“Heneral Luna”

The first scene was that in a certain room, General

Luna was alone with a boy named Joven, who
wanted to write a biography about the general. He
asked him to tell the story of life and the general
reminded him jokingly that the biography might
become a novel.

Then, it started in the meeting between the higher

officials of the government. Of course, President
Emilio Aguinaldo and the Prime Minister of the
Philippines, Apolinario Mabini was present at the
assembly. However, it was not a civil conversation
among the members. They were shouting at each You left us not knowing why,
other, debating on whether they should trust the
Americans or not. It was clear to the others that the It so sad and makes us cry,
foreign country was plotting something against
But all will last forever,
their country. However, there are some people that
still sided with the Americans, saying that they
For now, you’re with the Father.
were trustworthy, unlike the Spaniards, Pedro
Paterno was one them. Thus, useless arguments
erupted among them again and again.

“Para kayong mga birhen na naniniwala sa pag-ibig

ng isang puta.” -one of Generel Luna’s remarkable
line during the discourse.

The arrival of a messenger stopped the brawl

momentarily, sending a letter to the President
which contained bad news. Yes, the inevitable
happened. Some soldiers scouting in Santa Mesa
district, Manila were killed by the Americans and
had terrorized other places in the Philippines too.

After the leaders were stationed on the territories

they must protect, General Luna with his trusted
comrades, Jose Alejandrino, Francisco “Paco”
Roman, Eduardo Rusca, Jose Bernal, and Manuel
Bernal had a battle with the Americans in
Intramuros. Their enemies were well-equiped and
trained, so they had to request reinforcements
from the Kawit Brigade. But Captain Pedro Janolino
was irritated with the general’s bossy attitude so,
he refused to follow his orders. Luna was so
annoyed with his lack of cooperation so, he
stomped into the hut the captain was in, who was
sleeping beside a naked woman, and dragged him
outside to humiliate him in front of his soldiers.
Janolino reported the general’s wicked deed to the
president, but Mabini counseled Aguinaldo to let it
pass.
The country was at war, but the pathetic cabinet
members were still arguing about deepening the
relationship of Americans and Filipinos. Felipe
Buencamino was pressing on trusting them, which
earned him an arrest from General Luna, who was
flamed by his lies. President Aguinaldo was aware that
the other members are getting fed up of the Luna’s
attitude. Luna also fought with General Mascardo
because he was spewing insults at his co-general, who
refused to accept that he had a son in the war that
chickened out. Babae: Puso ko’y naghihinagpis,
After those internal battles, General Luna went to Ika’y mamimiss ng labis
Ako ay iyong iiwan,
house of the love of his life to clear his mind from
Pupunta sa ibang bayan.
pressures and struggles. Isobel was the name of the
young woman.

“Mas mahalaga ang papel natin sa digmaan kaysa sa Lalaki: Mahal, ako ma’y lalayo,
anumang nararamdaman natin,” she stated as a closure Sa iyo ay may pangako,
to her relationship with the general. She was right. She Ika’y di kalilimutan,
pledged that it will be their last rendezvous and by the Puso’y sayo nakalaan.
next time they meet again, they are strangers to each
other.
Babae: May kirot man sa damdamin,
When General Luna was back at his home, he played his Ito’y aking tatanggapin,
guitar. His moment was interrupted by his mother, Malayo ka man sa akin,
Ika’y aking hihintayin.
Doña Laureana Luna y Novicio, who had spoken with
him shortly. She reminded him that he was bound to die
if he continued fighting, but nonetheless, his will wasn’t Lalaki: Sa akin ay wag mangamba,
shaken. He could have been a doctor, but look at how Mag-iingat sa tuwina,
destiny played with him ‘cause right now, he’s a mighty Asahan mong ako’y babalik,
general. Pasalubong sayo’y halik.

Then, General Luna was summoned by a telegram

written by the President that asked him to show up in
Cabanatuan. When he arrived, he was welcomed by the
silence of the place. Strangely, there’s only a few people
around. Felipe Buencamino was the only one present in
the office and he told him that the President left long
ago before he arrived. When he heard a gunshot
outside, he went out in order to punish the soldier who
did it. In the ambush, the general was fired and stabbed
to death.

In the ending, Felipe, Aguinaldo and Joven were

explaining their sides of the story. General Luna’s
demise left a lot of questions unanswered.