Lázaro Mangubat
Gabriel Lázaro de Mangubat, also known as Loreto Mangubat, was a monarch of the Kingdom of Mactan, a Spanish Duke in the Spanish East Indies, a Tercio and conquistador, and one of the Arm Bearers or armiger in the Spanish Empire from the early 17th century.
According to the Centuries old Oral Tradition of Lawis Madridejos Bantayan Island, He was the builder of the Fort in Lawis, and a grandson of Lapu-lapu.
History
In year 1628 Lázaro the Mangubat established the first organized settlement in Bantayan in the aftermath of Muslim raid on that year.He built a presidio in the northernmost part of Bantayan Island where Madridejos formerly Lawis also spelled Lauis or Louis -meaning " Point to the sea"
is now located to protect the inhabitants.
It is believed that the Construction of the fort began in 1628 and lasted around 1635 the time when the Visayan tattooed warriors who were the most warlike Spanish infantry unit under the flag of Lazaro Mangubat left Visayas, and Bantayan Island, for the conquest of Mindanao Island, Sulu, Borneo, and the Molucas, to avenge the deaths of many innocent and unarmed civilians in the hands of the Muslim raiders.
In Bantayan, Lazaro the Mangubat regrouped and organized the survivors and formed a government then known as "the Lawis government".
In year 1800s he was commemorated, and proclaimed as the "founder of Lawis", and founder of all the other settlements that came into existence later on the Island, including the settlements of Suba and Binaobao in central Bantayan Island that later combined to form what is now called the Municipality of Bantayan, and the settlement of Octong formally became a pueblo in 1872 known as Pueblo de Octon or Gogtong today municipality of Santa Fe.
Lázaro also built a stone church whose ruined walls and post from the ravages of war and Moro raid can still be seen towering in the northernmost part of the town in the 1960s.
It was also him who proclaimed the place a "VISITA" in the Municipality of Bantayan.
though in year 1580 there's already a Parochial Church and convent established on the Island but it ceased to exist.
the church, convent and villages were destroyed, people were killed and only few have survived during the Muslim raid in year 1600.
the Northern part of Cebu Island and Northern part of Bantayan Island were originally used as a "guarding post" or look out Station in year 1574 to monitor the Visayan Sea against perceived Chinese threats led by Limahong who invaded Manila, the location gives a timely warning and preparation for the Spanish City of Cebu located in Fort San Pedro in case of Chinese attack originating from Luzon. thus the island got its name "Bantayan" a Filipino term that means "to guard"
In 1635 Lazaro moved to Mindanao and established a Kota and a Fuerte in the Southern part of Mindanao now known as Zamboanga del Sur facing the Island of Basilan, Jolo, and Borneo. It was Fray Melchor de Vera, was appointed designer of the fort.
Although today the construction of the fort Pilar in Zamboanga was attributed by modern historians to Fr. Melchor de Vera, but priests were known to build churches not government fortresses and Cotas like the Fort Pilar, and they worked separately and independently in the past, and several times in history priest missionaries often comes in conflict with the government during the early period of Spanish colonization according to the accounts of religious missionaries at the time.
The people of Madridejos honoured its founder by naming one of the streets Lazaro Mangubat Street. Lazaro was from Opon before settling in Madridejos, hence, in reverence to his roots, a street in Poblacion Lapu-Lapu City, the G MANGUBAT Street was named after his memory.
Time line
1574Bantayan Island was used as Observation Post and Choke point after Daan Bantayan by the Spanish Army to monitor and to safeguard Cebu City leading the place to be known as Bantayan
1574–1580
The church in Bantayan was constructed by the Augustinians
1588
The church built in Bantayan by the Augustinians was abandoned
1600
First moro raid took place
destroyed the first stone church
1615
Fray Garcia Jacome
Served as Spiritual counsellor for the people of bantayan, candaya
1627
Francisco Rodriguez Relator
March 2, 1627 Cura Bantayan
1627
Juan Nuñez Crespo
March 3, 1627 cura Bantayan
1628
Moro raid took place, destroying the Church standing from 1600–1628 that was made of Wood and Nipa
1628
Spanish and Visayan forces landed on Bantayan Island led by Lazaro Mangubat
New stone church was built the third in Bantayan and the second church that was made of stone;
A Military Fort was also built
1635
the Spanish Military abandoned the fort they built in Northern tip of Bantayan Island, handed the church to the religious,
and moved to Mindanao and then to Mindanao Island’s southern region where they established a military settlement and built a fort now known as the Fort Pilar
1635
Carlos de Figueroa
December 4, 1635 Bantayan Island
1639
Juan Roa
September 26, 1639 cura intero Bantayan
1646
Francisco de Acosta
January 13, 1646 Cura Bantayan
1763
The Municipality of Bantayan was created and called "Pueblo de Bantayan" bearing the Island’s name and the name of the defunct settlement established in 1574 in the northern region of Bantayan Island.
and it became the CABECERA politically and ecclesiastically of Bantayan Island as it surpassed LAWIS an old settlement economically and by means of numbers of settlers and population growth
1872
Pueblo of OCTONG now was created.