The Dendroaspis angusticeps, otherwise known as the common mamba, is a

species of snake native to Africa. An arboreal species, the common mamba resides in
trees, allowing it to blend well with the leaves and branches of the trees, thanks to its
bright green hue. This puts its prey into a great disadvantage. This elusive reptilian is at
its peak in terrain familiar to it. High in the tress, it sits and waits for its prey then strikes
at them. The mamba’s green hue makes it difficult for animals to differentiate it from the
leaves of lush forest greens. The homes of small animals are never truly safe around
the green mamba, most especially when prey is a slither away.

With its fangs at the ready, unsuspecting birds and rodents are an easy kill. A
concoction of neurotoxins, cardiotoxins, calcicludine, and fasciculins attack the body in
a single bite. Neurotoxins damage the prey’s nerve tissue while cardiotoxins hinder its
blood circulation by targeting the heart, immobilizing the prey. With the prey unable to
move, the mamba shall now be able to devour his meal. Should it not eat its prey, the
venom from the bite will make the last moments, spanning 30 minutes, of the prey a
living hell.

A general going by the name “Simeon Arboleda Ola” during the Philippine
Revolution used similar tactics to avert his capture. Though General Ola has been
known for being the last general to surrender to the American forces, he is also rumored
to have the ability to leave without a trace. He braved the Americans in the dense
forests of Guinobatan. General Ola’s army stood up against colonizers armed with
artillery and firearms with only bolos, spears, bows and arrows. They knew of the peril
they’d face if they engaged these men on the plains. So, they brought the fight to the
forests where Mother Nature was on their side. A true master of guerilla warfare,
General Ola traversed rough terrain of caves which he and his army used into their
advantage to fight the American soldiers.

For three years, the general became a pain in the neck of the Americans. He was
even believed to have a talisman that he wore around his neck filled with oil that would
boil whenever he wanted to disappear. The boiling of the oil would release a scent and
alas, he was gone.
 General Ola, a hero unsung, has been remembered by a few as a valiant and
patriotic warrior. But he fought not only with a bolo, a spear, or with arrows, but also with
his intellect and battle strategy. He must be henceforth be remembered not only as the
last general to surrender, but also as a virtuoso of traversing the lush green.