His brother, Pedro López, was the mayor of Montejaque and a member of the CNT, and in the first days of the war he organized a column to control the Sierra de Ronda.

Malaga was captured by the rebellious forces at the beginning of 1937, and Bernabé joined the Spanish Republican Army and, together with his brothers, his wives and children, left for the Teruel front.

He eventually regained his freedom and returns to Montejaque, but a complaint from a Falangist caused a search and arrest warrant to be issued against him.

Bernabé managed to flee and his eldest son decided to accompany him so as not to have to enter the army to do compulsory military service.

Bernabé tried to unite combatants despite their political differences, achieving great cohesion among his men, but his libertarian ideas did not square with the line followed by another guerrilla leader from the PCE, Pablo Pérez Hidalgo.

The famous counterparts were also created, which consisted of groups of Civil Guards pretending to be guerrillas, carrying weapons and clothing similar to those of the mountains.

Francisco Fernández Cornejo "Largo Mayo", allegedly left the camp in search of supplies, but deserted and appeared at the Civil Guard barracks seeking the promise of pardon if he betrayed his companions.

The bombs and the shots from the twenty guards killed Juan Ruiz Huercano in the first attack and wounded Bernabé who covered the withdrawal of the survivors, including his son, and held on until his life was ended.

They loaded the bodies of the two dead guerrillas onto a mule and, in full view of the entire town, they dumped them in an area of the Medina Sidonia cemetery.