One of the most tragic events to have happened during the Revolution concerns the untimely demise of Katipunan leader Pantaleon Villegas, better known as “Leon Kilat.”

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A native of Negros Oriental Villegas was commissioned by Emilio Aguinaldo to lead the planned revolt in Cebu on Good Friday on April 8, 1898. However, growing suspicion by the Spanish authorities forced him to launch the attack on Palm Sunday (April 3) instead, an event which would be known as the “Tres de Abril” revolt. ^[0]

For a while, the Katipuneros succeeded in defeating the Spanish.

However, enemy reinforcements from Manila forced Villegas to seek refuge in the town of Carcar on Holy Thursday (April 7).

Fearful that the Spanish would retaliate against them for harboring the revolutionaries, the town’s leaders led by Florencio Noel and Fr.

Francisco Blanco conspired to kill Villegas, with the assassin to carry out the job being none other than Villegas’ aide-de-camp Apolinario Alcuitas.

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In the early hours of Good Friday (April 8), he—and along with a few others—stabbed and bashed Villegas to death while the latter was fast asleep inside his room after being inebriated with alcoholic drinks by his treacherous hosts.

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