Provenance: Provenance: The collection of the scholar Ramon N. Villegas

Literature: Literature: Villegas, Ramon. Hiyas: Philippine Jewellery Heritage. Guild of Philippine Jewellers, Pasay. 1997, p. 122. Guerrero, Milagros, and John Schumacher. Kasaysayan: The Story of the Filipino Nation, Volume 6: Reform and Revolution. Asia Publishing, Hong Kong. p. 190.

ABOUT THE WORK

Specially crafted to honor one of the most valiant generals of the Philippine revolutionary army, this superb dagger was inscribed in Spanish “AL HEROE DE SILANG” (To the Hero of Silang), a recognition of the valor and loyalty of the Caviteño General Vito Belarmino. Its scabbard is tooled with scrolling leaf filigrees and highlighted with extraordinary gold appliques that depict well-known Freemasonry symbols composed of the personified half-moon on its base, with the geometry square that is delicately intersected by the compass. The top of which is entwined with a fine ribbon that ties together two hammers. The very detailed applique is then surmounted by three five-pointed stars in deep relief. At the center of the applique is the revolutionary banner with an incised triangle, reminiscent of the three points of the Philippine flag, each representing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Forged from the highest quality steel, the Spanish-style stiletto dagger features a double-edged triangular blade, the top of which is bisected by two-sided quillon or cross guards whose tips are finished at both ends with a trifoliate accent. The eight-sided grip has five faces that have been faceted with raised golden dots that are embedded in the center of finely detailed leaf incisions. Crowning the dagger is the pommel that has been crowned by a sun with eight rays, representing the eight original provinces that rose up in revolutionary struggle—Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac—under which a shimmering sun with a smiling face surmounts a seven-pointed gold crown. General Vito Belarmino y Loyola was born on June 15, 1857, in Silang, Cavite. Coming from a prominent family in Silang, he quickly rose through civil positions as teniente mayor, cabeza de barangay, and gobernadorcillo. At the outbreak of the revolution in 1896, he joined the guerrilla forces, engaging in several skirmishes. Together with Vicente Giron, he attacked the convent and the guardia civil based in Silang. Later, he joined General Emilio Aguinaldo in the attack against the Spanish Infantry Battalion No. 72 in Talisay, Batangas. However, Spanish General Jose de Lachambre, under the command of Governor-General Camilo Polavieja, launched an offensive on February 15, 1897, against Cavite, killing defending Filipino General Edilberto Evangelista in the Battle of Zapote on February 17. General Aguinaldo was aided by Generals Vito Belarmino and Artemio Ricarte, who both mounted a counteroffensive. However, they were not able to take back Silang. Eventually, the Pact of Biak-na-Bato of December 14, 1897, halted hostilities, and General Belarmino, already a trusted aide, accompanied Aguinaldo into exile in Hong Kong. On the resumption of the second phase of the Philippine Revolution, President Aguinaldo appointed Belarmino as division general of the Revolutionary Government of the Philippines on September 30, 1898. He was placed in command of the province of Albay on October 29, 1898, where he organized the infantry and company of engineers. Battling the American invaders led by General William Kobbe, he led a battle with General Jose Paua on January 23, 1900, in Legaspi, Albay. General Paua surrendered on March 27, 1900, but General Belarmino refused to give up and organized guerrilla resistance in the Bicol region. Left with no other resources, the fighting general eventually surrendered on July 4, 1901. When the Philippine-American War ended, he returned to private life in Silang. He eventually became totally blind and died on July 14, 1933. (Contributed.)