ 150

Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano, LPT

17 February 2022

The 150th anniversary of the martyrdom of the GomBurZa is commemorated today. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) led the commemoration with this year’s theme, “GOMBURZA: Pamana ng Paglilingkod at Pag-aalay” at the GomBurZa monument at the Rizal Park in Manila this morning.

During our 6th wedding anniversary on April 2, 2015, Jasmin and I decided to visit a historical site like we always do whenever we are in the metropolis during vacations and holidays. We chose to visit Paco Park Cemetery located on General Luna Street and at the east end of Padre Faura Street in Paco District, Manila. For so long a time, I thought that the obelisk monument of the GomBurZa at the Rizal Park was the final resting place of martyred Fathers Mariano Gomes de los Ángeles (born August 2, 1799), Jose Apolonio Burgos y Garcia (born February 9, 1837) and Jacinto Zamora y del Rosario (born August 14, 1835). It was only during the centennial commemoration preparations in January 1998 when I learned that the remains of these great Filipinos were at the Paco Cemetery which were discovered by the Manila City Engineer’s Office. It was but unfortunate that the said bones were found in the ladies' comfort room. I was so excited to see this new historical find of the “GomBurZa” - the name is an acronym which composed their collective surnames.

Luis J. Morales, Executive Director of the National Centennial Commission (NCC) stated; "For years, the government and the public were unaware of the exact location of the three martyred priests' tombs because there were no markers or epitaphs when the GOMBURZA remains were laid at the Paco Cemetery. Unfortunately, public toilets were built at the site of the tomb… It was coincidental or just by divine providence that one of the alleged GomBurZa bones was finally discovered last month, probably in time for yesterday's commemorative rites of the 126th Year Anniversary of the Martyrdom of GomBurZa”.

GomBurZa incurred the hatred of Spanish authorities for fighting for equal rights among priests and leading the campaign against the Spanish friars. They fought on the issues of secularization in the Philippines that led to the conflict of religious and church seculars. They were implicated in the Cavite Mutiny on January 20, 1872 which led to the garrote.

The execution remains one of the most controversial issues in our history which led to the dawn of the Philippine Nationalism in the 19th century. Dr. Jose P. Rizal, in dedicating his second novel entitled El Filibusterismo which condemned the Spanish rule and the elite Filipinos, wrote "To the memory of the priests, Don Mariano Gomez (89 [sic] years old), Don Jose Burgos (40 [sic] years old), and Don Jacinto Zamora (55 [sic] years old). Executed in Bagumbayan Field on 25th [sic] of February, 1872. The church, by refusing to degrade you, has placed in doubt the crime that has been imputed to you; the government, by surrounding your trials with mystery and shadows causes the belief that there was some error, committed in fatal moments; and all the Philippines, by worshiping your memory and calling you martyrs, in no sense recognizes your capability. In so far, therefore, as your complicity in the Cavite Mutiny is not clearly proved, as you may or may not have been patriots, and as you may or may not cherish sentiments for justice and for liberty, I have the right to dedicate my work to you as victims of the evil which I undertake in combat." Other revolutionary figures such as Andres Bonifacio, Marcelo del Pilar and Apolinario Mabini, also commemorated the priests’ martyrdom through their writings and speeches.

At nine in the morning today, the tomb of the three martyrs at Paco Park Cemetery was blessed. Furthermore, the public, according to the NHCP, can use a profile picture frame on their display photos in Facebook to remind their families and friends of a significant event in Philippine history. The NHCP was joined by the representatives of the City Government of Manila, National Museum of the Philippines, National Parks Development, DepEd Division of Manila, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Intramuros Administration, Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines, Knights of Columbus, Boy Scouts of the Philippines, Girl Scouts of the Philippines and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

This morning’s activities were simultaneously done with wreath laying rites at the GomBurZa Execution Site (Rizal Park, Manila), Fr. Mariano Gomes Monument (Bacoor, Cavite), Fr. Jose Burgos Monument (Plaza Burgos, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur) and at the Fr. Jacinto Zamora Monument (Pandacan, Manila).

The GomBurZa are honored in our country in so many ways. Aside from the monument at the Rizal Park and Intramuros, sculptures, markers, and street names can be found around the country. Sketches of the three priests can be seen in classrooms in both private and public schools to remind the students of the heroism of the three. A number of towns were named after Padre Jose Burgos while a number of barangays and sitios were named after Padre Zamora and Padre Gomes. Stamps and bank notes engraved their silhouette and a number of public schools bear their names. Furthermore, the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Arts and Culture Festival takes place from February to March 2022 with the theme, “kaMALAYAn: Pamana ng GomBurZa @ 150 in line with the celebration of National Arts Month to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the great trio.

The GomBurZa was a rallying symbol during the Philippine Revolution and is still revered up to present in the academe and other organizations by using the name GomBurZa as a figure of speech for nationalism and patriotism.