Gregorio del Pilar is remembered as a courageous and daring soldier, and there are several stories and

anecdotes to support this picture. During the Revolution, he has a long list of documented wartime
accomplishments and acts of bravery (Umali, J., & Philippines, E., 1970). During the Philippine-American
War, del Pilar died defending Tirad Pass against advancing American forces. Despite his bravery (or folly,
depending on one's point of view), del Pilar also has several controversies on his hands. That
controversy is being the assassin of Emilio Aguinaldo.

Apart from the controversy surrounding his alleged drinking binge and orgy the night before his major
fight, del Pilar is also said to have been Emilio Aguinaldo's "hatchetman." Del Pilar was the ideal
"berdugo" for Aguinaldo. His cruel inclinations against captive friars (one account claims he had one
clean the toilet with his bare hands) and his unflinching commitment to the president make him the best
fit for being the “berdugo” (ART, 2017). If non-mainstream history books like Nick Joaquin's "A Question
of Heroes" are to be believed, Goyo was Aguinaldo's hetcheman (Filipiknow, 2018). His capabilities are
being acknowledge.

In addition, it's thought that del Pilar and his men were behind the assassination of Antonio Luna after
being commanded to do so by Aguinaldo. Del Pilar was also accused of personally carrying out the
arrests, torture, and execution of numerous of Luna's officers (ART, 2017). The young general and his
master are claimed to have met in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, just a few weeks after their failed
negotiations with the Schurman Commission. General Aguinaldo tasked his protégé with the onerous
mission of apprehending Gen. Antonio Luna, who was suspected of "high treason," dead or alive. Luna,
however, had already been killed by the Presidential Guards at Cabanatuan before Goyo and his forces
arrived at Luna's Pangasinan headquarters (FilipiKnow, 2018)

On February 6, 1964, the first president of the Philippines, Emilio Aguinaldo, passed away from coronary
thrombosis (Kallie Szczepanski, 2019). Frail, almost blind and unable to walk, General Aguinaldo had
spent most of the last four years in the hospital. After suffering the latest in a series of strokes last week,
he rallied briefly yesterday and talked with relatives. He died at the Veterans Memorial Hospital (The
New York Times, 1964). He died at the age of 94 years old.

Despite doubts about his heroism, Gen. Del Pilar remains a hero among the people. Their claim that he
was a hero who heroically defended our nation against the Spaniards is based on his gallantry in the
Battle of Tirad Pass. The claim of being assassin of Emilio Aguinaldo become a controversy. Furthermore,
let us take into consideration the article of Kallie Szczepanski (2019). The former president become ill
and was hospitalized in the Veterans Memorial Hospital. He died because of being sick and not by being
assassinated.
ART (2017, July 16). Gregorio del Pilar Was Aguinaldo’s Assassin? The Unspoken Piece.

Retrieved From: https://travellerbeebs.wordpress.com/2015/10/03/gregorio-del-pilar-was-

aguinaldos-assassin-2/

Umali, J., & Philippines, E. (1970, January 1). What Do We Really Know About Gregorio Del

Pilar, Philippine History’s Baby-faced Assassin? Esquiremag.Ph.

https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/the-many-faces-of-gregorio-del-pilar-

a00203-a2212-20180914-lfrm

Kallie Szczepanski (2019, May 26). Biography of Emilio Aguinaldo, Filipino Independence

Leader. (2019, May 26). ThoughtCo. Retreived From:

https://www.thoughtco.com/emilio-aguinaldo-biography-195653

The New York Times (1964, February 6). Aguinaldo, 94, Dies; Led Filipino RevoIts. The New

York Times. Retrieved From: https://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/06/archives/aguinaldo-

94-dies-led-filipino-revoits.html

F. (2019, January 26). 11 Things You Never Knew About Gregorio Del Pilar. FilipiKnow.

Retrieved From: https://filipiknow.net/facts-about-general-gregorio-del-pilar/