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The Katipuan and the Revolution: The Revolt of the Masses: The Story
Memoirs of a General by Santiago of Bonifacio and the Katipunan.
Virata Alvarez “Seeds of Discontent” by Teodoro
Andal Agoncillo
Author’s background  Santiago V. Alvarez was born in  Teodora A. Agoncillo was born
Imus, Cavite on July 25, 1872 in Lemery, Batangas on
and the only child of November 9, 1912
Revolutionary General Mariano  He was considered one of the
Alvarez and Nicolasa Virata. most important historians of the
 He is also known as “Kidlat ng Philippines
Apoy” or “General Apoy”  He was included in the roster of
 One of the soldiers of the the Order of National Scientist in
revolutionary and Philippine 1985 for his contributions in
independence military Philippine History.
 He was a member of the  He is a graduate of Philosophy
Katipunan secret society and and Arts
remained in the Magdiwang  A poet, writer, an editor, a
faction together with Andres linguistic assistant, a Chairperson
Bonifacio. of the Department of History,
 Captain general of the military and a professor of many
rebel forces of Cavite universities.
 Founded and honorary President  One of the first Filipino
of the first directorate of the historians who earned renown for
Nacionalista Party promoting a distinctly nationalist
point of view of Filipino history
(nationalist historiography)
When was the account  The account was written in the  October 1947 to January 1948
witten? year 1927  It was published in 1956
Mentioned of Date (s) There were only two (2) specific  Early part of November –
dates mentioned in the account: Governor General Blanco has
begun his offensive in Cavite; the
 March 25, 1897: The assembly capital was moved to San
at Tejeros Convention Francisco de Malabon and later
 March 27, 1897: The morning to Naik
when eyewitnesses reported that  Middle of December 1896:
a meeting among the members Andres Bonifacio and his family
of Magdalo took place at the left the mountains of Montalban
Tanza parish house and Mariquina to visit the
Katipunan in Cavite.
 January 2, 1897: Bonifacio
wrote a letter to Mariano Alvarez
after his encounter with the
Magdalo in Imus
 January 1897: Riffle shots
interrupted the fiesta of San
Francisco Malabon which led to
a conflict between Santiago
Alvarez and Captain Mariano
 San Gabriel
 March 22, 1897: Emilio
Aguinaldo celebrated his
birthday with a battle with
Spanish soldier in Salitran. At the
same time, the assembly at
Tejeros convened.
 April 1897: Spaniards captured
the town of Malabon
Mentioned of Place  Friar estate house in Tejeros  Cavite – successfully rose in
(San Francisco de Malabon, revolt
Cavite)  Batangas – town that was under
- Where the assembly convened the Magdalo government
- Where Magdalo Pres.  Nasugbu, Tuwi, and Look –
Baldomero Aguinaldo, called towns which belonged to the
another meeting after the day of Magdiwang government
the convention. (March 26,  Noveleta – the capital of
1897) Magdiwang since its
 Parish house of the Catholic organization, where Esteban San
church in Tanza (Santa Cruz Juan invited Bonifacio to attend
de Malabon) the demonstration of the
- Where that same night of the Magdiwang rebels
assembly, rumor had it that  San Francisco de Malabon –
Mariano Trias, Daniel Tirona, where the capital of Magdiwang
Emiliano R. de Dios, Santiago was transferred after Noveleta
Rillo and others were conferring after General Blanco began his
with the priest Fr. Cenon offense
Villafranca.  Naik – where the capital of
- Where that rumored meeting Magdiwang was transferred after
between Magdalo leaders took San Francisco de Malabon
place the same night the day  Kawit – Magdalo’s Capital
after the assembly before it fell
- Held a gathering wherein those  Imus, San Francisco de
elected at the Tejeros Malabon, Naik and
Convention (Emilio Aguinaldo, Maragondon – successively
Mariano C. Trias and Artemio became the capitals of Magdalo
Ricarte) took their oath pf after they fell in Kawit
office.  Mountains of Montalban and
Mariquina – a delegate was sent
to look for Supremo as it is
where he has been staying
 Zapote – where Emilio
Aguinaldo, Candido Tirona, and
Edilberto Evangelista met
Supremo and his family after his
arrival in Cavite
 House of Juan Castañeda in
Imus – where Bonifacio was
brought by the rebel leader of
Magdalo
  House of Santos Nocon – where
Bonifacio was accommodated
upon arriving at Malabon
 House of Mrs. Estefania
Potente – where Bonifacio
stayed after being quartered of
the House of Santos Nocon until
the Spaniards captured the town
in April 1897
 San Francisco de Malbon –
where riffle shots from Captain
San Gabriel’s men interrupted
the town fiesta, which led to a
conflict between Santiago
Alvarez and Captain Mariano
San Gabriel.
 Estate house of Friars in
Tejeros, San Francisco de
Malabon – a Magdiwang
territory; it is where the
convention took place
 Towns of Kawit, Bakood and
Imus – under the governance of
the Magdalo was at that time
threatened by the Spanish army
 Salitran – a barrio between the
town of Imus and Dasmariñas;
where the General Emilio
Aguinaldo, leading the Magdalo
soldiers faced the Spaniards
 Tanza or Santa Cruz de
Malabon – it was this place
where the former summer resort
of the friars, that witnessed the
first important election held
under the auspices of the
Katipunan government
 Laguna – where Emilio Jacinto,
Bonifacio’s friend who he wrote
a letter to about what happened
during the convention, is staying
Key Personalities  Supremo Andres Bonifacio Magdiwang Government
– was elected as the Administration:
Secretary of the Interior  Mariano Alvarez – President
during the assembly  Pascual Alvarez – Executive
 Emilio Aguinaldo – elected Secretary
as the President and won  Emilliano Riego de Dios –
over Mr. Andres Bonifacio Minister of the Interior
 Secretary Jacinto (Pagpapainlad); elected as the
Lumbreras – he signed the Director of War during the
 invitation meetings and Convention
presided over the assembly  Mariano Trias – Minister of
 General Apoy ( Santiago V. Grace and Justice; eleceted as
Alvarez himself) the Vice President during the
 General Artemio Ricarte – Convention
was appointed by Supremo  Ariston Villanueva –
as Secretary during the Minister of War
election  Santiago Alvarez –
 Mr. Daniel Tirona – Broke Commander-in-Chief
the meeting rules and  Diego Moxica – Minister of
insulted Supremo Bonifacio; Finance
objected that the position of  Artemio Ricarte – Military
Secretary of the Interior Commander with the rank of
should not be occupied by a Brigadier – General; elected
person without a lawyer’s as the captain general during
diploma the convention
 Mr. Diego Mojica – the  Mariano Riego de Dios –
Magdiwang secretary of the Military Commander with the
Treasury; he warned the rank of Brigadier-general
Supremo Bonifacio that  Supremo Andres Bonifacio
many ballots distributed – elected as the Director of
were already filled out and Interior during the convention
that the voters had not done  Jacinto Lumbreras – a
this themselves Magdiwang member; the
 Mariano C. Trias – won the assembly’s presiding officer
Vice President position over  Teodoro Gonzales – a
Mr. Mariano Alvarez and Magdiwang member who
Supremo Bonifacio acted as the Secretary of the
 General Vibora – was assembly
elected Captain over General  Severino de las Alas – a
Apoy Magdiwang took the floor and
 Mr. Emiliano R. de Dios – suggested that the
was elected secretary of war, conventioned assembled
over Messrs. Santiago V. should solve the problem
Alvarez. Ariston Villianueva, whether a new government
and Daniel Tirona should be established to take
 Mr. Jose del Rosario – the the place of the Katipunan
lawyer who Daniel Tirona
suggested to replace Magdalo Government
Supremo Bonifacio in his Administration:
elected position.  Baldomero Aguinaldo –
 Mr. Baldomero Aguinaldo President
– the Magdalo President  Candido Tirona – Minister
 Mr. Severino de las Alas – of War
witness during the oath –  Emilio Aguinaldo –
taking ceremony commander-in-chief; lead the
 Fr. Cenon Villafranca – a Magdalo soldiers facing the
priest who officiated the oath Spaniards in Salitran; won the
taking ceremony of trhe Presidency in absentia over
elected officials; Emilio Bonifacio and Trias during the
 Aguinaldo, Mariano C. Trias Convention
and Artemio Ricart  Cayetano Topacio – Minister
 Mr. Antonio Montenegro of Financce
 Mariano M. Alvarez  Edilberto Evangelista –
 Pascual Alvarez Lieutenant General
 Ariston Villanueva  Vito Belarmino – Military
 Santos Nocon Commander with the rank of
 Luciano San Miguel Brigadier-General
 Pablo Mojica  Crispulo Aguinaldo –
 Santiago Rillo Military Commader with the
 Cayetano Topacio rank of Brigadier-General
 Nicolas Portilla  Daniel Tirona – he objected
when Bonifacio was
proclaimed as the Director of
the Interior
 Antonio Montenegro – had
an argument with Santiago
Alvarez
 Jose del Rosario – the lawyer
who Danniel Tirona suggested
to replace Bonifacio in his
elected position
 Esteban San Juan – invited
Bonifacio to attend the
demonstration of the
Magdiwang rebels in
Noveleta
 Captain Mariano San Gariel
– a Magdiwang man, whose
men fired riffle shots during
the town fiesta of San
Francisco de Malabon and
caused chaos
 Emilio Jacinto – Bonifacio’s
friend who he wrote letter to
about after the event/assembly
 Vicente Fernandez
 Governor General Blanco
Sequencing of events 1. It started with the assembly at 1. It started by stating that the
Tejeros on March 25, 1897, and was Katipunan in Cavite were divided into
presided by Secretary Jacinto two factions: Magdiwang and
Lumbreras. Magdalo.
You sent
2. Jacinto Lumbreras announced the 2. The Magdiwang, proceeding with
main topic of discussion: to discuss its election independently of the
how to secure the areas under the Magdalo, chose the following men to
Magdiwang control, but this was administer the government. The
countered by Severino de las Alas Magdalo also elected people to take
who imposed that the important the reins of its government.
matter should be tackled - the form You sent
of the government the Katipunan 3. Both factions agreed to make
should have. respective officers wear the same
You sent
3. There was a debate whether to 4. The Katipunan called for the
change the state of government the reorganization of their territories
Katipunan had established or not. under each Katipunan faction.
However, the Magdiwang and
4. Mr. Antonio Montenegro spoke in Magdalo had been silently fighting
defense of Mr. Severino de las Alas's over Cavite, both parties not wanting
stand. He argued that if they would to be ruled over by the other.
disagree on the kind of revolutionary You sent
government they were to have, then 5. The Magdiwang men invited
they would be no better than a pack Supremo Andres Bonifacio to visit
of bandits or wild, mindless animals. Cavite and intervene with the rising
conflict
5. A conflict between General Apoy You sent
and conflict. Antonio Montenegro, as 6. There were three invitations sent to
General Apoy ordered the arrest of Bonifacio, and only on the third
Mr. Montenegro. Because of this, invitation did he approve the request.
disorder occupied the You sent
assembly.Conflict was immediately 7. Bonifacio arrived at Imus and was
resolved and Jacinto Lumbreras, the welcomed by Emilio Aguinaldo,
presider of the meeting, yielded the Candido Tiron and Edilberto
chairmanship to Supremo Andres Evangelista of the Magdalo faction
Bonifacio. You sent
8. The Magdalo leaders saw
6. Bonifacio accepted and spoke Bonifacio's gesture as if he was acting
before the election began stressing superior
that the person who gets most of the
votes must be declared and respected 9. Bonifacio was then brought to the
as the winner, regardless of his state house of Juan Castañeda in Imus,
in life. where he was visited by the many
from the Magdalo faction.
7. Bonifacio proceeded with the
election and appointed Gen. Artemio 0. Seeing Vicente Fernandez angered
Ricarte as Secretary. Then, with the Bonifacio and ordered his immediate
help of Mr. Daniel Tirona, he arrest. The Magdalo, however, did not
distributed pieces of paper to serve as allow the arrest of Fernandez.
ballots.
11. Realizing that he has no influence
8. When the ballots had been over the people of Magdalo, Bonifacio
collected and the votes were ready to sent a letter to Mariano Alvarez,
be canvassed, Mr. Diego Mojica, the explaining to him what happened at
Magdiwang secretary of the treasury this
warned the Supremo about the
manipulations in the ballot. 12. Esteban San Juan invited
Bonifacio to attend the demonstration
9. The elected officials were of the Magdiwang rebels in Noveleta.
announced. Bonifacio was elected as He was heartily welcomed by the
the Secretary of the Interior over people with a parade as he entered the
Mariano Alvarez, which Mr. Daniel cities.
Tirona protested, saying that
Bonifacio should not be in that 13. Katipunan lost to Polavieja
position because he lacks the proper because of the existing rivalry
credentials: this humiliated between the two factions, which called
Bonifacio. for a convention in Imus. This
assembly, however, yielded no results
10. Bonifacio, hot and angry, pulled as there were no agreements made as
out his revolver and aimed. Instead to what kind of government they must
of replying. Mr. Tirona, perhaps be organized in the country and if
because of fear, slid away and got there is a need for a new election.
lost in the crowd.
14. Suspicious and jealousies
11. The meeting was adjourned, and continued to plague the rebels' ranks
Bonifacio declared that the election and even among the members of the
be nulled and void. same faction. Thus, San Francisco de
Malbon's town fiesta held in January
12. Baldomero Aguinaldo convinced 1897 was disrupted by the riffle shots
members of the Magdiwang to from the men of Captain Mariano San
reconvene the disrupted meeting to Gabriel, a Magdiwang man. This led
revalidate the election proceedings to a conflict between Santiago Alvarez
and make amends with one another. and Captain Mariano San Gabriel.

13. That same night of the Tejeros 15. The Magdiwang leaders called for
Convention, rumor had it that another convention in the estate-house
Mariano Trias, Daniel Tirona, of Tejeros, which happened on March
Emiliano R. de Dios, Santiago Rillo, 22, 1897.
and others were in the parish house
of the Catholic Church at Tanza and 16. It was also Aquinaldo's birthday,
that they were conferring with the when simultaneously the battle in
priest, Fr. Cenon Villafranca. Salitran led by Aguinaldo raged and
the assembly convened in Tejeros.
14. The next day, Magdalo Pres.
Baldomero Aguinaldo, called a 17. Jacinto Lumbreras took the
meeting at the same friar estate house Chairmanship of the meeting and
in Tejeros. opened the discussion about creating
defense strategies to protect Cavite.
15. The Magdalo members did not
come to the reconciliation meeting. 18. Severino de las Alas pointed out
that the Katipunan needs to agree on
16. That same night of the supposed what type of government must be
meeting, it was rumored that the implemented first before proceeding
Magdalo leaders were currently with the other agenda.
holding their own meeting in the
9. There was a debate whether to
parish house in Tanza. change the form of government the
Katipunan has established or not.
17. The following day, 27 March Sensing that the situation was getting
1897, eyewitnesses who had spied on more out of hand without a fruitful
the proceeding the other night result
revealed that a meeting had taken
place at the Tanza parish house and 20. Tension aroused when Santiago
 that the Supremo's decisions Alvarez took his anger on Antonio
regarding the election at the friar Montenegro. Because of this,
estate house were not respected. Lumbreras called for the meeting's
recess.
18. At the gathering in the Tanza
parish house, those elected at the 21. The assembly resumed after an
Tejeros convention knelt before a hour with Lumbreras transferring the
crucifix. chairmanship of the meeting to
Andres Bonifacio.
19. The officials elected during the
Tejeros Convention (Emilio 22. Bonifacio granted the petition for
Aguinaldo, Mariano C. Trias, and a new form of government, stressing
Artemio Ricarte) solemnly took their that the majority's decision must
office without those elected from the always be respected. An election was
Magdiwang. The Magdalo posted held to select the new officials who
troops to guard the Tanza parish will govern the recently instituted
house for their oath-taking Republic of the Philippines. Bonifacio
ceremonies. remarked whoever gets most of the
votes must be declared and respected
as the winner, regardless of his state in
life.

23. A conflict between Andres

Bonifacio and Daniel Tirona was
formed after Bonifacio won the
Director of Interior position

24. Bonifacio angrily whipped out his

pistol to fire at Tirona, but Ricarte
grabbed his hand and prevented what
might have been a tragic affair.

25. As people try to leave, Bonifacio

declared the results of the meeting null
and void, which ended the Tejeros.
Convention.

26. Bonifacio sent a letter to Mariano

Alvarez expressing his despair for not
getting the Presidency which, for him,
must be given to him as the initiator of
the revolution. He also shared his
sentiments with his friend, Emilio
Jacinto.

Narratives
The Tejeros convention was held at March 22, 1897 to unite the divided factions of Katipunan that is
Magdalo and Magdiwang in San Francisco de Malabon, Cavite. The Magdalo wants to make changes of
the Katipunan since it was already discovered by the Spaniards. However, the Magdiwang group hold
out that the Katipunan should remain even though the Spaniard had discovered it. The leaders of the
katipunan, Supremo Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo decided to precede a meeting.

Santiago Alvarez "Memoirs of a General" was written during the Tejeros Convention happened and
focused more to what happened during the meeting. Meanwhile, Teodoro Agoncillo's "Seeds of
Discontent" tackles to what happened after the assembly. I noticed that Agoncillo discussed Bonifacio's
letter for his uncle-in-law. Agoncillo cited some events that Alvarez didn't mention in his account.