[5] From November 3 to 6, 1898, the Negrenses rose in revolt against the Imperial Spanish authorities headed by the politico-military governor, Colonel Isidro de Castro.

The Spaniards decided to surrender upon seeing armed troops marching in a pincer movement towards Bacólod, the main city of the island.

The revolutionaries, led by Generals Juan Araneta, from Bago and Aniceto Lacson, from Talisay, were actually carrying fake arms consisting of rifles carved out of palm fronds and cannons of rolled bamboo mats painted black.

[5] The leaders of the short-lived republic were:[11] November 5, popularly referred to by the Negrenses as Cinco de Noviembre, has been officially observed since 1989 as a special non-working holiday in Negros Occidental.

In this plaza of Bago was proclaimed the República de Negros by the revolutionary forces led by general Juan Anacleto Araneta, 5 November 1898.