He was born on July 26, 1844 to Juan de la Cruz and Mamerta de la Cruz of Bulacan, Bulacan. The
family changed their family name to Arellano in compliance with the Claveria decree of 1849.
After taking a course in bookkeeping at the Ateneo Municipal where he worked as assistant clerk at
the arsenal of the military’s artillery corps. He joined the propaganda movement and was assigned to
handle both the dissemination of the group’s propaganda materials and the collection of funds for the
members who were based in Spain. He also made the group’s progress and activities. He was
assisted in his tasks by the young Gregorio del Pilar. After the propaganda movement was
disbanded, Deodato was one of the first to respond to Rizal’s call to unite and organize. After Rizal’s
deportation, he joined Ladislao Diwa and Bonifacio in the forming the Katipunan.
In a secret meeting in October 1892, Arellano was declared the first president of the association. He
endorsed the laws of Katipunan formulated by Plata and Diwa and he organized provincial councils in
Bulacan.
Circumstances surrounding his final days remain unclear.
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