Note 67 — Chapter IV

Domingo Pérez was born in Santa Justa near Santander, in 1636. Entering the convent at Santillana, he professed as a Dominican there, October 14, 1659. Refusing the offer of a college education in Alcalá de Henares, he went to the Philippines, after teaching philosophy for a time at Mexico. Reaching Manila in December 1666, he taught philosophy until the following year, when he was assigned to the province of Bataán, at the convent of Oriong, which was declared independent of Abucay in that same year. Three of his five years there he acted as vicar. From Oriong he went to Samál, and thence to Abucay in 1675. Somewhat later he was sent to Balacbac, but remained there but a short time because of the complaints of the Recollects, who claimed that the Dominicans were usurping their territory. In 1677 he was appointed vicar of Abucay, where his capacity for work and his zeal were conspicuous. In 1678 he was appointed vicar of Binondoc, remaining there one year. When the Dominicans were given charge of the province of Zambales in 1679, he was made vicar of that whole district. He was conspicuous throughout the province for his efforts in destroying idol worship, and his opposition to that and all manner of vices finally ended in his murder, as related in the text. He died on November 15, 1683. He was the author of a relation on the customs and superstitions of the Zambals, which existed in the Dominican archives at Manila. See Reseña biográfica, ii, pp. 34–43.