I was very interested in reading this thread. I just began to start looking into a family "mystery". My great-great-grandfather was Don Juan Carballo y Blanco who owned a sugar plantation on Negros Occidental. He was murdered in 1899 by a band of men and his head was found suspended from a bridge in Silay. The inscription written on the outside of the sack in which his head was hung read (according to a Philippine Supreme Court record in 1902): Juan Carballo, hombre pernicioso a la revolucion. E. P. D. (Juan Carballo, a bad man for the revolution. R. I. P.). What is interesting about this is that my grandfather claimed that Don Juan was in fact secretly supporting the Filippino Independence movement and was betrayed (by a Jesuit priest) to the authorities. I'm not sure I fully believe in the innocence of my ancestor, but the fact that the charges against the man accused of leading the group were dropped by the court does make me a bit suspicious (even though the court in 1902, the Philippines were under US jurisdiction whereas in 1899, the Spanish were still in control (although would lose it that year)). Don Juan's son, Caesar Carballo, has a very interesting history as well, but I add his name here simply for a genelogical reference.

To be honest, I don't even know where to start to unravel this mystery. If anyone has any thoughts, I would appreciate them!

Thanks!