Mariano Castañeda

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Monzon and the surname or paternal family name is Castañeda.

Mariano Numeriano Castañeda (20 December 1892 – 8 September 1970) was a Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from 1948 to 1951 and also served as Military Governor of Cavite during World War II. He was a recipient the Philippines highest military award for courage, the Medal of Valor.^[3]

Mariano Castañeda
Military Governor of Cavite
In office 1944–1944
Preceded by	Luis Y. Ferrer Jr.
Succeeded by	Dominador Camerino
In office 1945–1945
Preceded by	Dominador M. Camerino
Succeeded by	Rafael F. Trias
Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
In office December 21, 1948 – May 28, 1951
President	Elpidio Quirino Manuel A. Roxas
Preceded by	Rafael Jalandoni
Succeeded by	Calixto Duque
Vice Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
In office 1946–1948
President	Manuel Roxas
Preceded by	Brig. Gen. Vicente Lim
Succeeded by	Brig. Gen. Jesus Vargas
Provost Marshal General Army and Commander Constabulary Division
In office 1946–1948
President	Manuel A. Roxas
Preceded by	Brig. Gen. Federico Oboza
Succeeded by	Brig. Gen. Alberto Ramos
Personal details
Born	Mariano Numeriano Monzon Castañeda (1892-12-20)20 December 1892[1] Imus, Cavite, Captaincy General of the Philippines
Died	8 September 1970(1970-09-08) (aged 77)[2] New York City, United States
Awards	Philippine Medal of Valor
Military service
Allegiance	Philippines
Branch/service	Philippine Army Philippine Constabulary
Rank	Major General
Commands	Armed Forces of the Philippines Fil-American Cavite Guerilla Forces FACGF Philippine Constabulary1st Infantry Regiment (PC)
Battles/wars	Pacific War, World War II/Liberation of the Province of Cavite

Military education and WWII service

Castañeda graduated from the Philippine Military Academy on 15 November 1915, and from the Infantry School at Fort Benning, United States in 1940. He became President Manuel Quezon's aide-de-camp that same year and fought with the United States Army Forces in the Far East during the Battle of Bataan.^[1] He survived the Bataan Death March in 1942 and began organizing resistance against Imperial Japanese occupation, most notably the Fil-American Cavite Guerrilla Forces shortly thereafter.^[2] In 1944, the Japanese-controlled Second Philippine Republic appointed him Governor of Cavite. After seven months in office, the Japanese became aware of his guerrilla affiliation and attempted to arrest him; he was able to elude his would-be captors and joined his comrades in the field and he engineered along with his FACGF officers and in coordination with the US 11th Airborne Division General Swing and Col.Jay Vanderpool the battle for the liberation of the province of Cavite^[1]

Post-WWII service

Castañeda was appointed Provost Marshal General of the Philippine Army on 1 June 1946. He became Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines two years later.^[1]

The night before the Philippine Parity Rights plebiscite in 1947, President Manuel Roxas addressed a rally at Plaza Miranda. He narrowly avoided an assassination attempt by Julio Guillen, a disgruntled barber who threw a grenade on the speaker's platform. José Avelino, the Senate President, saw the bomb and gave it a kick. Castañeda then kicked it further down a set of steps as he covered the President with his own body. The grenade exploded near the audience, killing two people and injuring others. Guillen was arrested and executed via the electric chair on 26 April 1950.^[4] Castañeda was conferred the Medal of Valor as a consequence of his actions that night.^[5]

Death

Mariano Castañeda died in New York City at the age of 77 on 8 September 1970, leaving behind his wife and six children.