Aman Dangat

Aman Dangat, also known as "Kenan", was a prominent Mangpus from the town of Malakdang on Sabtang island in Batanes, Philippines. He led a revolt against the Spaniards from 1785 to 1791.

Founding of the province
In 1782, Governor-General José Basco y Vargas sent an expedition to Batanes island, formally subjecting the Ivatan people under the Spanish King. Spanish authority was established on June 26, 1783 in Batanes island, with Joseph Huelva y Melgarejo appointed as the first governor. The new province was named Provincia de la Concepcion. Despite this, Aman Dangat continued to govern his people according to indigenous custom laws.

Resistance to policies
To facilitate administration, the villagers of Sabtang and Vuhus were relocated to San Vicente and San Felix in the town of Ivana in 1785 and it was at this year Aman Dangat first got into trouble with the Spanish authorities as he asked why he should follow Spanish policies. He defied the Spanish policies and initially it was a show of force as he probed the weaknesses and strength of the Spanish authorities. In 1789, the third governor of Batanes Joaquin del Castillo decreed that the Ivatans should live in the newly laid towns, change their costumes and customs and adopt the Spanish government system and obey the law by means of obedience to the governor as king's representative. He felt that the decree has offended him as he was the chieftain of Malakdang. He and about 150 men surrounded the mission house of Dominican priest Fr. Bartolome Artiguez demanding to know if the governor has a plan to arrest him and the priest assured that there was no such plan. He also asked Governor del Castillo and the governor assured him that there was no such plan and told him that he should not hesitate to appeal to the governor if he felt unfairly treated in any way.

Uprising and death
In 1791, non-Ivatan Filipinos employed by the Spanish government seized supplies and timber from Aman Dangat's people without compensation. When he protested to the governor, his men were chained. Under his leadership, he organized an uprising. Over a hundred men from Sabtang joined him in a revolt and seven government agents were killed. The Spanish authorities have overpowered Aman Dangat's force and were outnumbered by the stronger Spanish forces. Most of his men were killed and convicted.

Aman Dangat, a powerful chieftain and a leader fighting for the rights and freedom of the natives, was hanged in public in September 1791 in the town of Basco, Batanes. Before his execution, he was baptized and was named Buenaventura.

Following his death, the people of Sabtang were ordered to settle in San Vicente and San Felix in the town of Ivana in Batan Island.