On September 19, 1829, Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, reformist, liberal-minded lawyer and an early supporter of the Filipino cause during the Spanish colonization, was born in San Roque, Cavite to Julian Pardo de Tavera who was originally from Toledo, Spain and Juana Maria Gomez also of Spanish descent.
He attended the College of San Juan de Letran and the University of Santo Tomas where he studied law.
De Tavera, who became a professor of the University of Santo Tomas, organized a group of like-minded intellectuals and students known as Comite de Reformadores who openly advocated reforms in the colonial government.
When the Cavite Mutiny broke out on January 20, 1872, De Tavera and other members of the Comite de Reformadores were implicated in the incident which led to their arrest and exile in the Marianas, and the unjust execution of the three priests – Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora.
De Tavera received a royal pardon after two years, left for Paris, France, accompanied by his wife. In Paris he lived with his nephew Trinidad Pardo De Tavera.
De Tavera never returned to the Philippines.
He died in Paris on March 19, 1884 at the age of 54. He was buried at the Père-Lachaise cemetery
Source:
Philippine News Agency archives
(Filed by Jr Amigo/ai/mnm)
