Lonoy Martyr Site

Overview

The Lonoy Martyr Site is a historical marker in Barangay Lonoy, Jagna, Bohol, commemorating Filipino revolutionaries who fought against American forces during the Philippine-American War (1899–1902). The site honors the actions of Captain Gregorio “Goyo” Caseñas and the fighters under his command. The Philippine Historical Committee installed the marker at the site in 1958.

The engagement is known as the Battle of Lonoy (also called the Lonoy Massacre), which took place on Easter Sunday, 1901. Captain Caseñas led approximately 413 Bohol fighters, most armed only with daggers, machetes, and spears and a few firearms, in a planned ambush against American forces. The plan was betrayed in advance — to the Americans — by a local man named Francisco “Isko” Acala (also recorded as Captain Francisco Acala, the last Spanish-era mayor of Jagna), who is said to have revealed the ambush to the Americans. Forewarned, the Americans attacked the Filipino fighters from the rear, trapping them in their own prepared trenches. Of the roughly 413 Filipino fighters, over 406 were killed — nearly the entire force, including Caseñas himself — while American losses were reported as 3 killed and 10 wounded. In the aftermath, American forces entered and burned Jagna town, sparing only the church, the convent, and a small number of houses.

Location

Barangay Lonoy, Jagna, Bohol. Jagna is on Bohol’s south coast, approximately 64 km east of Tagbilaran City. Lonoy Cold Spring is also located in this barangay, making a combined natural and heritage visit possible.

Getting There

From Tagbilaran City, take a bus or van to Jagna (approximately 1.5 to 2 hours along the national highway). From Jagna town center, habal-habal serves Barangay Lonoy.

[TO ENRICH: walking distance from Lonoy Cold Spring, exact site coordinates]

Practical Info

The site is marked by a historical marker installed by the Philippine Historical Committee in 1958 (NHCP registry: Level II historical marker). No admission fee is expected for open-air historical markers.

[TO ENRICH: current condition of the marker, whether a monument or structure accompanies the marker, accessibility by road]

What to Expect

An outdoor historical marker in a rural barangay setting, marking the site of the 1901 Battle of Lonoy. Visitors interested in Philippine-American War resistance history in the Visayas will find the site significant; it requires some context to appreciate without interpretive signage. A companion statue honoring Capt. Goyo Caseñas and his men stands at Jagna’s municipal plaza in Poblacion (erected April 24, 2011) — see the Capt. Goyo Casenas Monument entry.

[TO ENRICH: interpretive materials available, site maintenance status, local commemorations held]

Notes

Source description: “This historical site commemorates the bravery of the revolutionaries led by Captain Gregorio ‘Goyo’ Caseñas who fought against the Americans during the war. The Philippine Historical Committee installed a historical marker at the site.”

• Battle of Lonoy — Wikipedia, accessed 2026-07-17.
• Jagna Martyrs — NHCP Philippine Historic Sites Registry, accessed 2026-07-17.