“Malolos, Jan. 9, 1899—Instructions to the Brave Soldiers of Sandtahan of Manila.“Article 1. All Filipinos should observe our fellow-countrymen in order to see whether they are American sympathizers. They shall take care to work with them in order to inspire them with confidence of the strength of the holy cause of their country. Whenever they are assured of the loyalty of the converts they shall instruct them to continue in the character of an American sympathizer in order that they may receive good pay, but without prejudicing the cause of our country. In this way they can serve themselves, and at the same time serve the public by communicating to the committee of chiefs, and of our army, whatever newsof importance they may have56.Gifts as Covers for Attack.“Art. 2. All of the chiefs and Filipino brothers should be ready and courageous for the combat, and should take advantage of the opportunity to study well the situation of the American outposts and headquarters, observing especially secret places where they can approach andsurprisethe enemy.“Art. 3. The chief of those who go to attack the barracks should send in first, four men with a good present for the American commander. Immediately after will follow four others, who will make a pretense of looking for the same officer for some reason and a larger group shall be concealed in the corners or houses in order to aid the other groups at the first signal. This wherever it is possible at the moment of attack.To Murder in Woman’s Disguise.“Art. 4. They should not, prior to the attack, look at the Americans in a threateningmanner. On the contrary, the attack on the barracks by the Sandtahan should be a complete surprise and with decision and courage. One should go alone in advance in order to kill the sentinel. In order to deceive the sentinel this one should dress as a woman, and must take great care that the sentinel is not able to discharge his piece, thus calling the attention of those in the barracks. This will enable his companions who are approaching to assist in the general attack.“Art. 5. At the moment of the attack the Sandtahan should not attempt to secure rifles from their dead enemies, but shall pursue, slashing right and left with bolos until the Americans surrender, and after there remains no enemy who can injure, they may take the rifles in one hand and the ammunition in the other.Firebrandsfrom the Housetops“Art. 6. The officers shall take care that on the top of the houses along the streets where the American forces shall pass there shall be placed four to six men, who shall be prepared with stones, timbers, red hot iron, heavy furniture, as well as boiling water, oil and molasses, rags soaked in coal-oil readyto belitand thrown down, and any other hard and heavy objects that they can throw on the passing American troops. At the same time in the lower parts of the houses will be concealed the Sandtahan, who will attack immediately.“Great care should be taken not to throw glass in the streets, as the greater part of our soldiers go barefooted. On these houses there will, if possible, be arranged in addition to the objects to be thrown down, a number of the Sandtahan, in order to cover a retreat or to follow up a rout of the enemy’s column, so that we may be sure of the destruction of all the opposing forces.Women to Prepare “Bombs”“Art. 9. In addition to the instructions given in paragraph 6, there shall be in the houses vessels filled with boiling water, tallow, molasses and other liquids, which shall be thrown as bombs on the Americans who pass in front of their houses, or they can make use of syringes or tubes of bamboo. In these houses shall be the Sandtahan, who shall hurl the liquids that shall be passed to them by women and children.“Art. 10. In place of bolos or daggers ifthey do not possess the same, the Sandtahan can provide themselves with lances and arrows with long sharp heads, and these should be shot with great force in order that they may penetrate well into the bodies of the enemy. And they should be so made that in withdrawal from the body the head will remain in the flesh.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .”Emilio Aguinaldo”The following official notice posted up in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, is another interesting example of the extent to which this race hatred spread:Notice.The traitor Honorato Quisunbin, who in an evilmomentdenied his country, died yesterday.To-day, one no less a traitor and renegade to his mother country, has also died. He who has been the cause of so many husband-less wives and fatherless children, has received a punishment for his crimes which will prevent him from repeating them.We will allot to-morrow, for the punishment of the remainder if they do not change their conduct, but continue to follow the steps ofthe above mentioned. For this reason, beloved compatriots now that you have witnessed the punishment given to those who have left the path marked by our authority which our government conferred on us although we are unworthy of it, but as we have been appointed, we have forcibly to obey all the decrees published, for the crimes which are punishable by death and which are as follows:1st. All those who have any public or private communication with the enemy and serve them as guides;2nd. All those who attack and rob in a band;3rd. Violation or abuse;4th. Incendiarism;5th. All those who receive any position or employment in the service of the enemy.(Signed)The Compatriots.This race hatred is illustrated very clearly in the definition of the Katipunan given by Romualdo Teodoro de J., when he said that its aim was tokill all Spaniardsand take possession of the islands. No particular hatred was shown to any class; it was all Spaniards of allclassesand conditions whowere to be assassinated. It is also clearly depicted in the Act of Session of theKatipunan Suralready quoted (See page 81; also foot-note page 80).Note 76.What Sr. Diaz intends byTagalogKatipunan is not quite clear. The whole society was practically confined to theTagalogprovinces and was insignificant in extent even beyond the city of Manila and its suburbs. There was no other Katipunan.In November 1895 the assembly of theKatipunanwas composed of ten individuals of the Supreme Council, and the presidents of the popular sections who were entitled to assist in virtue of holding some office therein.In January of the following year of 1896, after the annual election, the assembly was composed as follows:PresidentAndrés Bonifacio.SecretaryEmilio Jacinto.TreasurerVicente Molina.Pantaleón Torres.Hermenegildo Reyes.CouncillorsFrancisco Carreón.José Trinidad.Balbino Florentino.Aguedo del Rosario.FiscalPio Valenzuela.Note 77.The question of the amount and the source of the supply of arms possessed by theKatipunanhas always been one of dispute. Some suppose the rebels to have been well armed, whilst others reckon the number of serviceable guns to have been very small.Among the papers and documents belonging to theKatipunan Sur,seizedby the Spanish authorities, is the following:“Commissioned for the purchase of arms:D. GabinoTantokoD. JuanD. AntonioD. EzequielD. Epifanio Ramos.D. Victoriano Luisfor the distinct armories of Manila.”In a letter of the Secretary to the President D. Agustin Tantoko (a native priest; see page 79):“I believe we can obtain the dynamite by bribing some of the harbor employees.”This letter has a foot-note which says: “When you have read this, destroy it.”Numeriano Adriano testified (fols.1,309–1,312) that Andrés Bonifacio had collected 10,000 pesos for the purchase, in Japan, of 4,000 rifles with abundant ammunition.He also stated that the arms had been purchased and were to be landed near by the mountains of San Mateo and in the Batanes islands, from whence they would be brought to Manila.That “Andrés Bonifacio went to San Mateo with men to receive and arrange arms, whilst Deodato Arellano and Timoteo Paez were encharged to send people to Batanes to the same end.”Also that “It is said that many of the insurgents in the province of Cavite bear arms of different systems, and he supposed that they must have been acquired by the rich and wealthy persons of that province, such as Francisco Osario and others, who knowing perhaps of the existence of theLigaof Manila, its form and object, had formed their own also, in the said province, inorder to unite to that of Manila and make common cause therewith.”Domingo Franco declared (fols.1,381–1,382), in answer to a question during his trial, as to what he knew in reference to the purchase of arms andammunition, that “all he knew was that arms and ammunition had been purchased, because at the end of 1895, or the beginning of 1896, he saw Francisco L. Rojas in his office in Calle Jolo, and the said Rojas told him that he had received a quantity of arms and ammunition.” He stated moreover, that he did not know the make or number, nor where they had been landed.Tomas Prieto of Nueva Caceres mentioned the receipt of 50 arms from Bato. He also stated that Mariano Melgarejo, according to references from Macario Valentin, received a load of arms in eleven cases from Pasacao.”Pio Valenzuela affirmed that the arms borne by the rebels were for the most part domestic bolos57and lances, andthat the chiefs were armed with revolvers.” These revolvers were, he affirmed, acquired from theMaestranzi de Artilleria.Juan Castañeda declared that “the Japanese offered to land here 100,000 rifles with their ammunition, theexpenseof which should be paid in a fixed number of years.”Numeriano Adriano also affirmed that it had been decided to purchase arms in Japan and thatoneof the islands of the Archipelago should be given to Japan in exchange for its aid.Domingo Abella affirmed that he had visited Francisco Rojas in his office for the purpose of finding out if the arms which the tailor Luis Villareal had ordered for the society, had arrived; and that although Francisco Rojas did not belong to the society, he was encharged toportion outthe arms and commissioned to bring them to Manila. Francisco told him that he could not provide him with any as they were all sold.Thenetcost of the arms and ammunition necessary to carry out the revolt was considerable, and as their introduction into the country would have to be very carefullyplanned, and be carried out with thegreatest secrecy, the original cost wouldbeconsiderably increased. Large sums of money were therefore necessary to cover expenses. Although the entrance fees and monthly subscriptions were considerable they could not produce the amount necessary to provide for the revolution, especially when there existed such a wide spreadtendencyamong those who handled the funds, toabsorbthem as a spongeabsorbswater. Castillo in his work concerning this association and its funds says58:“Undoubtedly it (the Katipunan)possessedlarge sums of money, only the most insignificant part of which, according to report, was discovered in the possession of Pio Valenzuela, preserved in gold and amounting, we believe, to less than 30,000 pesos. These resources could not cover the extraordinary expenses of the propaganda, that of the Commissioners sent to Japan to treat with that power on the question of a protectorate, and that of the coming warexpenses which were without doubt, very considerable.“TheIndianis not so selfish or so patrioticthat he would, without immediate advantage to himself permit himself the extravagance of abandoning thesedentarylife he usually leads, to launch out into the field of adventures of doubtful result. Those who from the headquarters of the revolution directed those torpid masses must have realised this, and to make sure of the exit, caused money to be distributed to all the affiliated and to their families, giving them at the same time rice in abundance.“On the morning of the events which took place at San Juan del Monte, two women who live in the Santa Mesa road, were engaged in giving money to thetaos59who passed that way, advising them to unite themselves with theinsurrectosto the end of killing all the Spaniards..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“This money set aside for distribution in San Juan del Monte, in Pasig and in the pueblos on the banks of the river, must have come from a well stocked treasury....”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A little further on, the author gives a very broad hint as to one probable source of funds when he asks the question, whereis themillion and a half pesoswhich constitute the default in the public treasury of Manila?“It would be a curious coincidence,” says the author, “if part of this amount perhaps the greater part should have served as funds from which the expenses of the revolution and the war were paid.”Note 78.The initiations into theKatipunanwere grotesque in the extreme. The person introduced for initiation was placed in a room draped in black, with its walls hung with mottoes in Tagalog dialect such as: “If you have courage you may continue,” “If you have been brought here by your curiosity, retire.” Upon a table was placed a skull, a loaded revolver and a bolo. A paper upon which were written three questions lay also upon the table. These questions were:“In what state did the Spaniards find the Tagalog people at the time of the conquest? In what state are they found now? What future can it hope for?The initiated previously instructed by his god-father, or by the person who catechised him, was to reply that, at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards, theFilipinosliving on the coasts enjoyed a certain amount of civilization, since they already had cannons and silk dresses, that they enjoyed political liberty, sustained diplomatic (sic) relations and commerce with the neighboring countries of Asia; had their own religion and writing; in a word, lived happy with their independence. Acertain amountof civilization may be. Let us see what thatcertain amountwas:“Barely clothed, and more often naked, revelling day and night indrunkenness, given to the practice of infanticide, holding virginity as a dishonor, having among them people who practiced defloration as a profession, ignorant of the value and uses of money, making use of men, women and children to pay debts, incontinualwarfare with one another and enslaving their prisoners, practicing wholesale murder of slaves on the death of a chief or important personage, adoring and sacrificing to rocks, trees, crocodiles and idols of wood; lacking religion, but having in its stead mostbestialand absurd superstitions; without temples, monuments or even literature, although they possessed a species of written language. The only human ideas they possessed were adoptedfrom the Chinese, Japanese and BorneoMohammedanswhom they imitated after the manner of apes. This, historians tell us, was the condition of this people 340 years ago! when the missionaries planted the Cross on Philippine soil, and brought to the benighted natives the gospel.” So much for the certain amount of civilization.Cannons and silk dresses: of a kind; as to the cannons, where did they all come from? Bought from or exchanged with the Borneo moros probably. As to these and the silk dresses, the savages of the south-sea islands enjoyed the use of such things and enjoyed them with better knowledge of how to use them! They enjoyedpolitical liberty; let us see what Morga the historian who speaks most glowingly of the ancient civilization of theFilipinopeoples, has to say on this point.He says: “In all these islands the people had neither kingsnorlords to dominate them as in other kingdoms and provinces. But in each island were many chiefs from among the same natives, some greater than others each one with his subjects, by groups and families, who obeyed and respected them. Sometimes these chiefs were at peace withone another and some times at war.... The superiority which thesechiefshad over the people of their group was such that they held them as subjects,with power to treat them well or ill, disposing of their persons, children and estates at their will, withoutresistanceor the necessity of giving account to anyone, and for very slight offences they killed and wounded them and made slaves of them;and if it happened that one of the chiefs were bathing in the river and a native passed in front of him or looked upon him with want of respect, and for other similar things, theymade slaves of them for ever.” This is a good and practical kind of political liberty, just the kind of liberty the country would enjoy if in the hands of the leaders of the Federal Party, so anxious for liberties for themselves and coercion for those who do not agree with their way of thinking.Diplomatic relations and commerce with the neighboring countries of Asia: As to the diplomatic relations the mere idea of such a thing ispreposterous. If we are to concede the use of diplomatic relations to the ancient Tagalog people, then we must consider as diplomatic relations such customsas the passing of the “peace pipe” practiced by the indian of the United States, and the giving and accepting of young women for sensual convenience practiced in many of the islands of the Pacific up to the present day. As to their foreign commerce let us listen once more to Morga. “Their contracts and negotiations were as a rule illicit, each one considering the best way to come off successful in his business.”Their ownreligion: For a religious system they worshiped their ancestors and performed human sacrifices. The Spaniards found in these islands less than a million inhabitants, who were divided into innumerable tribes governed by rulers who had no more title of sovereignty than that they were enabled to impose upon the people by brute force and untold cruelties. The inhabitants formed a jumble of inferior races some more or less pure in blood, others intermixed; people speaking many dialects. They all lacked religion, in the proper sense of the word; they lacked morals, in fact they were wanting in everything that raises man above the level of the brute creation.As to their own writing, certain it is that they possessed a crude and very inefficientmanner of writing, but what is very remarkable is, that in spite of their possessing a system of script, not a single piece of their literary work has yet been discovered nor even a written tradition. This goes to prove that either theFilipinoswere at that time too deep in the savage ages to realise the importance of writing, or that the form of script was useless for practical purposes.To the second question the initiated replied that the friar missionaries had done nothing to civilize theFilipinos, as they considered the civilization and illustration of the country to be incompatible with their interests60.To the third question the initiated was to reply that they had faith, courage andconstancy to aid them to remedy these evils in the future.61The master of ceremonies warned him that he was taking a very important and very solemn step, and he was recommended to retire if he did not feel courage enough to continue since he would uselessly expose his life. If the initiated insisted in continuing with the mysteries of the initiation he was presented to the reunion of the brethren to be tried by the proofs assigned, which were very similar to those adopted in universal masonry, but surrounded with more paganism, if that be possible. He was blindfolded and made to discharge a revolver against an imaginary enemy, a person he was made to believe really was present and awaitingthere the executionary bullet which should make him pay the penalty of a treason. If he passed through the proofs successfully he was introduced into the hall of oaths and there with his own blood, drawn by means of anincisionmade in the left arm between the shoulder and the elbow, he signed the oath.Note 79.See note50, pages 171, 173 and 174.Note 80.The liberty of the Tagalog people; the chief aim which gave rise to the revolt. The first thing the separatists desired was to get rid of the Peninsular Spaniard; the next to go would have been the insular Spaniard, then the Spanish mestizo, then theChineehalf-caste and theChinee; after which would come the gradual extinction of the various tribes. In the mean time the country would suffer considerably and at last...? See page 69, last four lines of the first paragraph.It is well nigh impossible to imagine to what the liberty of the Tagalog people would mean if it were put into practice. If the South American states which arerecognized as independent, are unable to govern themselves in spite of the political superiority of the people inhabiting them over the peoples of this archipelago, without an unending series of revolutions, whatmightwe expect from the Philippines? Give the country independence with one of the native “commissioners” as president of the republic and how long do you suppose it would be before Pedro Paterno at the head of some 5 or6,000men would march into Manila to depose the president and proclaim himself Emperor Pedro I? And before the new Emperor could install himself in Malacañan he would have at his heels a thousand and one petty chiefs, princes, kings and perhaps even a few ambitious queens!It is over a half a century ago since the South American Republics became independent, and at that time the rest of the world cared but little for the consequences of such a step. But this indifference of the nations can never exist here in the Orient at thecommencementof this XX Century.It would never suit the rest of the world to see independence declared in the Philippines and especially if that independence left the reins of government in the hands of theTagalogpeople.The question of the expulsion from the country or the destruction of the Spaniards has been spoken of under several notes; the idea was, doubtless, a semi-savage interpretation of the preachings and teachings spread abroad by the Bible societies in all parts and especially in Spanish countries. And this becomes the more probable when we call to mind what theEl Imparcialof the 26th of August 1896 published concerning this identical point. Speaking of the state of the country in general as a result of the insurrection, it says:“The minister of Foreign affairs received a telegram yesterday from General Blanco manifesting that more arrests had been made..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The conjuration had ramifications in various parts of the Archipelago, and in it figured not only masonic societies but also Bible societies..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The propaganda of filibusterism is encharged to the colporteurs ofevangelicalbooks, who wander all over the Archipelago selling protestant publications.”Note 81.These three native priests wereamong the prime movers of the rebellion of 1872, a revolt which was planned out in the houses of Joaquin Pardo de Tavera and Jacinto Zamora. The three priests were executed by thegarrotetogether with Francisco Saldua. Gomez left the sum of200,000pesos to his natural son, born to him before he entered the priesthood. In his will he stronglycounselledhis son to be ever faithful to the Spanish authorities. I had intended to give a brief outline of the revolt of ’72 but space will not permit. Taking it as a whole, it differed little from the revolt of ’96 with the exception that it was directly brought about by the propagators of revolutionary ideas then rampant in Spain, and by theemissariesof the revolutionary government then established.Note 82.—See note20.Note 83.The oath taken by thekatipuneroswas as follows:K. K. K.N. M. A. N. B.Section....I declare that on account of my entrance into the K. K. K. of the A. N. B. I havesworn a solemn oath in my native pueblo and in the presence of a superior of the Junta of theKatipunan, to do away with everything that is possible and even with that which is to me most near and dear and appreciated in this life, and to defend the cause to victory or to death. And in truth of this I swear also to be obedient in everything and to follow in the fight wherever I am led.And in proof of what I have said I place my true name with the blood of my veins at the foot of this declaration.”Note 84.Pio Valenzuela, who gave some of the most interesting and reliable information concerning the inner life of theKatipunan, testified (fols. 1,663–1,673) that on the 30th of November 1895, the birthday of Bonifacio, a meeting was held in Caloocan, in a house situated in the rice fields, some thirty five or forty individuals assisting thereat, among them being the witness. This meeting continued all day and all night till the following day, the first of December. At this meeting they pronounced the death sentence upon the tailor Guzman for publishing the secrets of theKatipunan; this sentence was signed by all present including the witness, after he had made many observations against it, observations the rest would not listen to. One of the lighter punishments meted out was the public exposition in the lodge rooms of the picture of the person punished, with the wordtraitorwrittenover or under it.Note 85.TheKatipunanenjoyed a peculiar and special organization, which was given to it in order to avoid surprises and treachery. The assemblies were always held in secluded places and under the cover of the greatest secrecy. Sometimes they were held at midnight in the open cornfields so as not to attract the attention of those indians who were not members of the society. Valenzuela relates how a secret meeting was held in the pueblo of Pasig at midnight, on oneoccasionto arrange the matter of the annexation of the Islands to Japan in case that nation did not care to declare a protectorate over them.The Councilof Ministersof the Supreme popular Council was as follows:PresidentAndrés Bonifacio.WarTeodoro Plata.StateEmilio Jacinto.InteriorAguedo del Rosario.JusticeBirecio Pantas.FinanceEnrique Pacheco.Note 86.Pio Valenzuela mentioned one occasion upon which such a meeting of the society was held, he himself assisting thereat, in the house of Andrés Bonifacio. It was a supper given in honor of the baptism of a child to which the said Valenzuela was god-father. After the supper, which served as a shield under the which the work of the lodge was to be done, an election was held for the Supreme and the Popular Councils, and the sections. Some thirty members were present.Another case he mentioned was that of a meeting held on thebirthdayof Bonifacio 30th of November 1895.The Katipunan moreover had its own festivals. This is how Valenzuela describes them:“The Katipunan held its festival, according as Andrés Bonifacio had told the witness, on the 7th of July, anniversary of thefoundationof the society; it also celebrated another anniversary on the 28th of February,the date of the execution of the three native priests, Burgos, Gomez and Zamora (see note 81). On that day a catafalque draped with black cloth, was erected in each one of the popular Councils, having fourhachones62, one in each of its four angles, adorned with crowns made with plants namedMacabuhay63. All the members filed before the funeral pile, reciting prayers for the dead and swearing to avenge the death of the three priests.Note 87.Roman Baza, who was one of the many who suffered the death penalty for his treason, undertook to educate in ultra-democratic ideas, (as Isabelo de los Reyes is doing in our days), all he came in contact with. He printed and spread abroad the “rights of man” of the French revolution.He was at one time president of theKatipunan(see p. 44) but being a man little suited to carry out to a successful issue the set plans of the society, Bonifacio determinedto remove him, by what Sr. Diaz terms acoup-d’etat, but more properly called an underhand trick. Bonifacio, at that time treasurer, forced a conflict on the subject of the financial conditions of the society, being denounced as an exploiter for his pains. The quarrel was settled by an election, Bonifacio by his unholy influence carrying all before him.It was during the presidency of Baza that the Katipunan society for women was founded, “the object of which wasmutual succor(!).Theinstitution serving at the same time to dissimulate the meetings of the maleKatipuneros. Whilst the latter were holding their sessions in a retired room, the women were in the salon with some young men dancing, singing or eating. The presidentess of this society ofmutual succorerswas Mariana Dizon.To secure admission it was necessary to be a daughter or sister of one of the male members. Mariana Dizon later on married José Turiano Santiago, and as a result, the femaleKatipunan, as an organization was broken up, the late members however continuing to shield as before, the labors of the Katipunan reunions.Note 88.See notes74,75and93. Part of the local and provincial Spanish press has not failed to give the public a rehash from time to time, of the greater part of the inventions of the separatists. It is needless to say, however, that in this it has failed to receive the support of representativeSpaniardswho look upon such an action as little to the honor of the good name of Spain. As to the corresponding English-speaking press in this connection, the less said the better for the good name of American journalism.Note 89.José Dizon Matanza stated during his trial (fols.1,132–1,138) “that Pio Valenzuelasoughtmoney from the wealthy, and as he (the prisoner) understood, from a statement of Bonifacio, had collected over a thousand pesos for the object of covering the expenses of the trip which he made to Dapitan to confer with Rizal; and in order to fool the authorities he took with him a blind individual with his guide, that Rizal might perform a cure or some operation upon the blind man. The motive of the conference was the proposition to Rizal of the armed rebellion, etc., etc.”Valenzuela himself spoke of this trip to Dapitan (see note16, p. 133) as follows:—“In the month of May of that year 1896, a reunion was held in Pasig and there it was agreed to send a commission to Japan ... and it was agreed also to commence the armed rebellion, settling the manner in which it should be carried out, but it was decided that, previous to taking action it would be wise to consult with Rizal, the witness being chosen as emissary. The schoolmaster of Cavite Viejo, by name Santos, proposed that a blind man named Raymundo Mata should accompany Valenzuela that Rizal might cure him. The witness embarked on the S. S. Venus at the end of May, meeting on board, one of Rizal’s sisters, and his (Rizal’s)querida, an American or English woman named Josefina; and arriving at Dapitan, the witness went ashore with the two women and a servant that accompanied them, making their way to the house of Rizal, etc., etc.”According to a statement of Isabelo de los Reyes, “Rizal, as has been clearly proved at the trials (of traitors) advised them to wait another two years, as they lacked arms.”I wonder if Rizal foresaw the war tobreak outtwo yearslater between Spain and the United States! His intense desire to go to Cuba would give one that idea.Note 90.Negotiations indeed! Who can imagine the circumspect and formal little nation of Japanadmittingnegotiations with a warehouse porter, a man who was representative only of the worst of the lowest classes! Sr. Diaz probably made this statement from hearsaypor boca de gansoas they say in Spanish. If any negotiations took place between Bonifacio and the Japanese Government they were on a par with those between the late U. S. Consuls of Singapore and Hong-Kong, and a few other irresponsible people, and Aguinaldo, the leader of theKatipunan.Note 91.As has been seen in the foregoing notes, it was the intention of theseparatiststo make purchases of arms and their necessary ammunition in Japan. Those wealthyFilipinoswho were owners of steamships were looked to as the chief assistance in the transportation and landing of the said arms, etc.The date of the arrival of the arms,according as appeared from evidence given during the trial of Francisco L. Roxas, was to have been the 31st of December 1896. Lorenzo de la Paz, however, stated that it was the 1st of September of the said year. Others claimed it to be the 13th of September or the 30th of November. As may be easily seen, there was no lack of disagreement among the chiefs of the revolt, and perhaps, as far as the majority were concerned, still more exploitation.Note 92.Pio Valenzuela y Alejandrino was a licentiate ofMedicine, and one of the members of the inferior Supreme Council of the Katipunan. According to his own story he entered the files of the society under compulsion at the hands of Andrés Bonifacio, who on the strength of a love affair, gave him the alternative of death or membership in the Katipunan (see p. 132). In his declaration during his trial (fol. 142–147) on the 6th of September 1896, he recorded how on the 30 day of November, S. Andrew’s day of the year 1895, he was presented by Andrés Bonifacio to variousKatipunerosas “brother” Medico (Doctor), Bonifacio stating that from that time he(Valenzuela) would be the doctor of the society. He also stated how, in the following month of January and in another meeting, he was nominated Fiscal, and official doctor with a salary of thirty pesos monthly, a salary he had no little difficulty in collecting. He was commissioned in May 1896 to go to Dapitan to hold a conference with Rizal concerning armed rising against the supreme authority of Spain in the Archipelago; but Rizal was shrewder and more far-sighted than the others and would not consent to thecarryingout of the scheme as proposed by Bonifacio. On the return of Valenzuela Bonifacio imposed upon him a strictsilenceconcerning the outcome of the conference; but being pressed by certain members of the society, among whom were Emilio Jacinto, Secretary of the Supreme Council, andcapitaRamon of Pandacan, he revealed the secret of Rizal’s opposition to a plan he feared would be abortive. When once the cat was out of the bag the facts soon became public among the principal members, with the result that many who had promised funds for the purchase of arms etc. in Japan, refused to pay the amounts promised. Among these was acolonel of Malabon who had promised 500 pesos for the said object. This breach of confidence on the part of Valenzuela brought about the separation of himself andBonifacio, and the former presented hisresignationas doctor and fiscal of the society. Bonifacio opposed the idea of his resignation but it was finally accepted, and the former friends parted company each to work in his own sphere.Valenzuela was in fact one of the chief movers of the rebellion; this was confessed by Domingo Franco, the late president of the thendefunctLigaFilipina. “The rebellion,” says he, “was produced by a foolish child, whose name it would dirty the tongue to pronounce, because after being the author of all (this however is somewhat inexact) has given himself up to the authorities to denounce those he has succeeded in misleading.”During his trial in the Bilibid prison, before Col. Francisco Olive y García on the 2nd of September 1896, he gave some of the most interesting and reliable information that has yet been gathered concerning the interior workings and doings of the Katipunan.When the Guardia Civil set out from Manila to break up Bonifacio’s party in Caloocan, several of those forming the leadership fled, and among them Valenzuela. He entered Manila by way of Sampaloc, passing through Quiapo to the Escolta and down thePasaje de Pérez, embarking there on one of the lake steamers. On arrival at Biñang he went to the house of the co-adjutor D. Silvino Manaol (native priest), to whom he recounted what had taken place. The co-adjutor asked of the parish priest the proclamation of the Governor General conceding pardon to those who should present themselves64. Having read it with care and under the advice of the co-adjutor, he set out for the capitaldisembarking at the Ayala bridge from whence he took aquilesand wentimmediatelyto the palace of the Governor to present himself to him.The Governor General was not at home so Valenzuela at once started for the offices of the Military Government.Speaking of this giving up of himself of Valenzuela, Sr. José M. del Castillo y Jimenez says: “The forty-eight hours conceded by the proclamation of the Governor Blanco were about to close when there reached the palace of Sta. Potenciana, worn out, bathed in perspiration, and almost in a period of agony, Pio Valenzuela, an important person of revolution he being in such a condition that it was necessary to assist him previous to his passing into the presence of Gov. Blanco. When he had come to himself and was in a condition to make an explicit and ample confession he had two hours conference with the Governor, giving information of as such as he knew.”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“Valenzuela and Rosario were of great utility in clarifying the facts and especially in the explanation of the cipher documents discovered in the houseofVillaruel and others.”
“Malolos, Jan. 9, 1899—Instructions to the Brave Soldiers of Sandtahan of Manila.“Article 1. All Filipinos should observe our fellow-countrymen in order to see whether they are American sympathizers. They shall take care to work with them in order to inspire them with confidence of the strength of the holy cause of their country. Whenever they are assured of the loyalty of the converts they shall instruct them to continue in the character of an American sympathizer in order that they may receive good pay, but without prejudicing the cause of our country. In this way they can serve themselves, and at the same time serve the public by communicating to the committee of chiefs, and of our army, whatever newsof importance they may have56.Gifts as Covers for Attack.“Art. 2. All of the chiefs and Filipino brothers should be ready and courageous for the combat, and should take advantage of the opportunity to study well the situation of the American outposts and headquarters, observing especially secret places where they can approach andsurprisethe enemy.“Art. 3. The chief of those who go to attack the barracks should send in first, four men with a good present for the American commander. Immediately after will follow four others, who will make a pretense of looking for the same officer for some reason and a larger group shall be concealed in the corners or houses in order to aid the other groups at the first signal. This wherever it is possible at the moment of attack.To Murder in Woman’s Disguise.“Art. 4. They should not, prior to the attack, look at the Americans in a threateningmanner. On the contrary, the attack on the barracks by the Sandtahan should be a complete surprise and with decision and courage. One should go alone in advance in order to kill the sentinel. In order to deceive the sentinel this one should dress as a woman, and must take great care that the sentinel is not able to discharge his piece, thus calling the attention of those in the barracks. This will enable his companions who are approaching to assist in the general attack.“Art. 5. At the moment of the attack the Sandtahan should not attempt to secure rifles from their dead enemies, but shall pursue, slashing right and left with bolos until the Americans surrender, and after there remains no enemy who can injure, they may take the rifles in one hand and the ammunition in the other.Firebrandsfrom the Housetops“Art. 6. The officers shall take care that on the top of the houses along the streets where the American forces shall pass there shall be placed four to six men, who shall be prepared with stones, timbers, red hot iron, heavy furniture, as well as boiling water, oil and molasses, rags soaked in coal-oil readyto belitand thrown down, and any other hard and heavy objects that they can throw on the passing American troops. At the same time in the lower parts of the houses will be concealed the Sandtahan, who will attack immediately.“Great care should be taken not to throw glass in the streets, as the greater part of our soldiers go barefooted. On these houses there will, if possible, be arranged in addition to the objects to be thrown down, a number of the Sandtahan, in order to cover a retreat or to follow up a rout of the enemy’s column, so that we may be sure of the destruction of all the opposing forces.Women to Prepare “Bombs”“Art. 9. In addition to the instructions given in paragraph 6, there shall be in the houses vessels filled with boiling water, tallow, molasses and other liquids, which shall be thrown as bombs on the Americans who pass in front of their houses, or they can make use of syringes or tubes of bamboo. In these houses shall be the Sandtahan, who shall hurl the liquids that shall be passed to them by women and children.“Art. 10. In place of bolos or daggers ifthey do not possess the same, the Sandtahan can provide themselves with lances and arrows with long sharp heads, and these should be shot with great force in order that they may penetrate well into the bodies of the enemy. And they should be so made that in withdrawal from the body the head will remain in the flesh.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .”Emilio Aguinaldo”The following official notice posted up in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, is another interesting example of the extent to which this race hatred spread:Notice.The traitor Honorato Quisunbin, who in an evilmomentdenied his country, died yesterday.To-day, one no less a traitor and renegade to his mother country, has also died. He who has been the cause of so many husband-less wives and fatherless children, has received a punishment for his crimes which will prevent him from repeating them.We will allot to-morrow, for the punishment of the remainder if they do not change their conduct, but continue to follow the steps ofthe above mentioned. For this reason, beloved compatriots now that you have witnessed the punishment given to those who have left the path marked by our authority which our government conferred on us although we are unworthy of it, but as we have been appointed, we have forcibly to obey all the decrees published, for the crimes which are punishable by death and which are as follows:1st. All those who have any public or private communication with the enemy and serve them as guides;2nd. All those who attack and rob in a band;3rd. Violation or abuse;4th. Incendiarism;5th. All those who receive any position or employment in the service of the enemy.(Signed)The Compatriots.This race hatred is illustrated very clearly in the definition of the Katipunan given by Romualdo Teodoro de J., when he said that its aim was tokill all Spaniardsand take possession of the islands. No particular hatred was shown to any class; it was all Spaniards of allclassesand conditions whowere to be assassinated. It is also clearly depicted in the Act of Session of theKatipunan Suralready quoted (See page 81; also foot-note page 80).Note 76.What Sr. Diaz intends byTagalogKatipunan is not quite clear. The whole society was practically confined to theTagalogprovinces and was insignificant in extent even beyond the city of Manila and its suburbs. There was no other Katipunan.In November 1895 the assembly of theKatipunanwas composed of ten individuals of the Supreme Council, and the presidents of the popular sections who were entitled to assist in virtue of holding some office therein.In January of the following year of 1896, after the annual election, the assembly was composed as follows:PresidentAndrés Bonifacio.SecretaryEmilio Jacinto.TreasurerVicente Molina.Pantaleón Torres.Hermenegildo Reyes.CouncillorsFrancisco Carreón.José Trinidad.Balbino Florentino.Aguedo del Rosario.FiscalPio Valenzuela.Note 77.The question of the amount and the source of the supply of arms possessed by theKatipunanhas always been one of dispute. Some suppose the rebels to have been well armed, whilst others reckon the number of serviceable guns to have been very small.Among the papers and documents belonging to theKatipunan Sur,seizedby the Spanish authorities, is the following:“Commissioned for the purchase of arms:D. GabinoTantokoD. JuanD. AntonioD. EzequielD. Epifanio Ramos.D. Victoriano Luisfor the distinct armories of Manila.”In a letter of the Secretary to the President D. Agustin Tantoko (a native priest; see page 79):“I believe we can obtain the dynamite by bribing some of the harbor employees.”This letter has a foot-note which says: “When you have read this, destroy it.”Numeriano Adriano testified (fols.1,309–1,312) that Andrés Bonifacio had collected 10,000 pesos for the purchase, in Japan, of 4,000 rifles with abundant ammunition.He also stated that the arms had been purchased and were to be landed near by the mountains of San Mateo and in the Batanes islands, from whence they would be brought to Manila.That “Andrés Bonifacio went to San Mateo with men to receive and arrange arms, whilst Deodato Arellano and Timoteo Paez were encharged to send people to Batanes to the same end.”Also that “It is said that many of the insurgents in the province of Cavite bear arms of different systems, and he supposed that they must have been acquired by the rich and wealthy persons of that province, such as Francisco Osario and others, who knowing perhaps of the existence of theLigaof Manila, its form and object, had formed their own also, in the said province, inorder to unite to that of Manila and make common cause therewith.”Domingo Franco declared (fols.1,381–1,382), in answer to a question during his trial, as to what he knew in reference to the purchase of arms andammunition, that “all he knew was that arms and ammunition had been purchased, because at the end of 1895, or the beginning of 1896, he saw Francisco L. Rojas in his office in Calle Jolo, and the said Rojas told him that he had received a quantity of arms and ammunition.” He stated moreover, that he did not know the make or number, nor where they had been landed.Tomas Prieto of Nueva Caceres mentioned the receipt of 50 arms from Bato. He also stated that Mariano Melgarejo, according to references from Macario Valentin, received a load of arms in eleven cases from Pasacao.”Pio Valenzuela affirmed that the arms borne by the rebels were for the most part domestic bolos57and lances, andthat the chiefs were armed with revolvers.” These revolvers were, he affirmed, acquired from theMaestranzi de Artilleria.Juan Castañeda declared that “the Japanese offered to land here 100,000 rifles with their ammunition, theexpenseof which should be paid in a fixed number of years.”Numeriano Adriano also affirmed that it had been decided to purchase arms in Japan and thatoneof the islands of the Archipelago should be given to Japan in exchange for its aid.Domingo Abella affirmed that he had visited Francisco Rojas in his office for the purpose of finding out if the arms which the tailor Luis Villareal had ordered for the society, had arrived; and that although Francisco Rojas did not belong to the society, he was encharged toportion outthe arms and commissioned to bring them to Manila. Francisco told him that he could not provide him with any as they were all sold.Thenetcost of the arms and ammunition necessary to carry out the revolt was considerable, and as their introduction into the country would have to be very carefullyplanned, and be carried out with thegreatest secrecy, the original cost wouldbeconsiderably increased. Large sums of money were therefore necessary to cover expenses. Although the entrance fees and monthly subscriptions were considerable they could not produce the amount necessary to provide for the revolution, especially when there existed such a wide spreadtendencyamong those who handled the funds, toabsorbthem as a spongeabsorbswater. Castillo in his work concerning this association and its funds says58:“Undoubtedly it (the Katipunan)possessedlarge sums of money, only the most insignificant part of which, according to report, was discovered in the possession of Pio Valenzuela, preserved in gold and amounting, we believe, to less than 30,000 pesos. These resources could not cover the extraordinary expenses of the propaganda, that of the Commissioners sent to Japan to treat with that power on the question of a protectorate, and that of the coming warexpenses which were without doubt, very considerable.“TheIndianis not so selfish or so patrioticthat he would, without immediate advantage to himself permit himself the extravagance of abandoning thesedentarylife he usually leads, to launch out into the field of adventures of doubtful result. Those who from the headquarters of the revolution directed those torpid masses must have realised this, and to make sure of the exit, caused money to be distributed to all the affiliated and to their families, giving them at the same time rice in abundance.“On the morning of the events which took place at San Juan del Monte, two women who live in the Santa Mesa road, were engaged in giving money to thetaos59who passed that way, advising them to unite themselves with theinsurrectosto the end of killing all the Spaniards..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“This money set aside for distribution in San Juan del Monte, in Pasig and in the pueblos on the banks of the river, must have come from a well stocked treasury....”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A little further on, the author gives a very broad hint as to one probable source of funds when he asks the question, whereis themillion and a half pesoswhich constitute the default in the public treasury of Manila?“It would be a curious coincidence,” says the author, “if part of this amount perhaps the greater part should have served as funds from which the expenses of the revolution and the war were paid.”Note 78.The initiations into theKatipunanwere grotesque in the extreme. The person introduced for initiation was placed in a room draped in black, with its walls hung with mottoes in Tagalog dialect such as: “If you have courage you may continue,” “If you have been brought here by your curiosity, retire.” Upon a table was placed a skull, a loaded revolver and a bolo. A paper upon which were written three questions lay also upon the table. These questions were:“In what state did the Spaniards find the Tagalog people at the time of the conquest? In what state are they found now? What future can it hope for?The initiated previously instructed by his god-father, or by the person who catechised him, was to reply that, at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards, theFilipinosliving on the coasts enjoyed a certain amount of civilization, since they already had cannons and silk dresses, that they enjoyed political liberty, sustained diplomatic (sic) relations and commerce with the neighboring countries of Asia; had their own religion and writing; in a word, lived happy with their independence. Acertain amountof civilization may be. Let us see what thatcertain amountwas:“Barely clothed, and more often naked, revelling day and night indrunkenness, given to the practice of infanticide, holding virginity as a dishonor, having among them people who practiced defloration as a profession, ignorant of the value and uses of money, making use of men, women and children to pay debts, incontinualwarfare with one another and enslaving their prisoners, practicing wholesale murder of slaves on the death of a chief or important personage, adoring and sacrificing to rocks, trees, crocodiles and idols of wood; lacking religion, but having in its stead mostbestialand absurd superstitions; without temples, monuments or even literature, although they possessed a species of written language. The only human ideas they possessed were adoptedfrom the Chinese, Japanese and BorneoMohammedanswhom they imitated after the manner of apes. This, historians tell us, was the condition of this people 340 years ago! when the missionaries planted the Cross on Philippine soil, and brought to the benighted natives the gospel.” So much for the certain amount of civilization.Cannons and silk dresses: of a kind; as to the cannons, where did they all come from? Bought from or exchanged with the Borneo moros probably. As to these and the silk dresses, the savages of the south-sea islands enjoyed the use of such things and enjoyed them with better knowledge of how to use them! They enjoyedpolitical liberty; let us see what Morga the historian who speaks most glowingly of the ancient civilization of theFilipinopeoples, has to say on this point.He says: “In all these islands the people had neither kingsnorlords to dominate them as in other kingdoms and provinces. But in each island were many chiefs from among the same natives, some greater than others each one with his subjects, by groups and families, who obeyed and respected them. Sometimes these chiefs were at peace withone another and some times at war.... The superiority which thesechiefshad over the people of their group was such that they held them as subjects,with power to treat them well or ill, disposing of their persons, children and estates at their will, withoutresistanceor the necessity of giving account to anyone, and for very slight offences they killed and wounded them and made slaves of them;and if it happened that one of the chiefs were bathing in the river and a native passed in front of him or looked upon him with want of respect, and for other similar things, theymade slaves of them for ever.” This is a good and practical kind of political liberty, just the kind of liberty the country would enjoy if in the hands of the leaders of the Federal Party, so anxious for liberties for themselves and coercion for those who do not agree with their way of thinking.Diplomatic relations and commerce with the neighboring countries of Asia: As to the diplomatic relations the mere idea of such a thing ispreposterous. If we are to concede the use of diplomatic relations to the ancient Tagalog people, then we must consider as diplomatic relations such customsas the passing of the “peace pipe” practiced by the indian of the United States, and the giving and accepting of young women for sensual convenience practiced in many of the islands of the Pacific up to the present day. As to their foreign commerce let us listen once more to Morga. “Their contracts and negotiations were as a rule illicit, each one considering the best way to come off successful in his business.”Their ownreligion: For a religious system they worshiped their ancestors and performed human sacrifices. The Spaniards found in these islands less than a million inhabitants, who were divided into innumerable tribes governed by rulers who had no more title of sovereignty than that they were enabled to impose upon the people by brute force and untold cruelties. The inhabitants formed a jumble of inferior races some more or less pure in blood, others intermixed; people speaking many dialects. They all lacked religion, in the proper sense of the word; they lacked morals, in fact they were wanting in everything that raises man above the level of the brute creation.As to their own writing, certain it is that they possessed a crude and very inefficientmanner of writing, but what is very remarkable is, that in spite of their possessing a system of script, not a single piece of their literary work has yet been discovered nor even a written tradition. This goes to prove that either theFilipinoswere at that time too deep in the savage ages to realise the importance of writing, or that the form of script was useless for practical purposes.To the second question the initiated replied that the friar missionaries had done nothing to civilize theFilipinos, as they considered the civilization and illustration of the country to be incompatible with their interests60.To the third question the initiated was to reply that they had faith, courage andconstancy to aid them to remedy these evils in the future.61The master of ceremonies warned him that he was taking a very important and very solemn step, and he was recommended to retire if he did not feel courage enough to continue since he would uselessly expose his life. If the initiated insisted in continuing with the mysteries of the initiation he was presented to the reunion of the brethren to be tried by the proofs assigned, which were very similar to those adopted in universal masonry, but surrounded with more paganism, if that be possible. He was blindfolded and made to discharge a revolver against an imaginary enemy, a person he was made to believe really was present and awaitingthere the executionary bullet which should make him pay the penalty of a treason. If he passed through the proofs successfully he was introduced into the hall of oaths and there with his own blood, drawn by means of anincisionmade in the left arm between the shoulder and the elbow, he signed the oath.Note 79.See note50, pages 171, 173 and 174.Note 80.The liberty of the Tagalog people; the chief aim which gave rise to the revolt. The first thing the separatists desired was to get rid of the Peninsular Spaniard; the next to go would have been the insular Spaniard, then the Spanish mestizo, then theChineehalf-caste and theChinee; after which would come the gradual extinction of the various tribes. In the mean time the country would suffer considerably and at last...? See page 69, last four lines of the first paragraph.It is well nigh impossible to imagine to what the liberty of the Tagalog people would mean if it were put into practice. If the South American states which arerecognized as independent, are unable to govern themselves in spite of the political superiority of the people inhabiting them over the peoples of this archipelago, without an unending series of revolutions, whatmightwe expect from the Philippines? Give the country independence with one of the native “commissioners” as president of the republic and how long do you suppose it would be before Pedro Paterno at the head of some 5 or6,000men would march into Manila to depose the president and proclaim himself Emperor Pedro I? And before the new Emperor could install himself in Malacañan he would have at his heels a thousand and one petty chiefs, princes, kings and perhaps even a few ambitious queens!It is over a half a century ago since the South American Republics became independent, and at that time the rest of the world cared but little for the consequences of such a step. But this indifference of the nations can never exist here in the Orient at thecommencementof this XX Century.It would never suit the rest of the world to see independence declared in the Philippines and especially if that independence left the reins of government in the hands of theTagalogpeople.The question of the expulsion from the country or the destruction of the Spaniards has been spoken of under several notes; the idea was, doubtless, a semi-savage interpretation of the preachings and teachings spread abroad by the Bible societies in all parts and especially in Spanish countries. And this becomes the more probable when we call to mind what theEl Imparcialof the 26th of August 1896 published concerning this identical point. Speaking of the state of the country in general as a result of the insurrection, it says:“The minister of Foreign affairs received a telegram yesterday from General Blanco manifesting that more arrests had been made..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The conjuration had ramifications in various parts of the Archipelago, and in it figured not only masonic societies but also Bible societies..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The propaganda of filibusterism is encharged to the colporteurs ofevangelicalbooks, who wander all over the Archipelago selling protestant publications.”Note 81.These three native priests wereamong the prime movers of the rebellion of 1872, a revolt which was planned out in the houses of Joaquin Pardo de Tavera and Jacinto Zamora. The three priests were executed by thegarrotetogether with Francisco Saldua. Gomez left the sum of200,000pesos to his natural son, born to him before he entered the priesthood. In his will he stronglycounselledhis son to be ever faithful to the Spanish authorities. I had intended to give a brief outline of the revolt of ’72 but space will not permit. Taking it as a whole, it differed little from the revolt of ’96 with the exception that it was directly brought about by the propagators of revolutionary ideas then rampant in Spain, and by theemissariesof the revolutionary government then established.Note 82.—See note20.Note 83.The oath taken by thekatipuneroswas as follows:K. K. K.N. M. A. N. B.Section....I declare that on account of my entrance into the K. K. K. of the A. N. B. I havesworn a solemn oath in my native pueblo and in the presence of a superior of the Junta of theKatipunan, to do away with everything that is possible and even with that which is to me most near and dear and appreciated in this life, and to defend the cause to victory or to death. And in truth of this I swear also to be obedient in everything and to follow in the fight wherever I am led.And in proof of what I have said I place my true name with the blood of my veins at the foot of this declaration.”Note 84.Pio Valenzuela, who gave some of the most interesting and reliable information concerning the inner life of theKatipunan, testified (fols. 1,663–1,673) that on the 30th of November 1895, the birthday of Bonifacio, a meeting was held in Caloocan, in a house situated in the rice fields, some thirty five or forty individuals assisting thereat, among them being the witness. This meeting continued all day and all night till the following day, the first of December. At this meeting they pronounced the death sentence upon the tailor Guzman for publishing the secrets of theKatipunan; this sentence was signed by all present including the witness, after he had made many observations against it, observations the rest would not listen to. One of the lighter punishments meted out was the public exposition in the lodge rooms of the picture of the person punished, with the wordtraitorwrittenover or under it.Note 85.TheKatipunanenjoyed a peculiar and special organization, which was given to it in order to avoid surprises and treachery. The assemblies were always held in secluded places and under the cover of the greatest secrecy. Sometimes they were held at midnight in the open cornfields so as not to attract the attention of those indians who were not members of the society. Valenzuela relates how a secret meeting was held in the pueblo of Pasig at midnight, on oneoccasionto arrange the matter of the annexation of the Islands to Japan in case that nation did not care to declare a protectorate over them.The Councilof Ministersof the Supreme popular Council was as follows:PresidentAndrés Bonifacio.WarTeodoro Plata.StateEmilio Jacinto.InteriorAguedo del Rosario.JusticeBirecio Pantas.FinanceEnrique Pacheco.Note 86.Pio Valenzuela mentioned one occasion upon which such a meeting of the society was held, he himself assisting thereat, in the house of Andrés Bonifacio. It was a supper given in honor of the baptism of a child to which the said Valenzuela was god-father. After the supper, which served as a shield under the which the work of the lodge was to be done, an election was held for the Supreme and the Popular Councils, and the sections. Some thirty members were present.Another case he mentioned was that of a meeting held on thebirthdayof Bonifacio 30th of November 1895.The Katipunan moreover had its own festivals. This is how Valenzuela describes them:“The Katipunan held its festival, according as Andrés Bonifacio had told the witness, on the 7th of July, anniversary of thefoundationof the society; it also celebrated another anniversary on the 28th of February,the date of the execution of the three native priests, Burgos, Gomez and Zamora (see note 81). On that day a catafalque draped with black cloth, was erected in each one of the popular Councils, having fourhachones62, one in each of its four angles, adorned with crowns made with plants namedMacabuhay63. All the members filed before the funeral pile, reciting prayers for the dead and swearing to avenge the death of the three priests.Note 87.Roman Baza, who was one of the many who suffered the death penalty for his treason, undertook to educate in ultra-democratic ideas, (as Isabelo de los Reyes is doing in our days), all he came in contact with. He printed and spread abroad the “rights of man” of the French revolution.He was at one time president of theKatipunan(see p. 44) but being a man little suited to carry out to a successful issue the set plans of the society, Bonifacio determinedto remove him, by what Sr. Diaz terms acoup-d’etat, but more properly called an underhand trick. Bonifacio, at that time treasurer, forced a conflict on the subject of the financial conditions of the society, being denounced as an exploiter for his pains. The quarrel was settled by an election, Bonifacio by his unholy influence carrying all before him.It was during the presidency of Baza that the Katipunan society for women was founded, “the object of which wasmutual succor(!).Theinstitution serving at the same time to dissimulate the meetings of the maleKatipuneros. Whilst the latter were holding their sessions in a retired room, the women were in the salon with some young men dancing, singing or eating. The presidentess of this society ofmutual succorerswas Mariana Dizon.To secure admission it was necessary to be a daughter or sister of one of the male members. Mariana Dizon later on married José Turiano Santiago, and as a result, the femaleKatipunan, as an organization was broken up, the late members however continuing to shield as before, the labors of the Katipunan reunions.Note 88.See notes74,75and93. Part of the local and provincial Spanish press has not failed to give the public a rehash from time to time, of the greater part of the inventions of the separatists. It is needless to say, however, that in this it has failed to receive the support of representativeSpaniardswho look upon such an action as little to the honor of the good name of Spain. As to the corresponding English-speaking press in this connection, the less said the better for the good name of American journalism.Note 89.José Dizon Matanza stated during his trial (fols.1,132–1,138) “that Pio Valenzuelasoughtmoney from the wealthy, and as he (the prisoner) understood, from a statement of Bonifacio, had collected over a thousand pesos for the object of covering the expenses of the trip which he made to Dapitan to confer with Rizal; and in order to fool the authorities he took with him a blind individual with his guide, that Rizal might perform a cure or some operation upon the blind man. The motive of the conference was the proposition to Rizal of the armed rebellion, etc., etc.”Valenzuela himself spoke of this trip to Dapitan (see note16, p. 133) as follows:—“In the month of May of that year 1896, a reunion was held in Pasig and there it was agreed to send a commission to Japan ... and it was agreed also to commence the armed rebellion, settling the manner in which it should be carried out, but it was decided that, previous to taking action it would be wise to consult with Rizal, the witness being chosen as emissary. The schoolmaster of Cavite Viejo, by name Santos, proposed that a blind man named Raymundo Mata should accompany Valenzuela that Rizal might cure him. The witness embarked on the S. S. Venus at the end of May, meeting on board, one of Rizal’s sisters, and his (Rizal’s)querida, an American or English woman named Josefina; and arriving at Dapitan, the witness went ashore with the two women and a servant that accompanied them, making their way to the house of Rizal, etc., etc.”According to a statement of Isabelo de los Reyes, “Rizal, as has been clearly proved at the trials (of traitors) advised them to wait another two years, as they lacked arms.”I wonder if Rizal foresaw the war tobreak outtwo yearslater between Spain and the United States! His intense desire to go to Cuba would give one that idea.Note 90.Negotiations indeed! Who can imagine the circumspect and formal little nation of Japanadmittingnegotiations with a warehouse porter, a man who was representative only of the worst of the lowest classes! Sr. Diaz probably made this statement from hearsaypor boca de gansoas they say in Spanish. If any negotiations took place between Bonifacio and the Japanese Government they were on a par with those between the late U. S. Consuls of Singapore and Hong-Kong, and a few other irresponsible people, and Aguinaldo, the leader of theKatipunan.Note 91.As has been seen in the foregoing notes, it was the intention of theseparatiststo make purchases of arms and their necessary ammunition in Japan. Those wealthyFilipinoswho were owners of steamships were looked to as the chief assistance in the transportation and landing of the said arms, etc.The date of the arrival of the arms,according as appeared from evidence given during the trial of Francisco L. Roxas, was to have been the 31st of December 1896. Lorenzo de la Paz, however, stated that it was the 1st of September of the said year. Others claimed it to be the 13th of September or the 30th of November. As may be easily seen, there was no lack of disagreement among the chiefs of the revolt, and perhaps, as far as the majority were concerned, still more exploitation.Note 92.Pio Valenzuela y Alejandrino was a licentiate ofMedicine, and one of the members of the inferior Supreme Council of the Katipunan. According to his own story he entered the files of the society under compulsion at the hands of Andrés Bonifacio, who on the strength of a love affair, gave him the alternative of death or membership in the Katipunan (see p. 132). In his declaration during his trial (fol. 142–147) on the 6th of September 1896, he recorded how on the 30 day of November, S. Andrew’s day of the year 1895, he was presented by Andrés Bonifacio to variousKatipunerosas “brother” Medico (Doctor), Bonifacio stating that from that time he(Valenzuela) would be the doctor of the society. He also stated how, in the following month of January and in another meeting, he was nominated Fiscal, and official doctor with a salary of thirty pesos monthly, a salary he had no little difficulty in collecting. He was commissioned in May 1896 to go to Dapitan to hold a conference with Rizal concerning armed rising against the supreme authority of Spain in the Archipelago; but Rizal was shrewder and more far-sighted than the others and would not consent to thecarryingout of the scheme as proposed by Bonifacio. On the return of Valenzuela Bonifacio imposed upon him a strictsilenceconcerning the outcome of the conference; but being pressed by certain members of the society, among whom were Emilio Jacinto, Secretary of the Supreme Council, andcapitaRamon of Pandacan, he revealed the secret of Rizal’s opposition to a plan he feared would be abortive. When once the cat was out of the bag the facts soon became public among the principal members, with the result that many who had promised funds for the purchase of arms etc. in Japan, refused to pay the amounts promised. Among these was acolonel of Malabon who had promised 500 pesos for the said object. This breach of confidence on the part of Valenzuela brought about the separation of himself andBonifacio, and the former presented hisresignationas doctor and fiscal of the society. Bonifacio opposed the idea of his resignation but it was finally accepted, and the former friends parted company each to work in his own sphere.Valenzuela was in fact one of the chief movers of the rebellion; this was confessed by Domingo Franco, the late president of the thendefunctLigaFilipina. “The rebellion,” says he, “was produced by a foolish child, whose name it would dirty the tongue to pronounce, because after being the author of all (this however is somewhat inexact) has given himself up to the authorities to denounce those he has succeeded in misleading.”During his trial in the Bilibid prison, before Col. Francisco Olive y García on the 2nd of September 1896, he gave some of the most interesting and reliable information that has yet been gathered concerning the interior workings and doings of the Katipunan.When the Guardia Civil set out from Manila to break up Bonifacio’s party in Caloocan, several of those forming the leadership fled, and among them Valenzuela. He entered Manila by way of Sampaloc, passing through Quiapo to the Escolta and down thePasaje de Pérez, embarking there on one of the lake steamers. On arrival at Biñang he went to the house of the co-adjutor D. Silvino Manaol (native priest), to whom he recounted what had taken place. The co-adjutor asked of the parish priest the proclamation of the Governor General conceding pardon to those who should present themselves64. Having read it with care and under the advice of the co-adjutor, he set out for the capitaldisembarking at the Ayala bridge from whence he took aquilesand wentimmediatelyto the palace of the Governor to present himself to him.The Governor General was not at home so Valenzuela at once started for the offices of the Military Government.Speaking of this giving up of himself of Valenzuela, Sr. José M. del Castillo y Jimenez says: “The forty-eight hours conceded by the proclamation of the Governor Blanco were about to close when there reached the palace of Sta. Potenciana, worn out, bathed in perspiration, and almost in a period of agony, Pio Valenzuela, an important person of revolution he being in such a condition that it was necessary to assist him previous to his passing into the presence of Gov. Blanco. When he had come to himself and was in a condition to make an explicit and ample confession he had two hours conference with the Governor, giving information of as such as he knew.”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“Valenzuela and Rosario were of great utility in clarifying the facts and especially in the explanation of the cipher documents discovered in the houseofVillaruel and others.”
“Malolos, Jan. 9, 1899—Instructions to the Brave Soldiers of Sandtahan of Manila.“Article 1. All Filipinos should observe our fellow-countrymen in order to see whether they are American sympathizers. They shall take care to work with them in order to inspire them with confidence of the strength of the holy cause of their country. Whenever they are assured of the loyalty of the converts they shall instruct them to continue in the character of an American sympathizer in order that they may receive good pay, but without prejudicing the cause of our country. In this way they can serve themselves, and at the same time serve the public by communicating to the committee of chiefs, and of our army, whatever newsof importance they may have56.Gifts as Covers for Attack.“Art. 2. All of the chiefs and Filipino brothers should be ready and courageous for the combat, and should take advantage of the opportunity to study well the situation of the American outposts and headquarters, observing especially secret places where they can approach andsurprisethe enemy.“Art. 3. The chief of those who go to attack the barracks should send in first, four men with a good present for the American commander. Immediately after will follow four others, who will make a pretense of looking for the same officer for some reason and a larger group shall be concealed in the corners or houses in order to aid the other groups at the first signal. This wherever it is possible at the moment of attack.To Murder in Woman’s Disguise.“Art. 4. They should not, prior to the attack, look at the Americans in a threateningmanner. On the contrary, the attack on the barracks by the Sandtahan should be a complete surprise and with decision and courage. One should go alone in advance in order to kill the sentinel. In order to deceive the sentinel this one should dress as a woman, and must take great care that the sentinel is not able to discharge his piece, thus calling the attention of those in the barracks. This will enable his companions who are approaching to assist in the general attack.“Art. 5. At the moment of the attack the Sandtahan should not attempt to secure rifles from their dead enemies, but shall pursue, slashing right and left with bolos until the Americans surrender, and after there remains no enemy who can injure, they may take the rifles in one hand and the ammunition in the other.Firebrandsfrom the Housetops“Art. 6. The officers shall take care that on the top of the houses along the streets where the American forces shall pass there shall be placed four to six men, who shall be prepared with stones, timbers, red hot iron, heavy furniture, as well as boiling water, oil and molasses, rags soaked in coal-oil readyto belitand thrown down, and any other hard and heavy objects that they can throw on the passing American troops. At the same time in the lower parts of the houses will be concealed the Sandtahan, who will attack immediately.“Great care should be taken not to throw glass in the streets, as the greater part of our soldiers go barefooted. On these houses there will, if possible, be arranged in addition to the objects to be thrown down, a number of the Sandtahan, in order to cover a retreat or to follow up a rout of the enemy’s column, so that we may be sure of the destruction of all the opposing forces.Women to Prepare “Bombs”“Art. 9. In addition to the instructions given in paragraph 6, there shall be in the houses vessels filled with boiling water, tallow, molasses and other liquids, which shall be thrown as bombs on the Americans who pass in front of their houses, or they can make use of syringes or tubes of bamboo. In these houses shall be the Sandtahan, who shall hurl the liquids that shall be passed to them by women and children.“Art. 10. In place of bolos or daggers ifthey do not possess the same, the Sandtahan can provide themselves with lances and arrows with long sharp heads, and these should be shot with great force in order that they may penetrate well into the bodies of the enemy. And they should be so made that in withdrawal from the body the head will remain in the flesh.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .”Emilio Aguinaldo”The following official notice posted up in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, is another interesting example of the extent to which this race hatred spread:Notice.The traitor Honorato Quisunbin, who in an evilmomentdenied his country, died yesterday.To-day, one no less a traitor and renegade to his mother country, has also died. He who has been the cause of so many husband-less wives and fatherless children, has received a punishment for his crimes which will prevent him from repeating them.We will allot to-morrow, for the punishment of the remainder if they do not change their conduct, but continue to follow the steps ofthe above mentioned. For this reason, beloved compatriots now that you have witnessed the punishment given to those who have left the path marked by our authority which our government conferred on us although we are unworthy of it, but as we have been appointed, we have forcibly to obey all the decrees published, for the crimes which are punishable by death and which are as follows:1st. All those who have any public or private communication with the enemy and serve them as guides;2nd. All those who attack and rob in a band;3rd. Violation or abuse;4th. Incendiarism;5th. All those who receive any position or employment in the service of the enemy.(Signed)The Compatriots.This race hatred is illustrated very clearly in the definition of the Katipunan given by Romualdo Teodoro de J., when he said that its aim was tokill all Spaniardsand take possession of the islands. No particular hatred was shown to any class; it was all Spaniards of allclassesand conditions whowere to be assassinated. It is also clearly depicted in the Act of Session of theKatipunan Suralready quoted (See page 81; also foot-note page 80).Note 76.What Sr. Diaz intends byTagalogKatipunan is not quite clear. The whole society was practically confined to theTagalogprovinces and was insignificant in extent even beyond the city of Manila and its suburbs. There was no other Katipunan.In November 1895 the assembly of theKatipunanwas composed of ten individuals of the Supreme Council, and the presidents of the popular sections who were entitled to assist in virtue of holding some office therein.In January of the following year of 1896, after the annual election, the assembly was composed as follows:PresidentAndrés Bonifacio.SecretaryEmilio Jacinto.TreasurerVicente Molina.Pantaleón Torres.Hermenegildo Reyes.CouncillorsFrancisco Carreón.José Trinidad.Balbino Florentino.Aguedo del Rosario.FiscalPio Valenzuela.Note 77.The question of the amount and the source of the supply of arms possessed by theKatipunanhas always been one of dispute. Some suppose the rebels to have been well armed, whilst others reckon the number of serviceable guns to have been very small.Among the papers and documents belonging to theKatipunan Sur,seizedby the Spanish authorities, is the following:“Commissioned for the purchase of arms:D. GabinoTantokoD. JuanD. AntonioD. EzequielD. Epifanio Ramos.D. Victoriano Luisfor the distinct armories of Manila.”In a letter of the Secretary to the President D. Agustin Tantoko (a native priest; see page 79):“I believe we can obtain the dynamite by bribing some of the harbor employees.”This letter has a foot-note which says: “When you have read this, destroy it.”Numeriano Adriano testified (fols.1,309–1,312) that Andrés Bonifacio had collected 10,000 pesos for the purchase, in Japan, of 4,000 rifles with abundant ammunition.He also stated that the arms had been purchased and were to be landed near by the mountains of San Mateo and in the Batanes islands, from whence they would be brought to Manila.That “Andrés Bonifacio went to San Mateo with men to receive and arrange arms, whilst Deodato Arellano and Timoteo Paez were encharged to send people to Batanes to the same end.”Also that “It is said that many of the insurgents in the province of Cavite bear arms of different systems, and he supposed that they must have been acquired by the rich and wealthy persons of that province, such as Francisco Osario and others, who knowing perhaps of the existence of theLigaof Manila, its form and object, had formed their own also, in the said province, inorder to unite to that of Manila and make common cause therewith.”Domingo Franco declared (fols.1,381–1,382), in answer to a question during his trial, as to what he knew in reference to the purchase of arms andammunition, that “all he knew was that arms and ammunition had been purchased, because at the end of 1895, or the beginning of 1896, he saw Francisco L. Rojas in his office in Calle Jolo, and the said Rojas told him that he had received a quantity of arms and ammunition.” He stated moreover, that he did not know the make or number, nor where they had been landed.Tomas Prieto of Nueva Caceres mentioned the receipt of 50 arms from Bato. He also stated that Mariano Melgarejo, according to references from Macario Valentin, received a load of arms in eleven cases from Pasacao.”Pio Valenzuela affirmed that the arms borne by the rebels were for the most part domestic bolos57and lances, andthat the chiefs were armed with revolvers.” These revolvers were, he affirmed, acquired from theMaestranzi de Artilleria.Juan Castañeda declared that “the Japanese offered to land here 100,000 rifles with their ammunition, theexpenseof which should be paid in a fixed number of years.”Numeriano Adriano also affirmed that it had been decided to purchase arms in Japan and thatoneof the islands of the Archipelago should be given to Japan in exchange for its aid.Domingo Abella affirmed that he had visited Francisco Rojas in his office for the purpose of finding out if the arms which the tailor Luis Villareal had ordered for the society, had arrived; and that although Francisco Rojas did not belong to the society, he was encharged toportion outthe arms and commissioned to bring them to Manila. Francisco told him that he could not provide him with any as they were all sold.Thenetcost of the arms and ammunition necessary to carry out the revolt was considerable, and as their introduction into the country would have to be very carefullyplanned, and be carried out with thegreatest secrecy, the original cost wouldbeconsiderably increased. Large sums of money were therefore necessary to cover expenses. Although the entrance fees and monthly subscriptions were considerable they could not produce the amount necessary to provide for the revolution, especially when there existed such a wide spreadtendencyamong those who handled the funds, toabsorbthem as a spongeabsorbswater. Castillo in his work concerning this association and its funds says58:“Undoubtedly it (the Katipunan)possessedlarge sums of money, only the most insignificant part of which, according to report, was discovered in the possession of Pio Valenzuela, preserved in gold and amounting, we believe, to less than 30,000 pesos. These resources could not cover the extraordinary expenses of the propaganda, that of the Commissioners sent to Japan to treat with that power on the question of a protectorate, and that of the coming warexpenses which were without doubt, very considerable.“TheIndianis not so selfish or so patrioticthat he would, without immediate advantage to himself permit himself the extravagance of abandoning thesedentarylife he usually leads, to launch out into the field of adventures of doubtful result. Those who from the headquarters of the revolution directed those torpid masses must have realised this, and to make sure of the exit, caused money to be distributed to all the affiliated and to their families, giving them at the same time rice in abundance.“On the morning of the events which took place at San Juan del Monte, two women who live in the Santa Mesa road, were engaged in giving money to thetaos59who passed that way, advising them to unite themselves with theinsurrectosto the end of killing all the Spaniards..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“This money set aside for distribution in San Juan del Monte, in Pasig and in the pueblos on the banks of the river, must have come from a well stocked treasury....”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A little further on, the author gives a very broad hint as to one probable source of funds when he asks the question, whereis themillion and a half pesoswhich constitute the default in the public treasury of Manila?“It would be a curious coincidence,” says the author, “if part of this amount perhaps the greater part should have served as funds from which the expenses of the revolution and the war were paid.”Note 78.The initiations into theKatipunanwere grotesque in the extreme. The person introduced for initiation was placed in a room draped in black, with its walls hung with mottoes in Tagalog dialect such as: “If you have courage you may continue,” “If you have been brought here by your curiosity, retire.” Upon a table was placed a skull, a loaded revolver and a bolo. A paper upon which were written three questions lay also upon the table. These questions were:“In what state did the Spaniards find the Tagalog people at the time of the conquest? In what state are they found now? What future can it hope for?The initiated previously instructed by his god-father, or by the person who catechised him, was to reply that, at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards, theFilipinosliving on the coasts enjoyed a certain amount of civilization, since they already had cannons and silk dresses, that they enjoyed political liberty, sustained diplomatic (sic) relations and commerce with the neighboring countries of Asia; had their own religion and writing; in a word, lived happy with their independence. Acertain amountof civilization may be. Let us see what thatcertain amountwas:“Barely clothed, and more often naked, revelling day and night indrunkenness, given to the practice of infanticide, holding virginity as a dishonor, having among them people who practiced defloration as a profession, ignorant of the value and uses of money, making use of men, women and children to pay debts, incontinualwarfare with one another and enslaving their prisoners, practicing wholesale murder of slaves on the death of a chief or important personage, adoring and sacrificing to rocks, trees, crocodiles and idols of wood; lacking religion, but having in its stead mostbestialand absurd superstitions; without temples, monuments or even literature, although they possessed a species of written language. The only human ideas they possessed were adoptedfrom the Chinese, Japanese and BorneoMohammedanswhom they imitated after the manner of apes. This, historians tell us, was the condition of this people 340 years ago! when the missionaries planted the Cross on Philippine soil, and brought to the benighted natives the gospel.” So much for the certain amount of civilization.Cannons and silk dresses: of a kind; as to the cannons, where did they all come from? Bought from or exchanged with the Borneo moros probably. As to these and the silk dresses, the savages of the south-sea islands enjoyed the use of such things and enjoyed them with better knowledge of how to use them! They enjoyedpolitical liberty; let us see what Morga the historian who speaks most glowingly of the ancient civilization of theFilipinopeoples, has to say on this point.He says: “In all these islands the people had neither kingsnorlords to dominate them as in other kingdoms and provinces. But in each island were many chiefs from among the same natives, some greater than others each one with his subjects, by groups and families, who obeyed and respected them. Sometimes these chiefs were at peace withone another and some times at war.... The superiority which thesechiefshad over the people of their group was such that they held them as subjects,with power to treat them well or ill, disposing of their persons, children and estates at their will, withoutresistanceor the necessity of giving account to anyone, and for very slight offences they killed and wounded them and made slaves of them;and if it happened that one of the chiefs were bathing in the river and a native passed in front of him or looked upon him with want of respect, and for other similar things, theymade slaves of them for ever.” This is a good and practical kind of political liberty, just the kind of liberty the country would enjoy if in the hands of the leaders of the Federal Party, so anxious for liberties for themselves and coercion for those who do not agree with their way of thinking.Diplomatic relations and commerce with the neighboring countries of Asia: As to the diplomatic relations the mere idea of such a thing ispreposterous. If we are to concede the use of diplomatic relations to the ancient Tagalog people, then we must consider as diplomatic relations such customsas the passing of the “peace pipe” practiced by the indian of the United States, and the giving and accepting of young women for sensual convenience practiced in many of the islands of the Pacific up to the present day. As to their foreign commerce let us listen once more to Morga. “Their contracts and negotiations were as a rule illicit, each one considering the best way to come off successful in his business.”Their ownreligion: For a religious system they worshiped their ancestors and performed human sacrifices. The Spaniards found in these islands less than a million inhabitants, who were divided into innumerable tribes governed by rulers who had no more title of sovereignty than that they were enabled to impose upon the people by brute force and untold cruelties. The inhabitants formed a jumble of inferior races some more or less pure in blood, others intermixed; people speaking many dialects. They all lacked religion, in the proper sense of the word; they lacked morals, in fact they were wanting in everything that raises man above the level of the brute creation.As to their own writing, certain it is that they possessed a crude and very inefficientmanner of writing, but what is very remarkable is, that in spite of their possessing a system of script, not a single piece of their literary work has yet been discovered nor even a written tradition. This goes to prove that either theFilipinoswere at that time too deep in the savage ages to realise the importance of writing, or that the form of script was useless for practical purposes.To the second question the initiated replied that the friar missionaries had done nothing to civilize theFilipinos, as they considered the civilization and illustration of the country to be incompatible with their interests60.To the third question the initiated was to reply that they had faith, courage andconstancy to aid them to remedy these evils in the future.61The master of ceremonies warned him that he was taking a very important and very solemn step, and he was recommended to retire if he did not feel courage enough to continue since he would uselessly expose his life. If the initiated insisted in continuing with the mysteries of the initiation he was presented to the reunion of the brethren to be tried by the proofs assigned, which were very similar to those adopted in universal masonry, but surrounded with more paganism, if that be possible. He was blindfolded and made to discharge a revolver against an imaginary enemy, a person he was made to believe really was present and awaitingthere the executionary bullet which should make him pay the penalty of a treason. If he passed through the proofs successfully he was introduced into the hall of oaths and there with his own blood, drawn by means of anincisionmade in the left arm between the shoulder and the elbow, he signed the oath.Note 79.See note50, pages 171, 173 and 174.Note 80.The liberty of the Tagalog people; the chief aim which gave rise to the revolt. The first thing the separatists desired was to get rid of the Peninsular Spaniard; the next to go would have been the insular Spaniard, then the Spanish mestizo, then theChineehalf-caste and theChinee; after which would come the gradual extinction of the various tribes. In the mean time the country would suffer considerably and at last...? See page 69, last four lines of the first paragraph.It is well nigh impossible to imagine to what the liberty of the Tagalog people would mean if it were put into practice. If the South American states which arerecognized as independent, are unable to govern themselves in spite of the political superiority of the people inhabiting them over the peoples of this archipelago, without an unending series of revolutions, whatmightwe expect from the Philippines? Give the country independence with one of the native “commissioners” as president of the republic and how long do you suppose it would be before Pedro Paterno at the head of some 5 or6,000men would march into Manila to depose the president and proclaim himself Emperor Pedro I? And before the new Emperor could install himself in Malacañan he would have at his heels a thousand and one petty chiefs, princes, kings and perhaps even a few ambitious queens!It is over a half a century ago since the South American Republics became independent, and at that time the rest of the world cared but little for the consequences of such a step. But this indifference of the nations can never exist here in the Orient at thecommencementof this XX Century.It would never suit the rest of the world to see independence declared in the Philippines and especially if that independence left the reins of government in the hands of theTagalogpeople.The question of the expulsion from the country or the destruction of the Spaniards has been spoken of under several notes; the idea was, doubtless, a semi-savage interpretation of the preachings and teachings spread abroad by the Bible societies in all parts and especially in Spanish countries. And this becomes the more probable when we call to mind what theEl Imparcialof the 26th of August 1896 published concerning this identical point. Speaking of the state of the country in general as a result of the insurrection, it says:“The minister of Foreign affairs received a telegram yesterday from General Blanco manifesting that more arrests had been made..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The conjuration had ramifications in various parts of the Archipelago, and in it figured not only masonic societies but also Bible societies..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The propaganda of filibusterism is encharged to the colporteurs ofevangelicalbooks, who wander all over the Archipelago selling protestant publications.”Note 81.These three native priests wereamong the prime movers of the rebellion of 1872, a revolt which was planned out in the houses of Joaquin Pardo de Tavera and Jacinto Zamora. The three priests were executed by thegarrotetogether with Francisco Saldua. Gomez left the sum of200,000pesos to his natural son, born to him before he entered the priesthood. In his will he stronglycounselledhis son to be ever faithful to the Spanish authorities. I had intended to give a brief outline of the revolt of ’72 but space will not permit. Taking it as a whole, it differed little from the revolt of ’96 with the exception that it was directly brought about by the propagators of revolutionary ideas then rampant in Spain, and by theemissariesof the revolutionary government then established.Note 82.—See note20.Note 83.The oath taken by thekatipuneroswas as follows:K. K. K.N. M. A. N. B.Section....I declare that on account of my entrance into the K. K. K. of the A. N. B. I havesworn a solemn oath in my native pueblo and in the presence of a superior of the Junta of theKatipunan, to do away with everything that is possible and even with that which is to me most near and dear and appreciated in this life, and to defend the cause to victory or to death. And in truth of this I swear also to be obedient in everything and to follow in the fight wherever I am led.And in proof of what I have said I place my true name with the blood of my veins at the foot of this declaration.”Note 84.Pio Valenzuela, who gave some of the most interesting and reliable information concerning the inner life of theKatipunan, testified (fols. 1,663–1,673) that on the 30th of November 1895, the birthday of Bonifacio, a meeting was held in Caloocan, in a house situated in the rice fields, some thirty five or forty individuals assisting thereat, among them being the witness. This meeting continued all day and all night till the following day, the first of December. At this meeting they pronounced the death sentence upon the tailor Guzman for publishing the secrets of theKatipunan; this sentence was signed by all present including the witness, after he had made many observations against it, observations the rest would not listen to. One of the lighter punishments meted out was the public exposition in the lodge rooms of the picture of the person punished, with the wordtraitorwrittenover or under it.Note 85.TheKatipunanenjoyed a peculiar and special organization, which was given to it in order to avoid surprises and treachery. The assemblies were always held in secluded places and under the cover of the greatest secrecy. Sometimes they were held at midnight in the open cornfields so as not to attract the attention of those indians who were not members of the society. Valenzuela relates how a secret meeting was held in the pueblo of Pasig at midnight, on oneoccasionto arrange the matter of the annexation of the Islands to Japan in case that nation did not care to declare a protectorate over them.The Councilof Ministersof the Supreme popular Council was as follows:PresidentAndrés Bonifacio.WarTeodoro Plata.StateEmilio Jacinto.InteriorAguedo del Rosario.JusticeBirecio Pantas.FinanceEnrique Pacheco.Note 86.Pio Valenzuela mentioned one occasion upon which such a meeting of the society was held, he himself assisting thereat, in the house of Andrés Bonifacio. It was a supper given in honor of the baptism of a child to which the said Valenzuela was god-father. After the supper, which served as a shield under the which the work of the lodge was to be done, an election was held for the Supreme and the Popular Councils, and the sections. Some thirty members were present.Another case he mentioned was that of a meeting held on thebirthdayof Bonifacio 30th of November 1895.The Katipunan moreover had its own festivals. This is how Valenzuela describes them:“The Katipunan held its festival, according as Andrés Bonifacio had told the witness, on the 7th of July, anniversary of thefoundationof the society; it also celebrated another anniversary on the 28th of February,the date of the execution of the three native priests, Burgos, Gomez and Zamora (see note 81). On that day a catafalque draped with black cloth, was erected in each one of the popular Councils, having fourhachones62, one in each of its four angles, adorned with crowns made with plants namedMacabuhay63. All the members filed before the funeral pile, reciting prayers for the dead and swearing to avenge the death of the three priests.Note 87.Roman Baza, who was one of the many who suffered the death penalty for his treason, undertook to educate in ultra-democratic ideas, (as Isabelo de los Reyes is doing in our days), all he came in contact with. He printed and spread abroad the “rights of man” of the French revolution.He was at one time president of theKatipunan(see p. 44) but being a man little suited to carry out to a successful issue the set plans of the society, Bonifacio determinedto remove him, by what Sr. Diaz terms acoup-d’etat, but more properly called an underhand trick. Bonifacio, at that time treasurer, forced a conflict on the subject of the financial conditions of the society, being denounced as an exploiter for his pains. The quarrel was settled by an election, Bonifacio by his unholy influence carrying all before him.It was during the presidency of Baza that the Katipunan society for women was founded, “the object of which wasmutual succor(!).Theinstitution serving at the same time to dissimulate the meetings of the maleKatipuneros. Whilst the latter were holding their sessions in a retired room, the women were in the salon with some young men dancing, singing or eating. The presidentess of this society ofmutual succorerswas Mariana Dizon.To secure admission it was necessary to be a daughter or sister of one of the male members. Mariana Dizon later on married José Turiano Santiago, and as a result, the femaleKatipunan, as an organization was broken up, the late members however continuing to shield as before, the labors of the Katipunan reunions.Note 88.See notes74,75and93. Part of the local and provincial Spanish press has not failed to give the public a rehash from time to time, of the greater part of the inventions of the separatists. It is needless to say, however, that in this it has failed to receive the support of representativeSpaniardswho look upon such an action as little to the honor of the good name of Spain. As to the corresponding English-speaking press in this connection, the less said the better for the good name of American journalism.Note 89.José Dizon Matanza stated during his trial (fols.1,132–1,138) “that Pio Valenzuelasoughtmoney from the wealthy, and as he (the prisoner) understood, from a statement of Bonifacio, had collected over a thousand pesos for the object of covering the expenses of the trip which he made to Dapitan to confer with Rizal; and in order to fool the authorities he took with him a blind individual with his guide, that Rizal might perform a cure or some operation upon the blind man. The motive of the conference was the proposition to Rizal of the armed rebellion, etc., etc.”Valenzuela himself spoke of this trip to Dapitan (see note16, p. 133) as follows:—“In the month of May of that year 1896, a reunion was held in Pasig and there it was agreed to send a commission to Japan ... and it was agreed also to commence the armed rebellion, settling the manner in which it should be carried out, but it was decided that, previous to taking action it would be wise to consult with Rizal, the witness being chosen as emissary. The schoolmaster of Cavite Viejo, by name Santos, proposed that a blind man named Raymundo Mata should accompany Valenzuela that Rizal might cure him. The witness embarked on the S. S. Venus at the end of May, meeting on board, one of Rizal’s sisters, and his (Rizal’s)querida, an American or English woman named Josefina; and arriving at Dapitan, the witness went ashore with the two women and a servant that accompanied them, making their way to the house of Rizal, etc., etc.”According to a statement of Isabelo de los Reyes, “Rizal, as has been clearly proved at the trials (of traitors) advised them to wait another two years, as they lacked arms.”I wonder if Rizal foresaw the war tobreak outtwo yearslater between Spain and the United States! His intense desire to go to Cuba would give one that idea.Note 90.Negotiations indeed! Who can imagine the circumspect and formal little nation of Japanadmittingnegotiations with a warehouse porter, a man who was representative only of the worst of the lowest classes! Sr. Diaz probably made this statement from hearsaypor boca de gansoas they say in Spanish. If any negotiations took place between Bonifacio and the Japanese Government they were on a par with those between the late U. S. Consuls of Singapore and Hong-Kong, and a few other irresponsible people, and Aguinaldo, the leader of theKatipunan.Note 91.As has been seen in the foregoing notes, it was the intention of theseparatiststo make purchases of arms and their necessary ammunition in Japan. Those wealthyFilipinoswho were owners of steamships were looked to as the chief assistance in the transportation and landing of the said arms, etc.The date of the arrival of the arms,according as appeared from evidence given during the trial of Francisco L. Roxas, was to have been the 31st of December 1896. Lorenzo de la Paz, however, stated that it was the 1st of September of the said year. Others claimed it to be the 13th of September or the 30th of November. As may be easily seen, there was no lack of disagreement among the chiefs of the revolt, and perhaps, as far as the majority were concerned, still more exploitation.Note 92.Pio Valenzuela y Alejandrino was a licentiate ofMedicine, and one of the members of the inferior Supreme Council of the Katipunan. According to his own story he entered the files of the society under compulsion at the hands of Andrés Bonifacio, who on the strength of a love affair, gave him the alternative of death or membership in the Katipunan (see p. 132). In his declaration during his trial (fol. 142–147) on the 6th of September 1896, he recorded how on the 30 day of November, S. Andrew’s day of the year 1895, he was presented by Andrés Bonifacio to variousKatipunerosas “brother” Medico (Doctor), Bonifacio stating that from that time he(Valenzuela) would be the doctor of the society. He also stated how, in the following month of January and in another meeting, he was nominated Fiscal, and official doctor with a salary of thirty pesos monthly, a salary he had no little difficulty in collecting. He was commissioned in May 1896 to go to Dapitan to hold a conference with Rizal concerning armed rising against the supreme authority of Spain in the Archipelago; but Rizal was shrewder and more far-sighted than the others and would not consent to thecarryingout of the scheme as proposed by Bonifacio. On the return of Valenzuela Bonifacio imposed upon him a strictsilenceconcerning the outcome of the conference; but being pressed by certain members of the society, among whom were Emilio Jacinto, Secretary of the Supreme Council, andcapitaRamon of Pandacan, he revealed the secret of Rizal’s opposition to a plan he feared would be abortive. When once the cat was out of the bag the facts soon became public among the principal members, with the result that many who had promised funds for the purchase of arms etc. in Japan, refused to pay the amounts promised. Among these was acolonel of Malabon who had promised 500 pesos for the said object. This breach of confidence on the part of Valenzuela brought about the separation of himself andBonifacio, and the former presented hisresignationas doctor and fiscal of the society. Bonifacio opposed the idea of his resignation but it was finally accepted, and the former friends parted company each to work in his own sphere.Valenzuela was in fact one of the chief movers of the rebellion; this was confessed by Domingo Franco, the late president of the thendefunctLigaFilipina. “The rebellion,” says he, “was produced by a foolish child, whose name it would dirty the tongue to pronounce, because after being the author of all (this however is somewhat inexact) has given himself up to the authorities to denounce those he has succeeded in misleading.”During his trial in the Bilibid prison, before Col. Francisco Olive y García on the 2nd of September 1896, he gave some of the most interesting and reliable information that has yet been gathered concerning the interior workings and doings of the Katipunan.When the Guardia Civil set out from Manila to break up Bonifacio’s party in Caloocan, several of those forming the leadership fled, and among them Valenzuela. He entered Manila by way of Sampaloc, passing through Quiapo to the Escolta and down thePasaje de Pérez, embarking there on one of the lake steamers. On arrival at Biñang he went to the house of the co-adjutor D. Silvino Manaol (native priest), to whom he recounted what had taken place. The co-adjutor asked of the parish priest the proclamation of the Governor General conceding pardon to those who should present themselves64. Having read it with care and under the advice of the co-adjutor, he set out for the capitaldisembarking at the Ayala bridge from whence he took aquilesand wentimmediatelyto the palace of the Governor to present himself to him.The Governor General was not at home so Valenzuela at once started for the offices of the Military Government.Speaking of this giving up of himself of Valenzuela, Sr. José M. del Castillo y Jimenez says: “The forty-eight hours conceded by the proclamation of the Governor Blanco were about to close when there reached the palace of Sta. Potenciana, worn out, bathed in perspiration, and almost in a period of agony, Pio Valenzuela, an important person of revolution he being in such a condition that it was necessary to assist him previous to his passing into the presence of Gov. Blanco. When he had come to himself and was in a condition to make an explicit and ample confession he had two hours conference with the Governor, giving information of as such as he knew.”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“Valenzuela and Rosario were of great utility in clarifying the facts and especially in the explanation of the cipher documents discovered in the houseofVillaruel and others.”
“Malolos, Jan. 9, 1899—Instructions to the Brave Soldiers of Sandtahan of Manila.“Article 1. All Filipinos should observe our fellow-countrymen in order to see whether they are American sympathizers. They shall take care to work with them in order to inspire them with confidence of the strength of the holy cause of their country. Whenever they are assured of the loyalty of the converts they shall instruct them to continue in the character of an American sympathizer in order that they may receive good pay, but without prejudicing the cause of our country. In this way they can serve themselves, and at the same time serve the public by communicating to the committee of chiefs, and of our army, whatever newsof importance they may have56.Gifts as Covers for Attack.“Art. 2. All of the chiefs and Filipino brothers should be ready and courageous for the combat, and should take advantage of the opportunity to study well the situation of the American outposts and headquarters, observing especially secret places where they can approach andsurprisethe enemy.“Art. 3. The chief of those who go to attack the barracks should send in first, four men with a good present for the American commander. Immediately after will follow four others, who will make a pretense of looking for the same officer for some reason and a larger group shall be concealed in the corners or houses in order to aid the other groups at the first signal. This wherever it is possible at the moment of attack.To Murder in Woman’s Disguise.“Art. 4. They should not, prior to the attack, look at the Americans in a threateningmanner. On the contrary, the attack on the barracks by the Sandtahan should be a complete surprise and with decision and courage. One should go alone in advance in order to kill the sentinel. In order to deceive the sentinel this one should dress as a woman, and must take great care that the sentinel is not able to discharge his piece, thus calling the attention of those in the barracks. This will enable his companions who are approaching to assist in the general attack.“Art. 5. At the moment of the attack the Sandtahan should not attempt to secure rifles from their dead enemies, but shall pursue, slashing right and left with bolos until the Americans surrender, and after there remains no enemy who can injure, they may take the rifles in one hand and the ammunition in the other.Firebrandsfrom the Housetops“Art. 6. The officers shall take care that on the top of the houses along the streets where the American forces shall pass there shall be placed four to six men, who shall be prepared with stones, timbers, red hot iron, heavy furniture, as well as boiling water, oil and molasses, rags soaked in coal-oil readyto belitand thrown down, and any other hard and heavy objects that they can throw on the passing American troops. At the same time in the lower parts of the houses will be concealed the Sandtahan, who will attack immediately.“Great care should be taken not to throw glass in the streets, as the greater part of our soldiers go barefooted. On these houses there will, if possible, be arranged in addition to the objects to be thrown down, a number of the Sandtahan, in order to cover a retreat or to follow up a rout of the enemy’s column, so that we may be sure of the destruction of all the opposing forces.Women to Prepare “Bombs”“Art. 9. In addition to the instructions given in paragraph 6, there shall be in the houses vessels filled with boiling water, tallow, molasses and other liquids, which shall be thrown as bombs on the Americans who pass in front of their houses, or they can make use of syringes or tubes of bamboo. In these houses shall be the Sandtahan, who shall hurl the liquids that shall be passed to them by women and children.“Art. 10. In place of bolos or daggers ifthey do not possess the same, the Sandtahan can provide themselves with lances and arrows with long sharp heads, and these should be shot with great force in order that they may penetrate well into the bodies of the enemy. And they should be so made that in withdrawal from the body the head will remain in the flesh.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .”Emilio Aguinaldo”
“Malolos, Jan. 9, 1899—Instructions to the Brave Soldiers of Sandtahan of Manila.
“Article 1. All Filipinos should observe our fellow-countrymen in order to see whether they are American sympathizers. They shall take care to work with them in order to inspire them with confidence of the strength of the holy cause of their country. Whenever they are assured of the loyalty of the converts they shall instruct them to continue in the character of an American sympathizer in order that they may receive good pay, but without prejudicing the cause of our country. In this way they can serve themselves, and at the same time serve the public by communicating to the committee of chiefs, and of our army, whatever newsof importance they may have56.
Gifts as Covers for Attack.
“Art. 2. All of the chiefs and Filipino brothers should be ready and courageous for the combat, and should take advantage of the opportunity to study well the situation of the American outposts and headquarters, observing especially secret places where they can approach andsurprisethe enemy.
“Art. 3. The chief of those who go to attack the barracks should send in first, four men with a good present for the American commander. Immediately after will follow four others, who will make a pretense of looking for the same officer for some reason and a larger group shall be concealed in the corners or houses in order to aid the other groups at the first signal. This wherever it is possible at the moment of attack.
To Murder in Woman’s Disguise.
“Art. 4. They should not, prior to the attack, look at the Americans in a threateningmanner. On the contrary, the attack on the barracks by the Sandtahan should be a complete surprise and with decision and courage. One should go alone in advance in order to kill the sentinel. In order to deceive the sentinel this one should dress as a woman, and must take great care that the sentinel is not able to discharge his piece, thus calling the attention of those in the barracks. This will enable his companions who are approaching to assist in the general attack.
“Art. 5. At the moment of the attack the Sandtahan should not attempt to secure rifles from their dead enemies, but shall pursue, slashing right and left with bolos until the Americans surrender, and after there remains no enemy who can injure, they may take the rifles in one hand and the ammunition in the other.
Firebrandsfrom the Housetops
“Art. 6. The officers shall take care that on the top of the houses along the streets where the American forces shall pass there shall be placed four to six men, who shall be prepared with stones, timbers, red hot iron, heavy furniture, as well as boiling water, oil and molasses, rags soaked in coal-oil readyto belitand thrown down, and any other hard and heavy objects that they can throw on the passing American troops. At the same time in the lower parts of the houses will be concealed the Sandtahan, who will attack immediately.
“Great care should be taken not to throw glass in the streets, as the greater part of our soldiers go barefooted. On these houses there will, if possible, be arranged in addition to the objects to be thrown down, a number of the Sandtahan, in order to cover a retreat or to follow up a rout of the enemy’s column, so that we may be sure of the destruction of all the opposing forces.
Women to Prepare “Bombs”
“Art. 9. In addition to the instructions given in paragraph 6, there shall be in the houses vessels filled with boiling water, tallow, molasses and other liquids, which shall be thrown as bombs on the Americans who pass in front of their houses, or they can make use of syringes or tubes of bamboo. In these houses shall be the Sandtahan, who shall hurl the liquids that shall be passed to them by women and children.
“Art. 10. In place of bolos or daggers ifthey do not possess the same, the Sandtahan can provide themselves with lances and arrows with long sharp heads, and these should be shot with great force in order that they may penetrate well into the bodies of the enemy. And they should be so made that in withdrawal from the body the head will remain in the flesh.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
”Emilio Aguinaldo”
The following official notice posted up in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, is another interesting example of the extent to which this race hatred spread:
Notice.The traitor Honorato Quisunbin, who in an evilmomentdenied his country, died yesterday.To-day, one no less a traitor and renegade to his mother country, has also died. He who has been the cause of so many husband-less wives and fatherless children, has received a punishment for his crimes which will prevent him from repeating them.We will allot to-morrow, for the punishment of the remainder if they do not change their conduct, but continue to follow the steps ofthe above mentioned. For this reason, beloved compatriots now that you have witnessed the punishment given to those who have left the path marked by our authority which our government conferred on us although we are unworthy of it, but as we have been appointed, we have forcibly to obey all the decrees published, for the crimes which are punishable by death and which are as follows:1st. All those who have any public or private communication with the enemy and serve them as guides;2nd. All those who attack and rob in a band;3rd. Violation or abuse;4th. Incendiarism;5th. All those who receive any position or employment in the service of the enemy.(Signed)The Compatriots.
Notice.
The traitor Honorato Quisunbin, who in an evilmomentdenied his country, died yesterday.
To-day, one no less a traitor and renegade to his mother country, has also died. He who has been the cause of so many husband-less wives and fatherless children, has received a punishment for his crimes which will prevent him from repeating them.
We will allot to-morrow, for the punishment of the remainder if they do not change their conduct, but continue to follow the steps ofthe above mentioned. For this reason, beloved compatriots now that you have witnessed the punishment given to those who have left the path marked by our authority which our government conferred on us although we are unworthy of it, but as we have been appointed, we have forcibly to obey all the decrees published, for the crimes which are punishable by death and which are as follows:
1st. All those who have any public or private communication with the enemy and serve them as guides;
2nd. All those who attack and rob in a band;
3rd. Violation or abuse;
4th. Incendiarism;
5th. All those who receive any position or employment in the service of the enemy.
(Signed)The Compatriots.
This race hatred is illustrated very clearly in the definition of the Katipunan given by Romualdo Teodoro de J., when he said that its aim was tokill all Spaniardsand take possession of the islands. No particular hatred was shown to any class; it was all Spaniards of allclassesand conditions whowere to be assassinated. It is also clearly depicted in the Act of Session of theKatipunan Suralready quoted (See page 81; also foot-note page 80).
Note 76.What Sr. Diaz intends byTagalogKatipunan is not quite clear. The whole society was practically confined to theTagalogprovinces and was insignificant in extent even beyond the city of Manila and its suburbs. There was no other Katipunan.
In November 1895 the assembly of theKatipunanwas composed of ten individuals of the Supreme Council, and the presidents of the popular sections who were entitled to assist in virtue of holding some office therein.
In January of the following year of 1896, after the annual election, the assembly was composed as follows:
PresidentAndrés Bonifacio.SecretaryEmilio Jacinto.TreasurerVicente Molina.Pantaleón Torres.Hermenegildo Reyes.CouncillorsFrancisco Carreón.José Trinidad.Balbino Florentino.Aguedo del Rosario.FiscalPio Valenzuela.
Note 77.The question of the amount and the source of the supply of arms possessed by theKatipunanhas always been one of dispute. Some suppose the rebels to have been well armed, whilst others reckon the number of serviceable guns to have been very small.
Among the papers and documents belonging to theKatipunan Sur,seizedby the Spanish authorities, is the following:
“Commissioned for the purchase of arms:
D. GabinoTantokoD. JuanD. AntonioD. EzequielD. Epifanio Ramos.D. Victoriano Luisfor the distinct armories of Manila.”
In a letter of the Secretary to the President D. Agustin Tantoko (a native priest; see page 79):
“I believe we can obtain the dynamite by bribing some of the harbor employees.”
This letter has a foot-note which says: “When you have read this, destroy it.”
Numeriano Adriano testified (fols.1,309–1,312) that Andrés Bonifacio had collected 10,000 pesos for the purchase, in Japan, of 4,000 rifles with abundant ammunition.
He also stated that the arms had been purchased and were to be landed near by the mountains of San Mateo and in the Batanes islands, from whence they would be brought to Manila.
That “Andrés Bonifacio went to San Mateo with men to receive and arrange arms, whilst Deodato Arellano and Timoteo Paez were encharged to send people to Batanes to the same end.”
Also that “It is said that many of the insurgents in the province of Cavite bear arms of different systems, and he supposed that they must have been acquired by the rich and wealthy persons of that province, such as Francisco Osario and others, who knowing perhaps of the existence of theLigaof Manila, its form and object, had formed their own also, in the said province, inorder to unite to that of Manila and make common cause therewith.”
Domingo Franco declared (fols.1,381–1,382), in answer to a question during his trial, as to what he knew in reference to the purchase of arms andammunition, that “all he knew was that arms and ammunition had been purchased, because at the end of 1895, or the beginning of 1896, he saw Francisco L. Rojas in his office in Calle Jolo, and the said Rojas told him that he had received a quantity of arms and ammunition.” He stated moreover, that he did not know the make or number, nor where they had been landed.
Tomas Prieto of Nueva Caceres mentioned the receipt of 50 arms from Bato. He also stated that Mariano Melgarejo, according to references from Macario Valentin, received a load of arms in eleven cases from Pasacao.”
Pio Valenzuela affirmed that the arms borne by the rebels were for the most part domestic bolos57and lances, andthat the chiefs were armed with revolvers.” These revolvers were, he affirmed, acquired from theMaestranzi de Artilleria.
Juan Castañeda declared that “the Japanese offered to land here 100,000 rifles with their ammunition, theexpenseof which should be paid in a fixed number of years.”
Numeriano Adriano also affirmed that it had been decided to purchase arms in Japan and thatoneof the islands of the Archipelago should be given to Japan in exchange for its aid.
Domingo Abella affirmed that he had visited Francisco Rojas in his office for the purpose of finding out if the arms which the tailor Luis Villareal had ordered for the society, had arrived; and that although Francisco Rojas did not belong to the society, he was encharged toportion outthe arms and commissioned to bring them to Manila. Francisco told him that he could not provide him with any as they were all sold.
Thenetcost of the arms and ammunition necessary to carry out the revolt was considerable, and as their introduction into the country would have to be very carefullyplanned, and be carried out with thegreatest secrecy, the original cost wouldbeconsiderably increased. Large sums of money were therefore necessary to cover expenses. Although the entrance fees and monthly subscriptions were considerable they could not produce the amount necessary to provide for the revolution, especially when there existed such a wide spreadtendencyamong those who handled the funds, toabsorbthem as a spongeabsorbswater. Castillo in his work concerning this association and its funds says58:
“Undoubtedly it (the Katipunan)possessedlarge sums of money, only the most insignificant part of which, according to report, was discovered in the possession of Pio Valenzuela, preserved in gold and amounting, we believe, to less than 30,000 pesos. These resources could not cover the extraordinary expenses of the propaganda, that of the Commissioners sent to Japan to treat with that power on the question of a protectorate, and that of the coming warexpenses which were without doubt, very considerable.
“TheIndianis not so selfish or so patrioticthat he would, without immediate advantage to himself permit himself the extravagance of abandoning thesedentarylife he usually leads, to launch out into the field of adventures of doubtful result. Those who from the headquarters of the revolution directed those torpid masses must have realised this, and to make sure of the exit, caused money to be distributed to all the affiliated and to their families, giving them at the same time rice in abundance.
“On the morning of the events which took place at San Juan del Monte, two women who live in the Santa Mesa road, were engaged in giving money to thetaos59who passed that way, advising them to unite themselves with theinsurrectosto the end of killing all the Spaniards....
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“This money set aside for distribution in San Juan del Monte, in Pasig and in the pueblos on the banks of the river, must have come from a well stocked treasury....”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A little further on, the author gives a very broad hint as to one probable source of funds when he asks the question, whereis themillion and a half pesoswhich constitute the default in the public treasury of Manila?
“It would be a curious coincidence,” says the author, “if part of this amount perhaps the greater part should have served as funds from which the expenses of the revolution and the war were paid.”
Note 78.The initiations into theKatipunanwere grotesque in the extreme. The person introduced for initiation was placed in a room draped in black, with its walls hung with mottoes in Tagalog dialect such as: “If you have courage you may continue,” “If you have been brought here by your curiosity, retire.” Upon a table was placed a skull, a loaded revolver and a bolo. A paper upon which were written three questions lay also upon the table. These questions were:“In what state did the Spaniards find the Tagalog people at the time of the conquest? In what state are they found now? What future can it hope for?
The initiated previously instructed by his god-father, or by the person who catechised him, was to reply that, at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards, theFilipinosliving on the coasts enjoyed a certain amount of civilization, since they already had cannons and silk dresses, that they enjoyed political liberty, sustained diplomatic (sic) relations and commerce with the neighboring countries of Asia; had their own religion and writing; in a word, lived happy with their independence. Acertain amountof civilization may be. Let us see what thatcertain amountwas:
“Barely clothed, and more often naked, revelling day and night indrunkenness, given to the practice of infanticide, holding virginity as a dishonor, having among them people who practiced defloration as a profession, ignorant of the value and uses of money, making use of men, women and children to pay debts, incontinualwarfare with one another and enslaving their prisoners, practicing wholesale murder of slaves on the death of a chief or important personage, adoring and sacrificing to rocks, trees, crocodiles and idols of wood; lacking religion, but having in its stead mostbestialand absurd superstitions; without temples, monuments or even literature, although they possessed a species of written language. The only human ideas they possessed were adoptedfrom the Chinese, Japanese and BorneoMohammedanswhom they imitated after the manner of apes. This, historians tell us, was the condition of this people 340 years ago! when the missionaries planted the Cross on Philippine soil, and brought to the benighted natives the gospel.” So much for the certain amount of civilization.
Cannons and silk dresses: of a kind; as to the cannons, where did they all come from? Bought from or exchanged with the Borneo moros probably. As to these and the silk dresses, the savages of the south-sea islands enjoyed the use of such things and enjoyed them with better knowledge of how to use them! They enjoyedpolitical liberty; let us see what Morga the historian who speaks most glowingly of the ancient civilization of theFilipinopeoples, has to say on this point.
He says: “In all these islands the people had neither kingsnorlords to dominate them as in other kingdoms and provinces. But in each island were many chiefs from among the same natives, some greater than others each one with his subjects, by groups and families, who obeyed and respected them. Sometimes these chiefs were at peace withone another and some times at war.... The superiority which thesechiefshad over the people of their group was such that they held them as subjects,with power to treat them well or ill, disposing of their persons, children and estates at their will, withoutresistanceor the necessity of giving account to anyone, and for very slight offences they killed and wounded them and made slaves of them;and if it happened that one of the chiefs were bathing in the river and a native passed in front of him or looked upon him with want of respect, and for other similar things, theymade slaves of them for ever.” This is a good and practical kind of political liberty, just the kind of liberty the country would enjoy if in the hands of the leaders of the Federal Party, so anxious for liberties for themselves and coercion for those who do not agree with their way of thinking.
Diplomatic relations and commerce with the neighboring countries of Asia: As to the diplomatic relations the mere idea of such a thing ispreposterous. If we are to concede the use of diplomatic relations to the ancient Tagalog people, then we must consider as diplomatic relations such customsas the passing of the “peace pipe” practiced by the indian of the United States, and the giving and accepting of young women for sensual convenience practiced in many of the islands of the Pacific up to the present day. As to their foreign commerce let us listen once more to Morga. “Their contracts and negotiations were as a rule illicit, each one considering the best way to come off successful in his business.”
Their ownreligion: For a religious system they worshiped their ancestors and performed human sacrifices. The Spaniards found in these islands less than a million inhabitants, who were divided into innumerable tribes governed by rulers who had no more title of sovereignty than that they were enabled to impose upon the people by brute force and untold cruelties. The inhabitants formed a jumble of inferior races some more or less pure in blood, others intermixed; people speaking many dialects. They all lacked religion, in the proper sense of the word; they lacked morals, in fact they were wanting in everything that raises man above the level of the brute creation.
As to their own writing, certain it is that they possessed a crude and very inefficientmanner of writing, but what is very remarkable is, that in spite of their possessing a system of script, not a single piece of their literary work has yet been discovered nor even a written tradition. This goes to prove that either theFilipinoswere at that time too deep in the savage ages to realise the importance of writing, or that the form of script was useless for practical purposes.
To the second question the initiated replied that the friar missionaries had done nothing to civilize theFilipinos, as they considered the civilization and illustration of the country to be incompatible with their interests60.
To the third question the initiated was to reply that they had faith, courage andconstancy to aid them to remedy these evils in the future.61
The master of ceremonies warned him that he was taking a very important and very solemn step, and he was recommended to retire if he did not feel courage enough to continue since he would uselessly expose his life. If the initiated insisted in continuing with the mysteries of the initiation he was presented to the reunion of the brethren to be tried by the proofs assigned, which were very similar to those adopted in universal masonry, but surrounded with more paganism, if that be possible. He was blindfolded and made to discharge a revolver against an imaginary enemy, a person he was made to believe really was present and awaitingthere the executionary bullet which should make him pay the penalty of a treason. If he passed through the proofs successfully he was introduced into the hall of oaths and there with his own blood, drawn by means of anincisionmade in the left arm between the shoulder and the elbow, he signed the oath.
Note 79.See note50, pages 171, 173 and 174.
Note 80.The liberty of the Tagalog people; the chief aim which gave rise to the revolt. The first thing the separatists desired was to get rid of the Peninsular Spaniard; the next to go would have been the insular Spaniard, then the Spanish mestizo, then theChineehalf-caste and theChinee; after which would come the gradual extinction of the various tribes. In the mean time the country would suffer considerably and at last...? See page 69, last four lines of the first paragraph.
It is well nigh impossible to imagine to what the liberty of the Tagalog people would mean if it were put into practice. If the South American states which arerecognized as independent, are unable to govern themselves in spite of the political superiority of the people inhabiting them over the peoples of this archipelago, without an unending series of revolutions, whatmightwe expect from the Philippines? Give the country independence with one of the native “commissioners” as president of the republic and how long do you suppose it would be before Pedro Paterno at the head of some 5 or6,000men would march into Manila to depose the president and proclaim himself Emperor Pedro I? And before the new Emperor could install himself in Malacañan he would have at his heels a thousand and one petty chiefs, princes, kings and perhaps even a few ambitious queens!
It is over a half a century ago since the South American Republics became independent, and at that time the rest of the world cared but little for the consequences of such a step. But this indifference of the nations can never exist here in the Orient at thecommencementof this XX Century.It would never suit the rest of the world to see independence declared in the Philippines and especially if that independence left the reins of government in the hands of theTagalogpeople.
The question of the expulsion from the country or the destruction of the Spaniards has been spoken of under several notes; the idea was, doubtless, a semi-savage interpretation of the preachings and teachings spread abroad by the Bible societies in all parts and especially in Spanish countries. And this becomes the more probable when we call to mind what theEl Imparcialof the 26th of August 1896 published concerning this identical point. Speaking of the state of the country in general as a result of the insurrection, it says:
“The minister of Foreign affairs received a telegram yesterday from General Blanco manifesting that more arrests had been made....
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The conjuration had ramifications in various parts of the Archipelago, and in it figured not only masonic societies but also Bible societies....
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The propaganda of filibusterism is encharged to the colporteurs ofevangelicalbooks, who wander all over the Archipelago selling protestant publications.”
Note 81.These three native priests wereamong the prime movers of the rebellion of 1872, a revolt which was planned out in the houses of Joaquin Pardo de Tavera and Jacinto Zamora. The three priests were executed by thegarrotetogether with Francisco Saldua. Gomez left the sum of200,000pesos to his natural son, born to him before he entered the priesthood. In his will he stronglycounselledhis son to be ever faithful to the Spanish authorities. I had intended to give a brief outline of the revolt of ’72 but space will not permit. Taking it as a whole, it differed little from the revolt of ’96 with the exception that it was directly brought about by the propagators of revolutionary ideas then rampant in Spain, and by theemissariesof the revolutionary government then established.
Note 82.—See note20.
Note 83.The oath taken by thekatipuneroswas as follows:
K. K. K.N. M. A. N. B.Section....I declare that on account of my entrance into the K. K. K. of the A. N. B. I havesworn a solemn oath in my native pueblo and in the presence of a superior of the Junta of theKatipunan, to do away with everything that is possible and even with that which is to me most near and dear and appreciated in this life, and to defend the cause to victory or to death. And in truth of this I swear also to be obedient in everything and to follow in the fight wherever I am led.And in proof of what I have said I place my true name with the blood of my veins at the foot of this declaration.”
K. K. K.N. M. A. N. B.
Section....
I declare that on account of my entrance into the K. K. K. of the A. N. B. I havesworn a solemn oath in my native pueblo and in the presence of a superior of the Junta of theKatipunan, to do away with everything that is possible and even with that which is to me most near and dear and appreciated in this life, and to defend the cause to victory or to death. And in truth of this I swear also to be obedient in everything and to follow in the fight wherever I am led.
And in proof of what I have said I place my true name with the blood of my veins at the foot of this declaration.”
Note 84.Pio Valenzuela, who gave some of the most interesting and reliable information concerning the inner life of theKatipunan, testified (fols. 1,663–1,673) that on the 30th of November 1895, the birthday of Bonifacio, a meeting was held in Caloocan, in a house situated in the rice fields, some thirty five or forty individuals assisting thereat, among them being the witness. This meeting continued all day and all night till the following day, the first of December. At this meeting they pronounced the death sentence upon the tailor Guzman for publishing the secrets of theKatipunan; this sentence was signed by all present including the witness, after he had made many observations against it, observations the rest would not listen to. One of the lighter punishments meted out was the public exposition in the lodge rooms of the picture of the person punished, with the wordtraitorwrittenover or under it.
Note 85.TheKatipunanenjoyed a peculiar and special organization, which was given to it in order to avoid surprises and treachery. The assemblies were always held in secluded places and under the cover of the greatest secrecy. Sometimes they were held at midnight in the open cornfields so as not to attract the attention of those indians who were not members of the society. Valenzuela relates how a secret meeting was held in the pueblo of Pasig at midnight, on oneoccasionto arrange the matter of the annexation of the Islands to Japan in case that nation did not care to declare a protectorate over them.
The Councilof Ministersof the Supreme popular Council was as follows:
PresidentAndrés Bonifacio.WarTeodoro Plata.StateEmilio Jacinto.InteriorAguedo del Rosario.JusticeBirecio Pantas.FinanceEnrique Pacheco.
Note 86.Pio Valenzuela mentioned one occasion upon which such a meeting of the society was held, he himself assisting thereat, in the house of Andrés Bonifacio. It was a supper given in honor of the baptism of a child to which the said Valenzuela was god-father. After the supper, which served as a shield under the which the work of the lodge was to be done, an election was held for the Supreme and the Popular Councils, and the sections. Some thirty members were present.
Another case he mentioned was that of a meeting held on thebirthdayof Bonifacio 30th of November 1895.
The Katipunan moreover had its own festivals. This is how Valenzuela describes them:
“The Katipunan held its festival, according as Andrés Bonifacio had told the witness, on the 7th of July, anniversary of thefoundationof the society; it also celebrated another anniversary on the 28th of February,the date of the execution of the three native priests, Burgos, Gomez and Zamora (see note 81). On that day a catafalque draped with black cloth, was erected in each one of the popular Councils, having fourhachones62, one in each of its four angles, adorned with crowns made with plants namedMacabuhay63. All the members filed before the funeral pile, reciting prayers for the dead and swearing to avenge the death of the three priests.
Note 87.Roman Baza, who was one of the many who suffered the death penalty for his treason, undertook to educate in ultra-democratic ideas, (as Isabelo de los Reyes is doing in our days), all he came in contact with. He printed and spread abroad the “rights of man” of the French revolution.
He was at one time president of theKatipunan(see p. 44) but being a man little suited to carry out to a successful issue the set plans of the society, Bonifacio determinedto remove him, by what Sr. Diaz terms acoup-d’etat, but more properly called an underhand trick. Bonifacio, at that time treasurer, forced a conflict on the subject of the financial conditions of the society, being denounced as an exploiter for his pains. The quarrel was settled by an election, Bonifacio by his unholy influence carrying all before him.
It was during the presidency of Baza that the Katipunan society for women was founded, “the object of which wasmutual succor(!).Theinstitution serving at the same time to dissimulate the meetings of the maleKatipuneros. Whilst the latter were holding their sessions in a retired room, the women were in the salon with some young men dancing, singing or eating. The presidentess of this society ofmutual succorerswas Mariana Dizon.
To secure admission it was necessary to be a daughter or sister of one of the male members. Mariana Dizon later on married José Turiano Santiago, and as a result, the femaleKatipunan, as an organization was broken up, the late members however continuing to shield as before, the labors of the Katipunan reunions.
Note 88.See notes74,75and93. Part of the local and provincial Spanish press has not failed to give the public a rehash from time to time, of the greater part of the inventions of the separatists. It is needless to say, however, that in this it has failed to receive the support of representativeSpaniardswho look upon such an action as little to the honor of the good name of Spain. As to the corresponding English-speaking press in this connection, the less said the better for the good name of American journalism.
Note 89.José Dizon Matanza stated during his trial (fols.1,132–1,138) “that Pio Valenzuelasoughtmoney from the wealthy, and as he (the prisoner) understood, from a statement of Bonifacio, had collected over a thousand pesos for the object of covering the expenses of the trip which he made to Dapitan to confer with Rizal; and in order to fool the authorities he took with him a blind individual with his guide, that Rizal might perform a cure or some operation upon the blind man. The motive of the conference was the proposition to Rizal of the armed rebellion, etc., etc.”
Valenzuela himself spoke of this trip to Dapitan (see note16, p. 133) as follows:—
“In the month of May of that year 1896, a reunion was held in Pasig and there it was agreed to send a commission to Japan ... and it was agreed also to commence the armed rebellion, settling the manner in which it should be carried out, but it was decided that, previous to taking action it would be wise to consult with Rizal, the witness being chosen as emissary. The schoolmaster of Cavite Viejo, by name Santos, proposed that a blind man named Raymundo Mata should accompany Valenzuela that Rizal might cure him. The witness embarked on the S. S. Venus at the end of May, meeting on board, one of Rizal’s sisters, and his (Rizal’s)querida, an American or English woman named Josefina; and arriving at Dapitan, the witness went ashore with the two women and a servant that accompanied them, making their way to the house of Rizal, etc., etc.”
According to a statement of Isabelo de los Reyes, “Rizal, as has been clearly proved at the trials (of traitors) advised them to wait another two years, as they lacked arms.”
I wonder if Rizal foresaw the war tobreak outtwo yearslater between Spain and the United States! His intense desire to go to Cuba would give one that idea.
Note 90.Negotiations indeed! Who can imagine the circumspect and formal little nation of Japanadmittingnegotiations with a warehouse porter, a man who was representative only of the worst of the lowest classes! Sr. Diaz probably made this statement from hearsaypor boca de gansoas they say in Spanish. If any negotiations took place between Bonifacio and the Japanese Government they were on a par with those between the late U. S. Consuls of Singapore and Hong-Kong, and a few other irresponsible people, and Aguinaldo, the leader of theKatipunan.
Note 91.As has been seen in the foregoing notes, it was the intention of theseparatiststo make purchases of arms and their necessary ammunition in Japan. Those wealthyFilipinoswho were owners of steamships were looked to as the chief assistance in the transportation and landing of the said arms, etc.
The date of the arrival of the arms,according as appeared from evidence given during the trial of Francisco L. Roxas, was to have been the 31st of December 1896. Lorenzo de la Paz, however, stated that it was the 1st of September of the said year. Others claimed it to be the 13th of September or the 30th of November. As may be easily seen, there was no lack of disagreement among the chiefs of the revolt, and perhaps, as far as the majority were concerned, still more exploitation.
Note 92.Pio Valenzuela y Alejandrino was a licentiate ofMedicine, and one of the members of the inferior Supreme Council of the Katipunan. According to his own story he entered the files of the society under compulsion at the hands of Andrés Bonifacio, who on the strength of a love affair, gave him the alternative of death or membership in the Katipunan (see p. 132). In his declaration during his trial (fol. 142–147) on the 6th of September 1896, he recorded how on the 30 day of November, S. Andrew’s day of the year 1895, he was presented by Andrés Bonifacio to variousKatipunerosas “brother” Medico (Doctor), Bonifacio stating that from that time he(Valenzuela) would be the doctor of the society. He also stated how, in the following month of January and in another meeting, he was nominated Fiscal, and official doctor with a salary of thirty pesos monthly, a salary he had no little difficulty in collecting. He was commissioned in May 1896 to go to Dapitan to hold a conference with Rizal concerning armed rising against the supreme authority of Spain in the Archipelago; but Rizal was shrewder and more far-sighted than the others and would not consent to thecarryingout of the scheme as proposed by Bonifacio. On the return of Valenzuela Bonifacio imposed upon him a strictsilenceconcerning the outcome of the conference; but being pressed by certain members of the society, among whom were Emilio Jacinto, Secretary of the Supreme Council, andcapitaRamon of Pandacan, he revealed the secret of Rizal’s opposition to a plan he feared would be abortive. When once the cat was out of the bag the facts soon became public among the principal members, with the result that many who had promised funds for the purchase of arms etc. in Japan, refused to pay the amounts promised. Among these was acolonel of Malabon who had promised 500 pesos for the said object. This breach of confidence on the part of Valenzuela brought about the separation of himself andBonifacio, and the former presented hisresignationas doctor and fiscal of the society. Bonifacio opposed the idea of his resignation but it was finally accepted, and the former friends parted company each to work in his own sphere.
Valenzuela was in fact one of the chief movers of the rebellion; this was confessed by Domingo Franco, the late president of the thendefunctLigaFilipina. “The rebellion,” says he, “was produced by a foolish child, whose name it would dirty the tongue to pronounce, because after being the author of all (this however is somewhat inexact) has given himself up to the authorities to denounce those he has succeeded in misleading.”
During his trial in the Bilibid prison, before Col. Francisco Olive y García on the 2nd of September 1896, he gave some of the most interesting and reliable information that has yet been gathered concerning the interior workings and doings of the Katipunan.
When the Guardia Civil set out from Manila to break up Bonifacio’s party in Caloocan, several of those forming the leadership fled, and among them Valenzuela. He entered Manila by way of Sampaloc, passing through Quiapo to the Escolta and down thePasaje de Pérez, embarking there on one of the lake steamers. On arrival at Biñang he went to the house of the co-adjutor D. Silvino Manaol (native priest), to whom he recounted what had taken place. The co-adjutor asked of the parish priest the proclamation of the Governor General conceding pardon to those who should present themselves64. Having read it with care and under the advice of the co-adjutor, he set out for the capitaldisembarking at the Ayala bridge from whence he took aquilesand wentimmediatelyto the palace of the Governor to present himself to him.The Governor General was not at home so Valenzuela at once started for the offices of the Military Government.
Speaking of this giving up of himself of Valenzuela, Sr. José M. del Castillo y Jimenez says: “The forty-eight hours conceded by the proclamation of the Governor Blanco were about to close when there reached the palace of Sta. Potenciana, worn out, bathed in perspiration, and almost in a period of agony, Pio Valenzuela, an important person of revolution he being in such a condition that it was necessary to assist him previous to his passing into the presence of Gov. Blanco. When he had come to himself and was in a condition to make an explicit and ample confession he had two hours conference with the Governor, giving information of as such as he knew.”
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“Valenzuela and Rosario were of great utility in clarifying the facts and especially in the explanation of the cipher documents discovered in the houseofVillaruel and others.”