Procopio Causin

Procopio Villahermosa Causin, known as "Opong" early in his life first took up medicine but later got married to Maria Noel. He became a wealthy land owner in his home town of Barili, Cebu..

Procopio is known to have had 3 sets of families with 1st Maria Noel, in which he had 10 children, 2nd Graciana Llanos from the town of Minglanilla he had 3 children and a 3rd whose family name is unknown at this time but had 2 other children. (Note: It was common, in those days, among the wealthy to have had multi-families).

He is also known as a war hero who during WWII, Japan had captured most of the Visayan Islands including Cebu, Procopio wrote as a journalist and printed information to the public to help give promise that U.S. would come soon. Unfortunately, the Japanese intercepted a message to the guerillas in the hills, which led to the rounding up of family members who were later tortured and killed.

(Documentation given by Lito Reyes and Web Site found by Bebet Reyes)

http://josephtubilan.i.ph/

From the Article:

On October 15, 1942, a Japanese warship bombed our town. Our brothers ran to save their life and limbs, jumping out of windows, crawling and persevering on mud and thickets. Others sought the safety of the hills. Some were quick to save a few belongings as they fled while some left empty-handed.

Later that day, Barba Press came out with an “extra” edition of a paper called “Kadaugan” to tell the people what the Japanese soldiers did to sow fear among our brothers and sisters.

   It took a lot of courage among these people to produce an extra edition amidst the bombardment. More than 15 men carried the letterpress machine to Barangay Kang-Undo, one of our mountain barangays, and hid it in one of the caves.

The ordeal went on as the printing machine had to be transferred from one cave to another to avoid detection. Unfortunately, the Japanese soldiers discovered and seized the machine, which was then hidden in Barangay Patupat.
Abad noted one writer’s death. It was that of veteran journalist Procopio Causin who, along with his wife and daughter, were executed by the Japanese soldiers.

Bravery and courage, I wish we still have such great qualities, which our notable Bariliños in the past proved way, way back.

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The Causing clan (which may have been derived from 高兴 "gāoxíng" meaning "to be happy) at one point during Procopio's time dropped the final "G" from the name, most probably to avoid the eminent Sinophobia during those days

Historical Review of the Seminary College of San Carlos of Cebu 1867-1917 (p. 200-201)

Baptism

United States v. Sugimoto (1946)