Readings in Philippine History

Excerpts from “Ferdinand Magellan, The Armada de Maluco and the European Discovery of the Philippines”
(Sevilla 2019-2022)

A prominent Bicolano historian and author suggests taking a second look at the heroism of Lapu-Lapu.
Dr. Danilo Madrid Gerona, a member of Sevilla 2019-2022 that is leading and coordinating the global celebration of the
500th anniversary of Ferdinand Magellan’s circumnavigation of the world, said declaring Lapu-Lapu a national hero
would be premature. Gerona, who specializes in pre- and Spanish colonial period accounts, is the only non-Spanish
member of the multi-sectoral committee based in Seville, Spain.

Gerona said that when Magellan arrived in the Philippines, Cebu was already a thriving port with vibrant
communities headed by several chieftains and was actively involved in commerce. Lapu-Lapu was the supreme chief
among four chieftains ruling Mactan at the time. From accounts by chroniclers, Lapu-Lapu was involved in piracy. He
would lure trading ships to his territory and demand tributes. Gerona also discovered that Lapu-Lapu was actually the
brother of Humabon’s principal wife but, for some reason, the two chieftains’ relations were not cordial.

Testimonies of 18 of 27 members of the Spanish forces who survived the battle described Lapu-Lapu as viejo, the
Spanish description of people 60 years or older. As an old person, Lapu-Lapu would even be exempted from work and
taxes imposed by Spain in its colonies, Gerona said. “It is impossible that Lapu-Lapu led the Battle of Mactan because,
based on the description of the survivors, the chieftain was very old, about 70 years old [at the time],” he said.

Accounts also showed that Lapu-Lapu recognized the authority of the Spanish Crown through Magellan and even
agreed to pay tribute to the colonizers. But the relationship soured after Magellan demanded that Lapu-Lapu recognize
his anointed supreme chieftain, Rajah Humabon, by kissing the latter’s hand, a European way of recognizing authority,
Gerona said. When Lapu-Lapu refused, Magellan’s troops attacked the chieftain’s village twice, burning the houses. The
colonizers launched a full battle to subdue Lapu-Lapu and his allies.

Gerona said Magellan miscalculated the capacity of the native warriors, who only had crude weapons. The
Portuguese declined Humabon’s offer to send hundreds of native warriors to reinforce the Spanish forces, who had better
weapons and wore body armors. Fifty-seven members of the Spanish forces left their bigger ship on a small boat to
launch the assault on Mactan. The Spaniards fought the more than 1,000 warriors Lapu-Lapu sent to fight the foreigners.
Gerona said Magellan was first immobilized by a poisoned arrow that hit his leg. The leader of the Spanish expedition
was then killed with a bamboo lance to the chest.
Gerona said 18 members of the Spanish forces were able to return to Spain. Nine survivors were given refuge by
Humabon.

With Magellan dead, Lapu-Lapu, the battle’s victor, demanded that Humabon kill the survivors. Humabon
refused and sold the survivors as slaves to Chinese merchants.