.

TTIE KATIPUNAN AND

THI: KATiPUNAi'i AI{D fiIE RX\'TOLUTION THE P,EVOLUTION 85
84
owas
in order to establish a sovereign "The Katipunan, as you know " Mr. Lumbreras explaincd,
in its struggle against the king' stood for people's sovereigntv' not responsible from the beginning for the spread of the revolutionary
and free go',r"*u"'l;-;i,o.t"ii mor ement throughout the Philippines. But because of the di.saffec-
gou.*-"nt led bY onlv one or two' -i" tion of some, this assembly was called to establish a new overall
" Mr. Antonio rvro"t"i"ito";;ti;9 dtft""u of Mr' Severino de las
would' not agree on the lcntl of revolutionary council. If we are to pursue th"rs ambitious and impor-
Alas's stand'. ff. u'gota"tftat if they
to hare and that if bhey were tant undertaking, only the Supremo has the right to preside at this
revolutionary g*"tif""i it"y o'"it assembly, fo.r he is the Father of the Katipunan and the Revolution.'
who were in the Jlevolution
to let the status qoo*p"t*"ii' if-t5t tf'-"y Mr. Lumhreras's speech was well received and his proposal was
would be no'better ;i;;' pack of tandits or of wild' mindless
unanimously accepted. The Supremo lJonifacio assumed the chair-
animals. manship accordingly and said,'Your aim is to establish a new over-
of Mr' Montenegro' He
General Apoy was hurt ty these words previous spealrer' all government of the Katipunan of the Sons of the People. This
quickly stood up *i f""rtla angrily a!. the wo.rld repudiate the decisions made at the meeting held at the friar
inder the jurisdiciion of
'We of the Ihtipin"",;i" t"g*';"t of the People' This Coun- estate house in Imus. In my capacity as "President-Supremo" of the
our respectea frighelfG""tit ofint'So"t Most Venerable Katipunarr of the Sons of the People, I agree anri
over' the Magdiwang and
cil irs the defender ;i ;a-h;"-Ca"ite'authoritv tme revolutionaries fight- sympathize with your aspirations. But I wish to remind you that
Magdalo gor"t,-"';t-" of-"uii"" We lerrrc
are
land' are not band'its who rob we should respect all decisions properly discussed and approved in
ing for freedom or'ii" all our meetings. \4'e shoukl respect and abide by the wishes of the
others of their pro;'Jy ;J *tAtfl
Nor should we be likened to
beasts, for we tnow f,ow to protect
anil defend others' especially the majority."
Be,cause of a repeated clamor for the approval of the establish-
oolitical refugees *ht;;J it r"t with
us' We are rational and we
ff,ioruil;;h";;;h;ia'r<' iie kind' but-do not accomplish anvthing' lf ment of a government of the Philippine Republic, the chair proceeded.
;-differenl of sovernment that is to vour to prepare for an eleclion to the following positions: preside,rt, vice-
;;";;;';you nust o""'"-*" i"""
"".trb]i"h done: Goiack to your localities and president, minister df fr.ru.r"., minister-of welfare, minister of
liking, justice, and captair grineral.
gnatch them from'S;;;h ;""ttl rn"" you can
do'n'irat' ql:u*u':
t-o'oi who might call The Supremo spoke agrdn before the election began. He said that
vou: but don't you ait" tuttt refuge cowards
I arn now the candidate who v'ould get the most nuurber of votes fc,r each
il"'tr"arit'""'di;";il' And for werybody's satisfaction' position should be the winner, no matter what his stati.on in life or
ttdetittg Your arrest!" his educationai attainment, -What shculd matter was that the can-
and looked intently at the
Captain General ipoy stoppe'l speaking Maj' didate had never been a traitor to the cause of the Motherland.
p.r-ri'n-u, *"; t"?a-oid"ttd " detachment unoer Everyone agreed and thele were ehouts of approval such as, *Ihat
"u"dii guard' After i short v'hile' Dr'
Damaso Fojas to L"p'f i- ""a9t with -
is how it should be-equality for weryone! Nobody should be higher
*iaow' Josephine' Fleaded
Jose Rizal's sister,'HJ"g, "a Iit
General Apoy not to-'-"Ji Mrr Montenegro'
but to let irim stay at nor lower than the other. Ivlay love of country prevail !'
themselves were staying' Thev volun- The Supremo Bonifacio appoirrted Gen. Artemio Ricarte as secre-
the estate house ;;6;y tary. Then, with the halp of Mr. flaniel Tirona, he distributed pieces
teered to be held;il'i;' i"tpo*iur" for Mr' Montenegro while
i" 1i"ri custodv.'c;;"tJ General Apov easilv hccetled tc the of paper to serve as ballots. tr'hen the ballots had been collected
and the votes were ready to be eanvassed, Mr. Diego Mojica, the
*Htjt Apoy of Magdiwang secretary of the treasury, warned the Supremo that many
and excitetl denunciation by Captain-General
r-ng The leaders eyed ballots distributed were already ffill€d out and that the voters had
Mr. Monten.gro "iuJta tftu Magdiwani troops'- not done this themselves. The Sftupremo ignored this remark. He
everyone ,orpi.io*iv *g *t1' oity
**iti"g a signal frrrm General
proceeded with the business at .hand as if nothing unusual had
ensued antl disrupted the
Apoy for them to i-#" tf'""ting' Disorder
happened.
assemblY. When the votes for president were counted, Mr. Emilio Aguinaldo
the convention adjourned''
When order was restored, some wanted
";;iffi to continue' won over Mr. Andres Bonifacio,. t$.e Supremo. The winner was
but the Supremo frevailed upon the others acclaimed by applause and shouts, d *Mabuhay!" (Long live!).
However, gr" cer, IVlr' Lumbreras' refused to resume
p"""iaittc off
chair to the Supremo Mr. Severino de Ias Alas sporkr again to say that since the
his role of chairmd E *antia to yieltl the
Supremo Bonifacio had received the second highest number of votes
whom he thought to be the rightful chairman'
.f 86 THE KATIPUNAN AI{D THE RIJ:VOLUTION TI{E KATIPUNAN AND TTIE REVOLIJTION 87

vice-presiclent of the "In my capacity as chairman of this convention and as president_

for the presidency, he should be proclaimed When nobod:tr signitied Supremo of the Most Venerable IGtipunan of the Sons of the people
government of the;ilIdpt"- Republic'
the presi<Iing the which association is known ar,d acknowledgeil by all, .l hereby
;;p;;""1 or disapproval of-the proposal' be continueil'
.offiber'
For vice- declare null and void ali matt&rs approved in this meeting.,
;;;;;" Sorrifacio, ruled that; theover election
Mr' tvtariano A]var:ez and the 'Ihen he left quickly and was followed by his aides -and sorre
nresident, Mr. Mariano Trias lvon
.'a"ri.-"'iliru.io- General \ribora was elected captain over Gen- others present.
;i^I;;r. c.""ia viuo'a denturred'new saving that !:Buthad neither the Mr. Baldomero Aguinaldo, the Magdalo presirlent, Cid not leave
position' Gerneral Apoy San Francisco rie Malabon that night, in order to convince the
the right to assume the
"irfriv "i,. his objections by saying that he personally r''ouched for Magdiwarrg leaders to ireconvene the dismpted meeting the follow_
."t .i""t to the position to ing-day. They agreed ,,o his proposal. That same nighi rumor had
Cur,"rut Vibora's competence and right occupy
'General was greeted with it that Messrs. Mariano Trias, Daniel Tirona, Eroiliino R. de Dios,
;hi;h h" was elected. Apoy's endorsement
ilG of "Long live the newly elected- captain general!" Santiago Rillo, and others were in the parish house of the Catholic
"^Mt. guHo-J.o - church at Tanza (Santa Cruz de Malabon), and that they were
fuuinalilo wanted the elections to behe-suggested
finished be-
it got too dark.io facilitate the counting of votes' conferring with the priest, Fr. Cenon Villafranca. Many attested to
foiu
upon'-voters- should 'stand on seeing them, but no one kaew what they talked about.
iil i; a[ other positions to be voted the other side if against' The On the request of Magdalo Pres. Baldornero Aguinaldo, a meeting
;;;-ttd-;itf," r,"U if in favor and on
;il;;was adopted for th'e tt* qf the election' For the position was called at the same friar estate house in Tejeros. Called on thI
oii[.r*rw of war,:Mr. Emiliano R' de Dios was elected' overwhe]rn- day aft,er the tumultuous convention, its prr.pose was to continue
Ariston Villanueva' and and revalidate the proceedings of the election meeting, to revive their
irrgty ,r"i M"."r"- Santiago V'- Al-varez'
proper honors to the
O-inli"f-Titor,r. After the ,'o-t.t" had given the former e.lliances, and to restore cordiality and fraternal love in their
t"a*tary of war, they proceed,ed to elect theover secretary of the
Mr' Mariano
relations. Aside from Supremo And.es go.if".io,-
-theattended the
"u*
i"t"r"i.-I,ii'ardr.. Bonifacio, the Supremo, won Magdi'vang leaders who were Messrs. Mariano "mong
Alvarez,
Alvarez. The crowd broke into shouts of 'Mabuhay!"
Mr' Daniel Diego Mojica, Ariston Villanueva, pascual Alvarez, Jacinto
for a restoration of order and then spoke aloud: Lrimbreras, Santiago Alvarez, Artemio Ricarte, Nicolas portilla,
t*ul"q"ested
^ is of
'i4; ti"i*.tt, the office of secretary ofshould not entrust itsotogreat
the interior
one
Sarrtos Nocon, and Fr. Manuel Trias, the parish priest of San
Francisco de Malabon. They waited until five that afternoon, but
, t.opu ."a of such sensitivity thatus we
is a lawyer' He is Mr'
;[; i" not a lawyer. One among here 1o1e of the Magdalt members came, not even their presid:nt who
last position'
J".L aa Rosario. Let us reconiid'et the choice for the had initiated what would have been a r econciliation meeting.
for he has no credentials. to show attesting to any edueational That sefe night it $ras ruux)r?d that the Magdalo leade"rs were
attainment currentiy holding their own neeting at the parish house in Tanza.
--Til in as loud a voice as he could muster' Tirona shouted' "Let Though it had reeson to be apprehensive because the Magdalo were
us elect Mr. Jose del Rosario, the lawyer!"
--Ci."Uy lgeting- in territory under its jurisdiction, the Magdiw;g leader_
embarrassed, the S"p""to- Bonifacio
quickly stood up and ship looked the other way because the Magilalo *"i" hari-pressed
TV; agreed to abide by tlie maiority vote aad accept its choice for meeting places since its territories iraa U been taken by the
-natte,
""id" *t the station in life of the person eleeted' And Spanish enemy.
io "t The nexb morning, 22 March l8g7, eyewitnesses who had spied
ile.r.rt. of this, I demand from you, Mr' Daniel Tir.ona'
,a1
apology'
the one they elected the honor on the proceedings revealed thdt, indeed, a meeting had taken place
You must restore to the voters and
at the Tanza parish house and *iat the Supremo's-decisions reiard_
have onIY now besmirched'"
-Th.t
vou
in1; the election at the friar esbate house were not respected. These
"
tre putted out his revolver and took aim'
i;;;"d oi replying, Mr' Tirona ignoredand the Supremo's remarks revelations surfaced desprte denials from many sectors.
*a, p..ttup, Ueiart""of fear, he slid away got lost in-the crowd'
_ At the gathering in the Tanz:a parish house, those elected. at the
Oi.oia.t ensoeil as the convention secretarl tried to disarm the Tejeros convention knelt before a crucifix and in the name of the
Supremo, who was intent on shooting Mr' Tirona' The people began Hoty-Father, the highest pontiff of the Roman Cathriic church, in-
;;ii.p.;. and the Supremo adjourned the meeting with these voked the martyred sain,s and solemnly took their offrce, Fr.
Cenon
words: Villafranca officiated. With Mes+sc. Severino de las
;l
Alas and Daniel
t:l
-tt
 KATPITNAI'I AND TIIE REVOLT'TION TI{E KATIPIJNAN AND THE REVOLUTION B9
gg fiIE
took their oaths of ofiice: Messrs' from mountrrin cannons began battering the Sar. Francisco de
Tirona as witnesses, the following Malabou fortifications, extending from Tejeros to Tarike. A two-hour
and Artemio Ricarh' Conspicu-
Emilio aguinaldo, tri*i*o C' Trias' Bonifacio' who rvas not shelling was followed by ground attack by cavalry and infantry
ously abseot o'"' lt'u-supremo -Andres
il"d"iilh;"gu ttt'o"t-i"" of those elected to offrce' It wili be tloops.
After preliminary skirmishes, man-to-man combat broke out at the
recalled that as .il;; of [f'" Tejeros convention' he declared null
ih.e assembly because of a grave Tarike fort. It became a fierce battleground as the rebels made a
and void, all mattellppt*ud br valiant defense. Every head that emerged from either side was
;;i"tt* of a principle agreeil upon-before the election'
to the Magdilvang Coun- quickly bashed in or severed at the neck. All that could be heard
It ihould Uu ,of,'J ft"'-u ttt"t,-ottL'o*t' was the rattle of gleaming blades, the burst of gunfire, and the thud
guard the Tanza parish house for'
cil, the Magiialo posteil troops to under strict orders of bod,es as they fell against the earth. Wielding a variety of a.rms
their oath-talcng t"i"-o"iti T}tu- troops wereparti'sans' If the news such as spears, machetes, daggers, revolvers, and rifles, the com-
. not to admit *y oi;;;;;,
tftu
"nwanted
hzrd
l{agdiwang
leaketl out earlier' and the under- batants locked in struggle and fell together. In one instance, the tip
about the secret of a bayonet piercing somebody's middle came out straight tlrrough
does in u," porr., had attempted to break into it' they 'vs'16
"L'e;I" the back of another who himself had a pointed machete sticking in
t^rl" U""t tnttihil"tud then and there' his chest. In another instance, one who was mortally wounded by a
sharp dagger infl.icted by the othei was in a ileath embrace with
33 his assailant who was himself killed by the other's gun. .Another pair
who fell together each had bayonet thrusts, one through the navel
town of Imus in the
The Spaniards capture{--{ occupied the and bhe other above the chest. Some had severed heads, others,
afternoon of ZS rvfillft iSgz' Thtv
left Imus three days afberwards severed. hands or feet.
Malabon territory up to the
and marched i"dtil-St" f"rrAttode General Apoy and the Supremo Bonifacio lost many gallant troops
village of Bakaw. 'ffi"" they reached
Bakaw' they wele intercepted in this bloody and miserable battle. Among those who died were the
by Magdiwarrg troops fe! !i Supremo Bonifacio and Gcneral Apoy' valiant Mqi. Pio Baluyot and head soldrers Francisco Arnaldo, Juan
A nitched battle;;;";d. g"t the Magtliwang initiative was foiled Brosas, Lucio Poblete, and Nicomedes Esguerra. The enemy rode
i'r'#;*;i;;;t"t nymfrer of enemv reinforcements at the roughshod. over their bodies as they rushed into town to rrtise their
such an unfavorable situation'
height of the .".o"itii' in the face 9f flag of victory and to burn houses.
;;; s;;".;o a..'ala pati, on a tac';ical retreat to their fortifrcations' Very early that morning befc:t the battle, Captain General Apcy
Geneial Apoy, fo" fti" o"d'ered Majgr Baluygt to rally all ot'hbr had visited the Tarike fort to boost the morale of the Magdiwang
a:m- v antl assign them to the Tarik-e
il;d;;i; or tt. tvtaitliwang and the Balara troops. Then at past seven o'clock, they saw the
il;Jir*.u""s
-- in San Francisco de Malabon Spaniards massing a great number of t.heir troops. The co'nmand-
Aft;; the bafii; the Spaniards enca:npetl Td .rgsted. in Bakaw' ers of the lViagdiwang and the Balara contingents thought it was
with potshots from
but throughort liie"nighi they were harassed the better part of discretion if the captain general was not with them
small KatiPunan bands' inside the fort when the expected attach took place. Thus, Major
Ariticipating that the enemy encamped'
at Bak-aw.would try to Baluyot and Captain Olaes escorted him aeross the river to the west
penetrate the strong-n"f"f ift'" fortifrcations
in Noveleta from the of the town of San Francisco de Malabon.
Miguel to pull out all troops
IJ*,-b""utA Apoy o''taered'- C'enerd .S*some other fort' Gen. Pio del Pilar and his troops, along with a small detachment
ft; and transfer them to from Imus, came to help in the defense of San Frlncisco d.e
- O"Dahhikan-
3 Aprtl, ,h" Stp*mo nade a bid to recapture Noveleta' Gen- Malabon, t'ut for some unknown reason he withdrew even before the
.t"f ViUotu *a-bu"' Santostlay-' Nocgn accompanieq hi- -in the offen- enemy could attack. He made his withdrawal without notiSing those
sive, which f"tt.Jiiu *ttott
But ilespite a fierce.determinatioti inside the fort.
on their pttt ;;"-y losses' they were unable to dislodge tloming from Imus and Kawit, the enemy took Noveleta without
the SPaniards.
"rri';;;"t resistance. They captured the fortifications and collected Katipunan
attempt to retake
A few days after the Supremo's unsuccessful hegan arriving in great
arms and. smmunition, Ccming in and spreading out into the open
N;;"i;ar, ri..tt--spanish '"ittfo"tttents Bakar 6elds around Imus, Kawit, Noveleta, and San Francisco de Malabon,
;;ffi;i" tt. opin netas to the west 0f and along-the sga'
they overwhelmed the People's troops with their sheer number. After
rfro*t of Noveleta and Salinas' At nine that morning' artillery fire