Module 3 Ge 4 (Readings in Philippine History) : Maria Ivy A. Giray-Gacosta, Rcrim
Module 3 Ge 4 (Readings in Philippine History) : Maria Ivy A. Giray-Gacosta, Rcrim
OVERVIEW
The attack and the subsequent Cut-out or illustrate a straight man who wears a
retaliation remains one of the longest-running woman clothes.
and most controversial issues between the
Philippines and the United States. Conflicting
records from American and Filipino historians
have confused the issue. According to some
Filipino historians, such as Teodoro Agoncillo,
the true "Balangiga massacre" was the
subsequent retaliation against the Samar
population and guerrillas when American
soldiers burned whole towns during the March
across Samar.
LEARNING OUTCOME
On August 11, 1901, Company C of the by Captain Eugenio Daza, a member of Lukbá n's
9th U.S. Infantry Regiment, arrived in Balangiga staff, and by the parish priest, Father Donato
would be drunk the day after the fiesta. Hours soldiers. The pealing of the church bells and the
before the attack, women and children were sounds from conch shells being blown followed
sent away to safety. To mask the disappearance seconds later. Some of the Company C troopers
of the women from the dawn service in the were attacked and hacked to death before they
church, 34 men from Barrio Lawaan cross- could grab their rifles; the few who survived the
dressed as women worshippers. These initial onslaught fought almost bare-handed,
"women", carrying small coffins, were using kitchen utensils, steak knives, and chairs.
challenged by Sergeant Scharer of the sentry One private used a baseball bat to fend off the
post about the town plaza near the church. attackers before being overwhelmed.
Opening one of the coffins with his bayonet, he
The men detained in the Sibley tents
saw the body of a dead child who, he was told,
broke out and made their way to the municipal
was a victim of a cholera epidemic. Abashed, he
hall. Simultaneously, the attackers hidden in the
let the women pass on. Unbeknownst to the
church broke into the parish house and killed
sentries, the other coffins hid the bolos and
the three American officers there. An unarmed
other weapons of the attackers.
Company C soldier was ignored, as was Captain
The issue of children's bodies merits Connell's Filipino houseboy. The attackers
further attention since there is much conflict initially occupied the parish house and the
between accounts by members of Company C. municipal hall; however, the attack at the mess
That day, the 27th, was the 52nd anniversary of tents and the barracks failed, with Pvt. Gamlin,
the founding of the parish, an occasion on which recovering consciousness and managing to
an image of a recumbent Christ known as a secure another rifle, caused considerable
Santo Intierra would have been carried around casualties among the Filipinos. With the initial
the parish. In modern times these Santo surprise wearing off and the attack degrading,
Intierras are enclosed in a glass case but at the Abanador called for the attackers to break off
time were commonly enclosed in a wooden box. and retreat. The surviving Company C soldiers,
led by Sergeant Frank Betron, escaped by sea to
Between 6:20 and 6:45 in the morning
Basey and Tanauan, Leyte. The townspeople
of September 28, 1901, the villagers made their
buried their dead and abandoned the town.
move. Abanador, who had been supervising the
prisoners' communal labor in the town plaza,
grabbed the rifle of Private Adolph Gamlin, one
of the American sentries, and stunned him with
a blow to the head. This served as the signal for
the rest of the communal laborers in the plaza to
rush the other sentries and soldiers of Company
C, who were mostly having breakfast in the mess
area. Abanador then gave a shout, signaling the
other Filipino men to the attack and fired
Gamlin's rifle at the mess tent, hitting one of the
5
The Judge Advocate General of the Gen. Jacob Smith are alleged to have unleashed
Army observed that only the good sense and on Samar have long stained the memory of the
restraint of the majority of Smith's subordinates United States’ pacification of the Philippine
prevented a complete reign of terror in Samar. Islands".
The abuses outraged anti-Imperialist groups in
Events in Samar resulted in prompt
the United States when these became known in
investigations. On April 15, 1902 the Secretary
March 1902.
of War Elihu Root sent orders to relieve officers
The exact number of Filipinos killed by of duty and to court-martial General Smith. "The
US troops will never be known. A population President (Theodore Roosevelt) desires to know
shortfall of about 15,000 is apparent between and in the most circumstantial manner all facts,
the Spanish census of 1887 and the American nothing being concealed, and no man being for
census of 1903 but how much of the shortfall is any reason favored or shielded. For the very
due to a disease epidemic and known natural reason that the President intends to back up the
disasters and how many due to combat is Army in the heartiest fashion in every lawful
difficult to determine. Population growth in 19th and legitimate method of doing its work, he also
century Samar was amplified by an influx of intends to see that the most rigorous care is
workers for the booming hemp industry, an exercised to detect and prevent any cruelty or
influx which certainly ceased during the Samar brutality, and that men who are guilty thereof
campaign. are punished".
Exhaustive research in the 1990s made Jacob H. Smith and Littleton Waller
by British writer Bob Couttie as part of a ten- faced courts martial as a result of their heavy-
year study of the Balangiga massacre tentatively handed treatment of Filipinos; Waller
put the figure at about 2,500; David Fritz used specifically for the execution of twelve Filipino
population ageing techniques and suggested a bearers and guides. Waller was found not guilty,
figure of a little more than 2,000 losses in males a finding that senior military officials did not
of combat age but nothing to support accept. Smith was found guilty, admonished and
widespread killing of women and children. Some forced to retire.
American and Filipino historians believe it to be
A third officer, Captain Edwin Glenn,
around 50,000. The rate of Samar's population
was court-martialled for torturing Filipinos and
growth slowed as refugees fled from Samar to
was found guilty.
Leyte, yet still the population of Samar increased
by 21,456 during the war. Factual disputes
Schott and Rey Imperial assert that Sun. However, Eugenio Daza wrote,
Company C of the 9th US Infantry was "The Filipino believes that the
sent to Balangiga in response to a profanation of the dead necessarily
request by its then-Mayor Pedro brings bad luck and misfortune ... there
Abayan. This is based solely on a claim was no time to lose for such acts [after
by George Meyer, a Company C the Balangiga attack].
survivor, in support of efforts to secure
the Medal of Honor. Author Bob Couttie
asserts that the American unit was sent
there to close Balangiga's port.
The attack happened on September 28, 1901 at dawn On the morning of September 28, the attack happened
after the native chief of police grabbed the rifle of one of
the sentries and felled a sentry
Church bells signaled the guerilla fighters, who were Immediately, bells from the church rang, conch shells
waiting outside of town blew from the hills and the entire male populace of
Balangiga, assisted by the bolomen of Lukban’s force
rushed
According to Don Pedro, almost all of the 74 American A small group of Americans were able to escape by boat
soldiers were killed to the nearest American Garrison (Basey).There were 26
survivors, 22 wounded, 2 died en route
8
Only 16 Balangiga natives died According to Captain Sexton, only few Americans died
including Captain O’ Connell, Lieutenant Bumpus, and
Major Grisworld while nearly all 250 Filipinos died in the
battle.
Excessive abuse by the Americans ANTECEDENT/ CAUSE Takeover motives of the guerillas led
that was further triggered by the by Vicente Lukban
assault on Catalina Catologo
Successful guerilla attack leading HOW THE BATTLE WENT Fewer damages and successful
to a decisive victory for the retaliation of Company G as some
Balangiga natives members of Company C are escaping
with a boat
Activity #1
1. Why it started?
LEARNING TASK 2
REFERENCES
3.2
OVERVIEW When Filipinos began to convert to
Before Spain occupied the Philippines Christianity, they took on the names of Catholic
in the 1500s, most Filipinos had just one name. saints, symbols, sacraments, feasts and even
Some were descriptive while others had popes. When it came to naming a child or
obscure, or unknown meanings like most of our choosing one’s own Catholic name it was
names today. Most of the old names that appear “anything goes” – not much different from today
in history books belonged to rulers such the except that Hollywood was not an available
datus Matanda, Lakandula, Lapu-lapu and source of names yet. Many Filipinos back then
Humabon. Some Filipinos had a second name took two or three names and changed them
that described a family relationship but unlike whenever they wanted. Surnames were not
the old European custom in which a man was strictly applied to whole families and often each
referred to as “the son of so-and-so” (Johnson, family member would choose a Spanish
Peterson etc.), in the Philippines, people were surname that was different from the rest of the
identified through their children, as in “the family. The resulting confusion drove Spanish
mother or father of so-and-so.” bureaucrats crazy because, without clear family
lineages, legitimate births and inheritances were
often hard to prove and the clergy worried that
LEARNING OUTCOME
Filipinos might be marrying their own cousins
or other family members. Also, with so many
Specifically, after learning the module, you are
Filipinos choosing the same popular surnames
expected to:
like de los Santos and de la Cruz, it was not easy
Create a discussion about Filipino adapting for the government to track the movements of
surnames from our Colonizers Filipinos – making tax collection and law
enforcement difficult.
LEARNING TASK 1
11
Interview your grandparents, ask them if Clavería released the Catá logo
your family is a native Filipino and your family alfabético de apellidos or the Alphabetical
name or surname was adapted to what country? catalogue of surnames, which contained 60,662
surnames, both Spanish and indigenous, that
had been collected by parish priests throughout
the country. The catalogue was distributed to
the head of each province who was required to
figure out how many surnames each town
would need and then assign them alphabetically.
A list of the allotted surnames for each town was
given to its parish priest who instructed the
barangay (neighbourhood) officials to summon
the oldest male member of every family to
choose a family name and have it entered into
the new civil register. Filipinos who already had
surnames could keep them as long as they were
not on a list of banned names. To avoid any false
claims to special rights, taking the names of
So, after about 300 years of this families that already had a restricted surname
confusion, the government decided to take could keep it if they could prove that they had
action. In 1849, Governor Narciso Clavería been using it for at least four generations.
began the process of making a civil register of Overused names like Cruz, Reyes,
the entire population. The first step was to sort Santos and others were supposed to be banned,
out the names that people already had and then too, but Governor Clavería did allow provincial
to make rules so that Filipino families would all officials and priests to use their own discretion
surnames and to make sure that they matched Philippines has an unmixed Malay heritage.
their parents’ surnames. They also had to make Although mestisos (people of mixed race) are
sure that the students used only their registered extremely influential in Filipino society, most
names. If the rules were not enforced, provincial estimates put the combined number of all types
officials were allowed to punish the teacher. of mestisos at no more than 2% or 3% of the
entire population and only about half of those
are Spanish mestisos, who are based mainly in
Manila and Cebu. Chinese-mestisos and full
Chinese combined are estimated at only around
3%.
Modern myths
A 2001 Stanford University study
showed a slightly higher percentage of Filipinos
Clavería’s decree is at the root of some
carrying European genetic material (3.6%), but
myths and misunderstandings that we have
the sample size was only 28 people, which
today about Filipino names. Some people
meant that only one of the 28 had any European
believe that the Spaniards forced Filipinos to
ancestry. Also, the samples were all taken from
give up their own names and assume Spanish
around Manila where the mestiso population is
names, but this is not true. Clavería’s catalogue
concentrated.
listed all kinds of names that were collected
The reason that so many Filipinos have
from all over the Philippines. The purpose of the
Hispanic last names is mainly because their
catalogue was not to get rid of native names but
ancestors changed their names when they
to set up a civil register so that the government
became Catholics or when they had to choose a
could keep track of the Filipino population for
surname for Governor Clavería’s civil register in
tax collecting, law enforcement and church
1849. Taking a new name when a person
records. To do that, Clavería needed Filipino
became a Christian was customary, just like it is
families to have a surname. The origin of a
for people today who convert to Islam. Often a
surname did not matter as long as each family
priest would choose the name, but for many
member had the same one.
Filipinos it was the “cool” thing to do, anyway.
Another myth that some Filipinos
The Spaniards had the power, so taking a
believe is that having a Spanish surname means
Spanish surname gave the illusion of having a
having some Spanish ancestry. They assume,
little prestige and style. Old parish records show
and in some cases they even claim, that one of
that some Filipinos added their new Hispanic
their great-great grandmothers married a
names to their old native names but after a few
Spaniard, or came to have children from a
years, they would eventually drop the native
Spaniard through some sordid incident. The
part.
truth of the matter is that for most of the
Spanish era, there were very few Spaniards in Indigenous names survive
the Philippines. In most provincial towns, the
only Spaniard was the local friar. According to Fortunately hundreds of native Filipino
the 2000 census, 95% of the population in the names did survive. Some of these were high
13
status names that belonged to important until the 1800s, Chinese-Filipino families usually
families that kept them even when they had three syllables in their names because they
converted, while other names belonged to those used the complete name of their patriarch.
Filipinos who had eluded Spanish rule. Some Other families may have come from northern
indigenous names have obvious meanings while China where two-syllable names are not
others have been obscured by time and the uncommon. These names became more Spanish
evolution of languages. Many families have sounding when they were written in the Spanish
original Filipino names that may not look alphabet.
Filipino because they have retained the old One of the most famous of these is
Spanish spelling – names such as Bondoc for former president Corazon Aquino’s maiden
bundok (mountain) or the Ilokano name, name, Cojuangco. The head of the Cojuanco
Agcaoili (to hold on to), which would be spelled family at one time was Ko Chi Kuan, who was
Agkawili in modern Filipino. respectfully addressed by adding Ko to the end
Some names are not flattering to their of his name and dropping his given name, Chi.
owners but, for obvious reasons, most of the Thus, Ko Chi Kuan was known as, Ko Kuan Ko,
native names that have survived are those that which eventually became Cojuanco in the
express the positive or powerful qualities of Spanish spelling.
people. There is strength and fierceness in Some other hispanized Chinese names
names like, Macaraeg (maka+daig, able to win), are Locsin (Xin Luk), Joson (Ho Sun), Lantin,
Catacutan (fear), Panganiban (aware of danger), Dizon, Quison, Vinzon, Licuanan, Landicho,
Agbayani (Ilokano, to be heroic) and Mangubat Guingcanco, Lauchengco and Quisumbing. These
(Cebuano, to fight). There is defiance in Tagalog names were once Chinese, but today they are
names like: Dimaapi (“cannot be oppressed”), uniquely Filipino and not found in China.
Dimayuga (unshakeable). A favourite of mine is Whatever the origin – Hispanic, Chinese
Lacanilao (Lakan+ilaw) or “noble light.” or native – most Filipinos today possess family
Native Filipino first names gained a names that only date back to 1849; and for that,
measure of popularity in the 20th century with they can thank (or blame) Clavería’s catalogue.
some nationalistic parents giving their children
Tagalog names such as Bayani (Hero),
Activity #1
Magtanggol (Protector), Makisig (Handsome)
and Diwa (Spirit) for boys, or Ligaya (Joy),
1. What is Royal decree 1849?
Malaya (Free), Luwalhati (Glory), Mayumi
(Modest) and Luningning (Brilliance) for girls.
Chinese names
SUMMARY
LEARNING TASK 1
OVERVIEW
Jose Rizal’s Retraction Controversy
Many historians arguing whether Rizal retracted
from what he had stated about the Catholic
Church or not. From Rizal’s statement: "I retract
with all my heart whatever in my words,
writings, publications and conduct have been
contrary to my character as a son of the Catholic
Church.", some says that this document is a
forgery and the other are asserting that it’s
authentic and Rizal was the only who wrote and
signed the retraction paper. There are
arguments found that depend the both claims.
But the only thing is, even Rizal retracted or not,
the knowledge he inculcated to us will not
change.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The first text was published in La Voz texts of Rizal’s retraction in the Manila
Españ ola and Diaro de Manila on the very newspapers.
day of Rizal’s execution, Dec. 30, 1896.
Regarding the "original" text, no one
The second text appeared in Barcelona, claimed to have seen it, except the publishers of
Spain, on February 14, 1897, in the La Voz Espanola. That newspaper reported:
fortnightly magazine in La Juventud; it came
"Still more; we have seen and read his (Rizal’s)
from an anonymous writer who revealed
own hand-written retraction which he sent to our
himself fourteen years later as Fr. Balaguer.
dear and venerable Archbishop…"
The "original" text was discovered in the
On the other hand, Manila pharmacist F.
archdiocesan archives on May 18, 1935, after
Stahl wrote in a letter: "besides, nobody has seen
it disappeared for thirty-nine years from the
this written declaration, in spite of the fact that
afternoon of the day when Rizal was shot.
quite a number of people would want to see it.
We know not that reproductions of the "For example, not only Rizal’s family but also the
lost original had been made by a copyist who correspondents in Manila of the newspapers in
could imitate Rizal’s handwriting. This fact is Madrid, Don Manuel Alhama of El Imparcial and
revealed by Fr. Balaguer himself who, in his Sr. Santiago Mataix of El Heraldo, were not able
letter to his former superior Fr. Pio Pi in 1910, to see the hand-written retraction.
said that he had received "an exact copy of the
Neither Fr. Pi nor His Grace the
retraction written and signed by Rizal. The
Archbishop ascertained whether Rizal himself
handwriting of this copy I don’t know nor do I
was the one who wrote and signed the
remember whose it is. . ." He proceeded: "I even
retraction. (Ascertaining the document was
suspect that it might have been written by Rizal
necessary because it was possible for one who
himself. I am sending it to you that you may . . .
could imitate Rizal’s handwriting aforesaid
verify whether it might be of Rizal himself . . . ." Fr.
holograph; and keeping a copy of the same for
Pi was not able to verify it in his sworn
our archives, I myself delivered it personally
statement.
that the same morning to His Grace
This "exact" copy had been received by Archbishop… His Grace testified: At once the
Fr. Balaguer in the evening immediately undersigned entrusted this holograph to Rev.
preceding Rizal’s execution, Rizal y su Obra, and Thomas Gonzales Feijoo, secretary of the
was followed by Sr. W. Retana in his biography Chancery." After that, the documents could not
of Rizal, Vida y Escritos del Jose Rizal with the be seen by those who wanted to examine it and
addition of the names of the witnesses taken was finally considered lost after efforts to look
from the texts of the retraction in the Manila for it proved futile.
newspapers. Fr. Pi’s copy of Rizal’s retraction
has the same text as that of Fr. Balaguer’s
"exact" copy but follows the paragraphing of the On May 18, 1935, the lost "original"
document of Rizal’s retraction was discovered
17
by the Archdeocean archivist Fr. Manuel Garcia, critical reader, Fr. Balaguer’s text does not
C.M. The discovery, instead of ending doubts begin the second paragraph until the fifth
about Rizal’s retraction, has, in fact, encouraged sentence while the original and the
it because the newly discovered text retraction newspaper copies start the second
differs significantly from the text found in the paragraph immediately with the second
Jesuits’ and the Archbishop’s copies. And, the sentences.
fact that the texts of the retraction which
Fifth, whereas the texts of the retraction in
appeared in the Manila newspapers could be
the original and in the manila newspapers
shown to be the exact copies of the "original"
have only four commas, the text of Fr.
but only imitations of it. This means that the
Balaguer’s copy has eleven commas.
friars who controlled the press in Manila (for
example, La Voz Españ ola) had the "original" Sixth, the most important of all, Fr.
while the Jesuits had only the imitations. Balaguer’s copy did not have the names of
the witnesses from the texts of the
Analysis of the Text newspapers in Manila.
which immediately strikes the eye of the Rizal what to write. According to Fr. Pi, in his
own account of Rizal’s conversion in 1909, Fr.
18
Balaguer dictated from Fr. Pi’s short formula person-the copyist-did not). He only "suspected"
previously approved by the Archbishop. In his that "Rizal himself" much as Fr. Balaguer did
letter to Fr. Pi in 1910, Fr. Balaguer admitted "not know nor ... remember" whose handwriting
that he dictated to Rizal the short formula it was.
prepared by Fr. Pi; however; he contradicts
Thus, according to Fr. Balaguer, the
himself when he revealed that the "exact" copy
"exact copy" came from the Archbishop! He
came from the Archbishop. The only copy, which
called it "exact" because, not having seen the
Fr. Balaguer wrote, is the one that appeared on
original himself, he was made to believe that it
his earliest account of Rizal’s retraction.
was the one that faithfully reproduced the
original in comparison to that of Fr. Pi in which
Where did Fr. Balaguer’s "exact" copy come
"changes" (that is, where deviated from the
from?
"exact" copy) had been made. Actually, the
We do not need long arguments to difference between that of the Archbishop (the
answer this question, because Fr. Balaguer "exact" copy) and that of Fr. Pi (with "changes")
himself has unwittingly answered this question. is that the latter was "shorter" because it
He said in his letter to Fr. Pi in 1910: omitted certain phrases found in the former so
that, as Fr. Pi had fervently hoped, Rizal would
"…I preserved in my keeping and am sending to sign it.
you the original texts of the two formulas of
retraction, which they (You) gave me; that from According to Fr. Pi, Rizal rejected the
you and that of the Archbishop, and the first with long formula so that Fr. Balaguer had to dictate
the changes which they (that is, you) made; and from the short formula of Fr. Pi. Allegedly, Rizal
the other the exact copy of the retraction written wrote down what was dictated to him but he
and signed by Rizal. The handwriting of this copy insisted on adding the phrases "in which I was
I don’t know nor do I remember whose it is, and I born and educated" and "[Masonary]" as the
even suspect that it might have been written by enemy that is of the Church" – the first of which
"Notes’ that Rizal read aloud his retraction. (perhaps, rather late) that he had written
However, his copy of the retraction proved and given to a priest what the friars had
him wrong because of its text (with "u") and been trying, by all means, to get from him.
omits the word "Catolica" as in Fr.
The truth is…
Balaguer’s copy but which are not the case
in the original. Capt. Dominguez never
claimed to have seen the retraction: he only Neither the Archbishop nor Fr. Pi saw
"heard".
the original document of retraction. What they
were saw a copy done by one who could imitate
Who’s telling the true? Rizal’s handwriting while the original (almost
eaten by termites) was kept by some friars. Both
The truth is that almost two years
the Archbishop and Fr. Pi acted innocently
before his execution, Rizal had written a
because they did not distinguish between the
retraction in Dapitan. Very early in 1895,
genuine and the imitation of Rizal’s handwriting.
Josephine Bracken came to Dapitan with her
(http://www.joserizal.ph/rt03.html)
adopted father who wanted to be cured of his
blindness by Dr. Rizal; their guide was Manuela
Orlac, who was an agent and a mistress of a
Activity #1
friar. Rizal fell in love with Josephine and
wanted to marry her canonically but he was
1. Do you think is it true that Rizal retract?
required to sign a profession of faith and to
write a retraction, which had to be approved by
the Bishop of Cebu. "Spanish law had
established civil marriage in the Philippines,"
Prof. Craig wrote, but the local government had
not provided any way for people to avail
themselves of the right..."
SUMMARY
4. Is Rizal a catholic as for Fr. Balaguer.
One of the most intriguing of all was the
issues of Jose Rizal was his alleged retraction
which was all about his reversion to the Catholic
Faith and all other issues linked to it such as his
marriage to Josephine Bracken. That issue was
claimed to be true by the Roman Catholic
defenders but asserted to be deceptive by anti-
retractonists. They claim that the retraction
document is a forgery, but handwriting experts
concluded a long time ago that it is genuine.
Rafael Palma’s opus on Rizal, titled “Biografia de
LEARNING TASK 2
Rizal” is so anti-Catholic that the Church
successfully opposed its publication using
Create an your own analysis about Retraction of
Rizal government funds. In an article authored by
Romberto Poulo, Rizal’s affiliation in Masonry
was accounted to have caused drastic change to
his religious ideas. It was in the moment Rizal
set foot on European soil when he was exposed
to a great deal of distinctions between what was
happening to his country, the discriminations,
abuses, partialities, injustices, and some other
things made to cause sufferings to his
countrymen, and what was the actual scene of
the European nations. He observed that Europe
was a lot more different compared to the
Philippines in terms of way of life, attitudes
towards Roman Catholicism, and most
importantly, the freedom all the citizens enjoy.
21
LEARNING OUTCOME
Various accounts give differing dates and Historian Teodoro Agoncillo wrote in
places for the Cry. 1956 that it took place in Pugad Lawin
on August 23, 1896, based on Pío
An officer of the Spanish guardia civil,
Valenzuela's statement. Accounts by
Lt. Olegario Diaz, stated that the Cry
historians Milagros Guerrero,
took place in Balintawak on August 25,
Emmanuel Encarnacion and Ramon
1896.
Villegas claim the event to have taken
Historian Teodoro Kalaw in his 1925 place in Tandang Sora's barn in Gulod,
book The Filipino Revolution wrote that Barangay Banlat, Quezon City.
On August 26th, a big The first place of refuge of The account of Santiago Alvarez
meeting was held in Balintawak, at Andres Bonifacio, Emilio regarding the Cry of Balintawak
the house of Apolonio Samson, Jacinto, Procopio, Bonifacio, flaunted specific endeavors, as
then cabeza of that barrio of Teodoro Plata, Aguedo del stated:
Caloocan. Among those who Rosario, and myself was
We started our trek to
attended, I remember, were Balintawak, the first five
Kangkong at about eleven that
Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Aguedo arriving there on August 19,
night. We walked through the rain
del Rosario, Tomas Remigio, and I on August 20, 1896. The
over dark expanses of muddy
Briccio Pantas, Teodoro Plata, Pio first place where some 500
23
Valenzuela, Enrique Pacheco, and members of the Katipunan meadows and fields. Our clothes
Francisco Carreon. They were all met on August 22, 1896, was drenched and our bodies numbed
leaders of the Katipunan and the house and yard of by the cold wind, we plodded
composed the board of directors of Apolonio Samson at wordlessly. It was nearly two in
the organization. Delegates from Kangkong. Aside from the the morning when we reached the
Bulacan, Cabanatuan, Cavite, and persons mentioned above, house of Brother Apolonio Samson
Morong were also present. among those who were there in Kangkong. We crowded into the
were Briccio Pantas, Alejandro house to rest and warm ourselves.
At about nine o'clock in
Santiago, Ramon Bernardo, We were so tired that, after
the morning of August 26, the
Apolonio Samson, and others. hanging our clothes out to dry, we
meeting was opened with Andres
Here, views were only soon feel asleep. The Supremo
Bonifacio presiding and Emilio
exchanged, and no resolution began assigning guards at five
Jacinto acting as secretary. The
was debated or adopted. It o'clock the following morning,
purpose was to discuss when the
was at Pugad Lawin, the Saturday 22 August 1896. He
uprising was to take place.
house, store-house, and yard placed a detachment at the
Teodoro Plata, Briccio Pantas, and
of Juan Ramos, son of Balintawak boundary and another
Pio Valenzuela were all opposed to
Melchora Aquino, where over at the backyard to the north of the
starting the revolution too
1,000 members of the house where we were gathered.
early...Andres Bonifacio, sensing
Katipunan met and carried out No less than three hundred men
that he would lose the discussion
considerable debate and assembled at the bidding of the
then, left the session hall and
discussion on August 23, Supremo Andres Bonifacio.
talked to the people, who were
1896. The discussion was on Altogether, they carried assorted
waiting outside for the result of the
whether or not the revolution weapons, bolos, spears, daggers, a
meeting of the leaders. He told the
against the Spanish dozen small revolvers and a rifle
people that the leaders were
government should be started used by its owner, one Lieutenant
arguing against starting the
on August 29, 1896... After the Manuel, for hunting birds. The
revolution early, and appealed to
tumultuous meeting, many of Supremo Bonifacio was restless
them in a fiery speech in which he
those present tore their because of fear of sudden attack
said:"You remember the fate of our
cedula certificates and by the enemy. He was worried
countrymen who were shot in
shouted "Long live the over the thought that any of the
Bagumbayan. Should we return
Philippines! Long live the couriers carrying the letter sent by
now to the towns, the Spaniards
Philippines!" Emilio Jacinto could have been
will only shoot us. Our
intercepted; and in that
organization has been discovered
eventuality, the enemy would
and we are all marked men. If we
surely know their whereabouts
don't start the uprising, the
and attack them on the sly. He
Spaniards will get us anyway.
decided that it was better to move
What then, do you say?"
to a site called Bahay Toro. At ten
their eyes, the people as one man, Melchora's barn. Flanking him on
pulled out their cedulas and tore both sides at the head of the table
them into pieces. It was the were Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Emilio
Events Prior to the Cry of Pugad Lawin independence. The Cry of the Rebellion in
Pugad Lawin, marked the start of the
These events vitalized the unity of the
Philippine Revolution in 1896 which
Filipino People and brought "thirst" for
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LEARNING TASK 2
SUMMARY
REFERENCE
https://filipino.biz.ph/history/pugadlawin.html
retrieved: January 10, 2021
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