ANTONIO MA. J.

REGIDOR
(1845-1910)

Diplomat and Propagandist

The son of Spanish couple, Antonio Maria Regidor y Jurado, was born on April 16, 1845.
He finished his primera and segunda enseñanza at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran and his
Bachelor of Philosophy at the University of Santo Tomas in 1863. Regidor joined the exodus of
able and intelligent students to pursue further studies in Spain. He went to Spain and enrolled
Doctor of Civil and Canon Laws in the Universidad de Madrid.

In 1868, Regidor returned to the Philippines and worked in the colonial government in
different capacity like the following: Secretary to the Provincial Audiencia, Fiscal of the Artillery
and Engineering Corps, President of Public Instruction, Secretary of the Committee on training
Filipinos for civil service, Head of the Statistics Board of Quiapo, and Chief Inspector of
Municipal Schools. During his term as Chief Inspector of Municipal Schools, he secured the
royal decree that allowed Filipinos from any social status to enter in public schools. In 1871,
Regidor joined the faculty of the University of Santo Tomas College of Law.

A Spaniard by parentage, Regidor’s heart was clearly Filipino. He was a supporter of the
Secularization Movement led by Father Jose Burgos and Father Pedro Pelaez. He was among
those who welcomed in 1869 the liberal-minded Governor-General Don Carlos La Torre with a
liberty serenade. When the latter was accused at the end of his term, Regidor defended him; a
noble act he did that earned the ire of the anti-Filipino authorities. On January 21, 1872, the
Cavite Mutiny broke out. Although the mutiny was easily quelled, the Spanish authorities took it
seriously and arrested anyone they suspected as instigators and supporters, thus, Regidor, a
known Filipino sympathizer, was implicated in the mutiny. As a result, he was arrested and
sentenced to eight years of exile in the Marianas Islands together with Joaquin Pardo de Tavera,
Mauricio de Leon, Pedro Carillo, Gervacio Reyes, Jose and Pio Basa, Pio del Pilar and other
patriots.

In Guam, Regidor did not take his exile passively. He escaped by disguising himself as a
priest and boarded the North American boat Rupax while Agana stood still for the Angelus. By
the time his guards became aware of his escape, his boat was already at sea. He disembarked at
Yap Islands and transferred to another boat Islander bound to Solomon and Palau Islands.
From there, he took another boat that was grounded in Malaku Island because of bad weather.
His journey continued when the British schooner Cochrance stopped in the island on its way to
Hong Kong, from where Regidor sailed for Marseilles.

In April 1876, Regidor presented himself to the Spanish Consul in Paris and was
pardoned. Finally, considered by law as a free man, he left Paris and resided in London, where
he set up a law office that served as overseas correspondent for Spanish publications. He
married an Irish woman, Julia Stanton. Not wanting to depart from Filipino memories, he
named his children, Visayas and Rizalina, and filled his home at Stanford Hills in London with
Filipino inspired furniture. His home was decorated with the paintings of Juan Luna and Felix
Hidalgo and opened it to Filipinos who visited London, among them was Jose Rizal. Regidor
also associated with pro-Filipino foreigners like Sagasta, Pi y Margall, Salmeron, Morayta,
Moret and Castelar.
 A supporter of the Filipino cause, he wrote El Plieto de los Filipinos Contra Los Frailles
for the propaganda newspaper La Solidaridad under the pen name Luis Rances, and La
Masoneria en Filipinas under the name Engracio Vergara. His other writings appeared in
various Spanish newspapers like: La Igualidad, La Discusion, El Imparcial, El Porvenir, El
Liberal, El Pais, La Bandera Española. In 1889, he joined the International Association
organized by Rizal and campaigned for Isabelo de los Reyes’ Filipinas Ante Europa.

In 1896, Regidor tried to defend Rizal by appealing to the Spanish authorities that the
latter’s arrest aboard the Spanish vessel Colon and detention was illegal and was deprived of due
process of law and liberty, which the Spanish authorities, however, denied. In August 10, 1898,
he became member of the subcommittee of the Executive Board of the Hong Kong
Revolutionary Junta.

On November 23, 1898, President Aguinaldo decreed the Diplomatic Missions assigned
to secure recognition of Philippine independence by foreign governments. Regidor became
member of the Agoncillo missions that presented the case of the Philippines before the United
States Congress. In November 1900, he issued a manifesto to the Americans stating that the
safety of life, freedom, and property can be achieved only by the proclamation of Philippine
Republic. Believing that the only real and enduring tie between the Philippines and America are
commercial and financial security, he co-authored with J. Warren T. Mason, Commercial
Progress in the Philippines, which advocated financial and economic relations with the United
States.

Regidor returned to the Philippines with his daughter Josephine on August 22, 1907. He
was still in the country when the First Philippine Assembly was inaugurated on October 16,
1907. Governor Taft invited him to be speaker during the occasion but he graciously declined
saying that his long absence made him not suited to issue public statements.

On December 28, 1910, Regidor died in Nice, France. A monument in his honor was built
with the inscription as follows: “AL ILUSTRE PATRIOTA, DR. ANTONIO M. REGIDOR,
DEDICAN ESTE MONUMENTO SUS COMPATRIOTAS, MANILA 1926.”

References:

Manuel, Arsenio E. Dictionary of Philippine Biography Volume 1. Quezon City: Filipiniana

Publications, 1955

Zaide, Gregorio F. Great Filipinos in History. Manila: Verde Bookstore, 1970.