ON JANUARY 24, 1917, the country lost one of its heroes with the death of General Quintin Salas who was acknowledged for his valor during the Visayan revolution against Spain and was among the last officers to surrender to the Americans.
Born on October 31, 1870 in Dumangas, Iloilo province, he was the town mayor or “Capitan Municipal” there when the revolution broke out in August 1896.
Salas was made commander of the revolutionary committee and led efforts in Iloilo against Spanish rule. He led the uprising in Dumangas on October 28, 1898 and his troops even liberated the surrounding towns, confiscated the firearms of the police or “cuadrilleros”, set prisoners free and seized public documents.
He rose to being a full colonel and was designated chief of operations for the central zone of Iloilo province by General Martin Delgado, head of “Ejercito Libertador” as the revolutionary army of Panay was known then. The Visayan revolutionary government pledged allegiance to the Malolos Congress principles on December 5, 1898.
During the American occupation, Salas and other revolutionary leaders of Panay fought against United States troops sent to Iloilo in March 1899.
With the fall of the last capital of the revolutionary government in Panay, Salas and six Ilonggo generals together with the remaining revolutionary troops chose instead to wage guerrilla warfare against the Americans. Salas surprised them with night assaults and daytime ambushes.
His guerrilla forays lasted for more than two years.
He laid down his arms in October 1901, months after his commanding general was captured.
Exiled from Iloilo, he went to Manila in 1908 and graduated from the Escuela de Derecho with a degree of Bachelor of Laws, was admitted to the Bar in 1912 and practiced law for a while until he was allowed to return to Iloilo.
