The Prodigal Son of La Villa Rica de Arevalo in the City of Iloilo, Philippines

The Prodigal Son of La Villa Rica de Arevalo in the City of Iloilo, Philippines

(By: DinggolAranetaDivinagracia - July 04, 2018)

"Remembering my good kumpadre we fondly call “Katsila”, whose very colorful life inspired the young and the adventurous. To many he was their idol, their hero --to others a traitor to the “Causa”. --dinggol.d~~~  

The "Ilonggo" Prodigal Son

Pablito Varona Gepana was dubbed as the "Prodigal" son of La Villa Rica de Arevalo in the City of Iloilo, Philippines. He was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. His daring and errant exploits, earned him the title as the "Black sheep of the family".

As a youngster, he wore a mask and held up his own father at gun point inside their home for a few pesos just for the heck of it. Later, he was in-and-out of jail for petty armed robbery to the chagrin of his wealthy family.

Pablito belong to both the wealthy and illustrious Gepana and Varona family of Arevalo, a District in the City of Iloilo, Philippines. His father Nicasio was a respected leader and public official in their community. His maternal grandfather Francisco "Don Paco" Libo-on Varona, was a Spanish mestizo who would later become an outstanding national figure in the field of labor, politics and journalism. The Francisco L. Varona Street in Tondo, Manila was named after him.

MISSION: TERRORIZE PANAY (The Pablito Gepana Story) 

This 1980 movie, a blending of facts and fiction for entertainment starred the following characters in their respective role:

* Ramon Revilla - Played the leading role as Pablito Varona Gepana alias Huk Kumander Milan and Pretty Boy Killer.

* Dante Rivero (Huk Kumander Ruben) - Played as AFP Sgt. Eduardo Tajanlangit, team leader of the covert Military Intelligence Service (MIS) operation in Panay. He later retired as Major from the AFP and was appointed Iloilo Provincial Jail Warden. Thereafter, he served as Chief in the newly created Inspection and Research Dept. (INRED) of Panay Electric Co. (PECO), Inc. and later retired from service.

* Eddie Garcia (as Manolo Nave alias Huk Kumander Vergara) - He played the role of Jesus "Susing" Araneta Nava with nom de guerre as "Kumander Guevara", who by the way, is a serious person and had no sister as depicted and played by actress Azenith Briones (Pablito's paramour) in the movie.

* The Nave group boss Cesar - played the role of Flavio Nava alias "Kumander Ogat" who was incarcerated as a political prisoner for 14-years in the Bilibid Prison in (Muntinlupa) but later acquited for the crime of rebellion.

*Congressman Sapinozo - Refers to then Congressman Pascualing Espinosa of Iloilo City, who later authored and sponsored among others, the Magna Carta of Labor in the August Halls of the Philippine Congress.

* The Judge - was played by Atty. Romeo Mediodia, who eventually became an Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor (Fiscal).

* The Jail Warden - was played by Max Sagge of San Joaquin, Iloilo, who, years later would become the actual Warden of Iloilo Provincial Rehabilitation Center (IPRC), formerly the Iloilo Provincial Jail .

* Frequently exposed Jail guard - was played by Jail Guard Salvador "Badong" Provido.

The Fall of the Huk Communist Movement in Panay 

The covert CIA orchestrated mission of the AFP-MIS to topple the communist hierarchy in Panay, led to the capture and execution of Panay Huk Supremo Guillermo Capadocia with nom-de-guerre Juan Bantiling.

This feat was later duplicated decades later in South America, with the capture and execution in Bolivia of Ernesto "Che" Guevara who guided the successful revolution in Cuba under the leadership of Fidel Ruiz Castro.

Huk supremo Guillermo Capadocia of Antique, was an avid Filipino nationalist and a committed communist. He was the grandson of Santos Capadocia who served as Vice Governor in the revolutionary government of Antique Province during the 1898 revolution. Guillermo Capadocia founded the "Stalin University" (SU) in the hinterlands of San Remigio, Antique. Other branches of SU were later established in other parts of Panay island for effective indoctrination to the "causa"..

The group of "Kumander Milan" (Pablito Gepana) under MIS Sgt. Eduardo Tajanlangit was instrumental in the elimination of several Kumanders and cadres loyal to the Huk Supremo; more notably, the successful encounter against Roberto Pascual's (alias Nery O. Ty, a.k.a. Kumander Nery) group resulting to his death that weakened Capadocia's fighting capabilities.

The New Era

With the downfall of communist insurgency and radical labor groups neutralized, relative peace and order reigned in Panay. Stories of the adventures or misadventures of the "Son of Villa" was the talk of the town and exaggerated in the media. Thus; kumpadre Pablito Gepana, purportedly an expert in handling the .45 Cal. pistol, noted marksman and fast-on-the-draw became a living legend of his time.

With the advent of the first Macapagal presidency, when smuggled "Blue Seal" cigarettes with fake BIR stamps flooded the market, this lucrative illegal business made a big-time smuggler named Lino Bocalan, the undisputed political kingpin and he even became Provincial Governor of Cavite. In Iloilo, Pablito Gepana was the favorite right connect of Muslims from Mindanao that engaged in this "sail-by-night" business.

Sometime in the late 1960's, when Manila big-time gambling lords began operating a first class casino at the Lizares-Gamboa mansion in Tabuc Suba, Jaro; Pablito's group staged a daring "hold-up"' then shared the loot to regular casino patrons. Later, the casino operators decided to discontinue their business venture in Iloilo City due to persistent opposition of concerned groups spearheaded by religious congregations.

During the same decade, while walking outside Palace Theater in downtown Iloilo, he was met with volley of machine pistol fire and narrowly escape but his bodyguard Conrado Canto, a former Huk  known as "Kumander Sweetheart" was fatally hit. News report identified the shooter as Roscoe Ganzon Daban, nephew of Senator Roding Ganzon.

In later years, Pablito Gepana joined his former MIS team leader Eddie Tajanlangit and became his assistant at Panay Electric INRED Department; tasked to apprehend, investigate and penalize electric power supply thievery.

It was during his stint in PECO, and perhaps! his marriage to the good-nature Olive Reyes, that abruptly changed his character and reformed his lifestyle. He became actively involved in the apostolic movement and sincerely dedicated himself to the propagation of the Catholic faith thru the "Cursillo de Cristianidad".

His personal experience, was a concrete example of a wayward sinner who later repented and saw the light at the end --in the name of Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, in the early 1980's while in Arevalo public market to buy some foodstuff for his modest restaurant by the river side near Villa Beach, Pablito Varona Gepana: the Niño Bonito of La Villa Rica de Arevalo; the popular Ilonggo gunslinger; the ex-Huk fighter and ultimately, the devoted family man and dedicated "Cursillista", was fatally shot from behind by persons, reportedly sons of his former comrade-in-arms that was slain in the hills somewhere in Panay.

This brings back to our mind, the old adage that "He who lives by the gun, shall die by the gun! ~~~