1897 CONSTITUTION

OF BIAK-NA-BATO
 What is the history of Biak-na-Bato?
• Biak-na-bato is a tagalog word for “cleft rock”.
• It is the name of a place in the mountains of Bulacan province where, in
1897, the insurgent forces under Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo retreated from the
advancing Spanish army.
 What kind of constitution is the constitution
of Biak-na-Bato?
The government that was established in Biak-na-Bato was the first
constitutional republican government in “Filipinas”. Although its Constitution
was provisional, its preamble stated: “The separation of Filipinas from the
Spanish monarchy and its establishment as an independent and sovereign state
with the name Republica de Filipinas , with its own government, is the goal
sought by the revolution that began in August 1896”.
What did the Constitution of the Republic of
Biak-na-bato stated?
The Biak-na-Bato Republic
The Biak-na-Bato Constitution provided for the
establishment of a Supreme council (Emilio as
pres and Mariano trias as vice pres) that would
serve as the highest governing body of the
Republic. It also outlined certain basic human
rights, such as freedom of religion, freedom of the
press, and the right to education.
When was the Biak-na-Bato constitution signed
and promulgated?
• The pact of Biak-na-Bato, signed on December 15, 1897.
• Created a truce between Spanish colonial Governor-General Fernando
Primo de Rivera and the revolutionary leader Emilio Aguinaldo to end the
Philippine Revolution.
 Who promulgated the 1897 Constitution of
Biak-na-Bato?
• The republic had a constitution drafted by Felix Ferrer and Isabelo Artacho.
• It is based on the first Cuban Constitution.
• It is known as the “Constitution Provisional de la Republica de Filipinas”.
• Originally written and promulgated in the Spanish and Tagalog languages.
 What happened in the Biak-na-Bato
agreement?
Pact of Biak-na-bato- is the hardships caused by the revolution convinced
Emilio Aguinaldo to arrange a truce with Spanish authorities.
• Aguinaldo and his officers agreed to go into exile in Hongkong and
surrender their weapons in exchange for long sought reforms and 800,000
Mexican pesetas.
• December of 1897, after the signing of the truce, the
Filipino revolutionary leaders accepted a payment from
Spain and went to exile in Hong Kong
• Soon after his arrival there, Aguinaldo purchased the
weapons his troops would require to continue the
struggle
 Spanish-American war broke out US Interest
in the Philippines)

• One year before the historic Cry of Rebellion, a revolution

broke out in Cuba – another Spanish colony that rose against
the rampant abuses of the Spaniards. At that time, Assistant
Secretary of the US Navy, Theodore Roosevelt, wanted a war
to erupt between the US and the Spain so he strengthens and
expand the US Navy. He immediately put his plan into place
• He ordered Commodore George Dewey to make Hong Kong the
headquarters of the American Asiatic Squadron. He also directed
Dewey to attack Manila Bay and to destroy the Spanish fleet, the
moment hostilities between Spain and US broke out.

• On February 15, 1898, however, a fateful event accrued in Cuba.

The American warship Maine was blown up in Havana Harbor,
resulting in the death of its 260 officers and crew members.
Although it was not proven that the Spaniards had sunk the Maine,
the Americans called for war against Spain. Spain declared war
against the US on April 23, 1898. The US likewise declared war
against the Spain on April 25, 1898.

•
 The Battle of Manila Bay
• George Dewey, then a Commodore US Navy’s Asiatic Squadron
was waiting in Hong Kong when he received a cable from the
secretary of Navy, Theodore Roosevelt, stating that the war had
begun between the US and Spain. Dewey sailed from Hong
Kong on board his flagship Olympia with six other heavily
armed ships. He brought with him a report on the location of the
Spanish ships in Corregidor and Manila at dawn of May 1,1898.
• Dewey entered Manila Bay almost undetected. When he
saw the Spanish ships, which were under the command of
General Patricio Montoya, he ordered his men to fire. The
battle began at 5:41 in the morning and by 12:30 of the
same day, the Spaniards were raising the white flag in
surrender.
 Re-formed Filipino Revolutionary
Government
• The Filipino leaders saw the war between Spain and America as an opportunity
to free the Philippines from the claws of the Spanish colony. Hence, supported
the US with military forces including indispensable intelligence.
• Upon the defeat of Spaniards to the Americans in the Battle of Manila Bay on
May 1, 1898, America summoned Aguinaldo to return to the Philippines from
exile and with confidence towards the pleasant US relations, Aguinaldo
anticipated independence from Spain with the help of America.
• Aguinaldo issued a decree on July 18, 1898 asking for the
election of delegates to the revolutionary congress, another
decree was promulgated five days after, which declared that he
would appoint representatives of congress because holding
elections is not practical at that time.
• He appointed 50 delegates in all composed of wealthy and
educated men. The revolutionary congress was assembled at
the Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan on September 15,
1898
The Malolos Congress
 The following were among the most important
achievements of the Malolos Congress:

• • In September 29, 1898, ratified the declaration of Philippine Independence held at Kawit,
Cavite on June 12, 1898;
• • Passage of a law that allowed the Philippines to borrow P20million from banks for
government expenses;
• • Establishment of the Universidad Literatura de Filipinas and other schools;
• +Drafting of the Philippine Constitution; (1899 Malolos Constitution)
• • Declaring war against the US on June 12, 1899
 The First Philippine Republic

• This paved the way to launching the inauguration of the First

Philippine Republic in Malolos, Bulacan on January 21,1899. After
being proclaimed President, Emilio Aguinaldo took his oath of office.
The Constitution was read article by article.
 Treaty of Paris
• Under the Treaty of Paris, the Philippine was ceded by Spain to the USA. Spain
relinquished its sovereignty over the Philippine Islands, and with this, all laws of
political matters were automatically abrogated. The Treaty provided that the civil
and political status of all inhabitants of the island was to be deter

• The Philippine in turn, was not given the status of an “incorporated territory” (as
to make it a candidate for a statehood) and so ex proprio vigore, the US
Constitution did not apply to the Philippines unless the US Congress expressly
enacted its provisions.
•
 Military Government

• General Wesley Merritt was the highest-ranking American official in the

Philippines after Spaniards surrendered Manila on August 13, 1898. He
established a military government and became the first American Military
Governor of the Philippines
 Objectives of the Military Government

1) to establish peace and order to the Philippines,

2) to prepare Philippines for civil governance. The government
in the Philippines can be considered into opposition and
collaboration. The Americans used propaganda and other
means to win the Filipinos to their side.
 Filipino-American hostilities

• Emilio Aguinaldo agreed to hold a peace conference between Filipino and

American leaders. The conference lasted from January 2 to 29 in 1899. It
ended without definite results, because the Americans were actually just
biding time, waiting for more reinforcement to arrive from the US.
• Hostilities finally exploded between the Filipinos and Americans on
February 4, 1899 in San Juan. An American soldier named Robert
Grayson, saw 4 armed Filipino men on San Juan del Monte Bridge and
ordered them to stop, but they ignored him. (shot them )
 The Death of Antonio Luna

• A significant event that greatly weakened Aguinaldo's forces was the death
of Gen. Antonio Luna,(June 5, 1899) acknowledged as the best and most
brilliant military strategist of the Philippine revolution. He was brave,
intelligent, and well educated; but he also had a fiery temper, and was a
strict disciplinarian. His harsh and rough manner earned him a lot of
enemies, who later plotted to kill him.
 End of the Philippine Revolution
• Gen. Frederick Funston plotted the capture of Aguinaldo. On the night of March 6,
1901, he boarded the American warship Vicksburg and docked at Casiguran Bay,
Aurora on March 14.Funston group reached Aguinaldo’s headquarters in Palanan on
March 23, 1901.
• The Maccabee Scouts pretended to have sent by Lacuna, with American officials as
their prisoners. Thus, Aguinaldo have no idea of his impending capture until Tal Placido
of the Macabebe Scouts embraced him.
• The Americans then declared the arrest of Aguinaldo and his men in the name of the US
government. Aguinaldo was brought to Manila and presented to then Military
Governor-General Arthur Macarthur. On April 19, 1901 he finally pledged allegiance to
the United States. This prompted some other revolutionary generals to yield to the
Americans