1. Artemio Ricarte is regarded as the Father of the Philippine Army, and the first Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines though the present Philippine Army descended from the American-allied forces that defeated the Philippine Revolutionary Army led by General Ricarte.
Artemio Ricarte was the middle child of Esteban Ricarte y Faustino and Bonifacia Garcia y Rigonan; the others were Uno and Ylumidad.
Artemio Ricarte finished his early studies in his hometown and moved to Manila for his tertiary education.
Artemio Ricarte enrolled at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Artemio Ricarte prepared for the teaching profession at the University of Santo Tomas and then at the Escuela Normal.
Artemio Ricarte joined the ranks of the Katipunan under the Magdiwang Council, where he held the rank of Lieutenant General.
Artemio Ricarte crushed the Spanish troops and took the civil guards prisoner.
On March 22,1897, during the Tejeros Convention, Artemio Ricarte was unanimously elected Captain-General of a new revolutionary government under Emilio Aguinaldo as president.
Artemio Ricarte led his men in various battles in Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas.
Artemio Ricarte was the rebel commander of Santa Ana when Manila fell to the combined Filipino-American forces on August 13,1898.
General Artemio Ricarte was jubilant over the victory, thinking it was the prelude to the attainment of complete Philippine independence.
On December 23,1903, Artemio Ricarte arrived in the Philippines secretly as a stowaway in a freighter, planning to reunite with former members of the army and rekindle the Philippine Revolution.
In early 1904, Artemio Ricarte was stricken by an illness that put him at rest for nearly two months.
In May 1904, Artemio Ricarte was arrested and spent the next six years at Bilibid Prison.
Artemio Ricarte was well received and respected by both the Philippine and American authorities.
Artemio Ricarte was frequently visited by old friends from the Philippine revolutionary war as well as US government officials, including the vice-president of the United States under Theodore Roosevelt, Charles W Fairbanks.
Artemio Ricarte was again ordered to pledge his oath of allegiance to the United States.
Artemio Ricarte still refused to swear allegiance and within the hour of the same day, he was again put on a transport and deported to Hong Kong.
From July 1,1910 to 1915, Artemio Ricarte lived in Hong Kong, first on Lamma Island, at the mouth of the harbor, and, later in Kowloon where he initiated the publication of a fortnightly, El Grito de Presente.
Artemio Ricarte's name was repeatedly brought to light whenever any manner of uprising occurred in the Philippines.
Artemio Ricarte taught Spanish language at the Kaigai Shokumin Gakko School in Tokyo.
Just as Artemio Ricarte's life was fading away into obscurity, World War II began and the Imperial Japanese Army invaded the Philippines.
Artemio Ricarte agreed and requested Tojo to give Philippines its genuine independence from American colonial rule.
Artemio Ricarte informed his wife, Agueda that President Jose P Laurel and his cabinet would have a meeting in Baguio with high-ranking Japanese officials and that he had to be present there.
Artemio Ricarte would tell her further that in case he had to stay longer in Baguio, he would send for his family to join him.
Artemio Ricarte told Ramos that he did not have to sign up with the said organization in order to prove his patriotism and loyalty to his people.
Artemio Ricarte added that he was already physically frail and could not carry out large tasks anymore.
In 1945, Artemio Ricarte joined Japanese forces led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita in their flight to northern Luzon, where he was caught up in the Battle of Bessang Pass against the Philippine Commonwealth Army, Philippine Constabulary, and USAFIP-NL in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur.
Artemio Ricarte then fell ill from dysentery and died on July 31,1945, at the age of 78 in Hungduan, Ifugao.
Artemio Ricarte's grave was discovered later in 1954 by treasure hunters.
Artemio Ricarte's body was exhumed and his tomb now lies in Manila at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.