Cabesang Tales

Cabesang Tales, full name Telesforo de Dios, was a former cabeza de barangay of San Diego. Struggling to gain ownership of the land he tilled, he eventually abandoned his family to join a group of bandits, becoming feared throughout the province as Matanglawin.

Early History
Tales was born the son of Selo de Dios, raised alongside his many brothers as a member of the de Dios Family. At some point, Tales became a cabeza de barangay and married, having three children, namely Lucia, Tano and Juli.

Land To Call His Own
When Cabesang Tales cultivated some land in the forest, his entire family fell ill with malaria, with his wife and Lucia and dying as a result. As he later faced legal troubles due to friars staking claim on his land, he allowed Tano to be conscripted into the Guardia Civil and sent off to the Caroline Islands.

Tales was then suddenly captured by bandits, although later released. Returning home, he found his father struck dumb and his daughter serving as a maid to Hermana Penchang.

After the arrival of the jeweler Simoun in San Diego in 1894, he entertained the man in his house, seeing him demonstrate the power of his revolver. As Simoun also tried to buy Juli's locket, it having previously belonged to Maria Clara, Tales refused. During the night, however, Tales took Simoun's revolver and left Juli's locket in exchange. After killing the three people involved in his land case, he joined a group of bandits.

Reign of Terror
With the group having its base in the mountains, Tales became known as the feared Matanglawin. Later on, Cabesang Tales maintained contact with Simoun, aiding him in his planned revolution. In April, he organized his bandits to attack Sta. Mesa on the night of Juanito and Paulita's wedding; however, the plan fell apart due to Isagani's intervention.

Following the failed attack, Cabesang Tales continued to lead his bandits, joined by his father in their base. When Tales' bandits attacked a unit of Guardia Civil transferring prisoners across Laguna, Tales was killed by one of the soldiers, who was actually his son Tano, having returned to the Philippines.

Personality and Traits
Cabesang Tales was originally an industrious and patient man. After gaining enough savings as a sharecropper, he thought of tilling land in the forest, enlisting the help of his entire family. Following his struggles to gain ownership of said land, Cabesang Tales became increasingly embittered, eventually swearing vengeance and becoming a bandit. He also appeared to be sympathetic to Simoun's cause, joining him in his planned revolution.