Edilberto Evangelista
| Edilberto Evangelista | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
February 24, 1862 Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines |
| Died | February 17, 1897 (aged 34) Bacoor, Cavite |
Edilberto Evangelista (February 24, 1862 – February 17, 1897) was a Filipino civil engineer and a revolutionary.
He was born in Sta. Cruz, Manila, on February 24, 1862. Evangelista finished his Bachelor of Arts at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in 1878. He was awarded a medal of excellence in Mathematics. Poor health made him to drop his idea of studying medicine. After this, he became a teacher, a cattle dealer, a tobacco merchant between Cebu and Manila, and later a contractor of public works. He soon went to Madrid in 1890. It was during this time that he befriended many Filipino patriots, including José Rizal, who advised him to study engineering in Belgium. He therefore enrolled at the University of Ghent, one of the world’s top engineering schools, and finished civil engineering and architecture with highest honors. He then received profitable offers of employment from several institutions in Europe but he declined because of his zeal to serve his country.
He returned to the Philippines in September 1896, shortly after the start of the Philippine Revolution. He was arrested and imprisoned, since the Spanish authorities suspected many people of the revolution and he had in his possession Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, but he escaped. He joined General Emilio Aguinaldo’s command on October 22, 1896. At the Imus Assembly on December 31, 1896, Evangelista had submitted his draft of a constitution as requested by both Magdalo and Magdiwang factions of the KKK. He was elected Lieutenant General in the said meeting, now in the ranks of Artemio Ricarte. Aguinaldo later utilized General Evangelista’s engineering skills. He planned and built forts and barricades in Bacoor, Binakayan, Cavite Viejo, Munting-ilog, Silang, Dasmariñas, Imus, Salitran, Lumang-bayan, and Noveleta, to serve as protection against Spanish forces. One Spanish general commented that the fortifications were the "fortifications of the future." Aguinaldo himself publicly recommended Evangelista to head the revolutionary government that would be established in lieu of the Katipunan, for he was "the most educated" in the organization. Aguinaldo also said that Evangelista could "command the respect of the Spaniards". He was part of the Magdalo government, serving as assistant overall captain general to Aguinaldo. Though in the actual sense, he was neutral in the Magdalo-Magdiwang feud.
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