Proem

The Boholano's are very proud of Chief Si Katuna because of his Blood Compact with the Spaniard Miguel Lopez de Legazpi on March 25, 1565. I think you would be more proud of Si Katuna if you will know that Si Katuna had a Spanish slave way back in 1526. The name of Si Katuna's slave was Sebastian de Puerta or in some records it says Sebastian de Puerto.

Our main reference for this discussion is "The Voyage of Saavedra to the Philippines, 1527-1529" by Fr. H. de la Costa, S.J. This article was published in the "Philippine Historical Bulletin," No. 4, in 1958, pp. 1-12.

Loaisa's Expedition

On 16 March 1521, the fleet of Ferdinand Magellan reached the present day Philippines.

On 27 April 1521, Magellan was killed during the battle of Mactan. On 1 May 1521, many members of Magellan's fleet were massacred or captured by Humabon in Cebu.

When the King of Spain knew of the fate of Magellan and his men in Cebu, the King of Spain sent many naval expeditions to endeavor to recover the Spaniards that were enslaved. One of these expeditions was led by Garcia Jofre Loaisa. The second in command of the Loaisa expedition was Sebastian del Cano, the famous first circumnavigator of the earth. Among the members was a young man named Andres de Urdaneta and Sebastian de Puerta.

The Loaisa expedition left La Coruña, Spain on July 24, 1525. It followed the course taken by Magellan. On June 1, 1526, just after emerging from the Strait of Magellan in South America, the flotilla met a terrible storm and the fleet was dispersed. One ship, the Santiago, was able to reach Mexico on its Pacific Ocean side. The Santiago was among the ships led by Alvaro de Saavedra Ceron that was sent to recover the Loaisa expedition.

One ship of the Loaisa expedition, the caravel Santa Maria del Parral, captained by Don Jorge Manrique de Najera, reached the eastern side of Mindanao towards the month of August. The crew was already starving due to lack of supply. On board this ship was Sebastian de Puerta.

De Puerta's Desertion

Sebastian de Puerta was brooding on his personal future. If he stayed with the ship he would most probably starve to death. Even if he didn't, the captain had already threatened to punish him for some misdemeanor as soon as they reached a Spanish port. De Puerta decided to desert the ship Del Parral and swam ashore. He was promptly taken prisoner by the natives. Eventually the Del Parral was wrecked in eastern Mindanao.

It so happened that the chief of the village that captured De Puerta was a son-in-law of Chief Catunao (Si Katuna). Si Katuna was in the area to quell an uprising of some of his subjects. Sebastian de Puerta was turned over as a slave of Si Katuna.

De Puerte soon learned the native language. He said that the main base of Si Katuna was at Maluarbuco, some twenty leagues to the north. De Puerta also said that he once accompanied his master on a trading voyage to Cebu and learned that some of Magellan's men were taken prisoner and sold as slaves to Chinese merchants and taken to China.

When the Saavedra expedition was at Baganga Bay (now part of Davao del Norte) on 23 February 1528, the met the 14-oared galley of Si Katuna. Si Katuna motioned the starving fleet to follow him to the place of his son-in-law in order to obtain provisions.

That night Sebastian de Puerto was able to escape his native captors. He told his story to the Saavedra expedition.

Was It The Same Si Katuna?

The records of the Saavedra expedition give the name "Catunao." History tells us that the name was variously recorded as Catuna, Catunao, Sikatuna, Si Katuna, Cicatuna, or Zicatuna.

In 1565, after the Blood Compact with General Lopez de Legazpi, the Spaniards were able to capture a native parao laden with rice. Chief Si Katuna or Catunao who met the Saavedra expedition at Siargao Island and brought them to Banganga Bay for provisions provided by Si Katuna's son-in-law and the place where De Puerta escaped.

Bear in mind that Catunao carries the auxiliary word "Si." It indicated that he was not the over-all chief. The over-all chiefs of the Bo-ol Kingdom were Pagbuaya and Dailisan.

They did not carry the auxiliary word "Si." In Cebu, during the arrival of General Legazpi, the over-all chief was Tupas. The miner chiefs were recorded as Si Cabon, Si Linti, Si Batumay, etc.

However, during the arrival of General Legazpi in 1565, Si Katuna was already old because he is recorded to have his Spanish slave in 1526 and already had a son-in-law.

General Legazpi even recorded that Si Gala was a chief of higher quality than Si Katuna.

Bear in mind, the description is "higher quality" not of "higher rank". Since the Bo-ol Kingdom was already destroyed, then Si Katuna and Si Gala were the most respected chiefs remaining in Bohol.