Katipunan
Encyclopedia
The Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-Spanish Filipino
s in Manila
in 1892, whose primary aim was to gain independence from Spain
through revolution
. The society was initiated by Filipino patriots Andrés Bonifacio
, Teodoro Plata
, Ladislao Diwa
, and others on the night of July 7, when Filipino writer José Rizal
was to be banished to Dapitan. Initially, the Katipunan was a secret organization until its discovery in 1896 that led to the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution
.
The word "katipunan", literally meaning 'association', comes from the root word "tipon", a Tagalog
word meaning "gather together" or society. Its official revolutionary name is Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng̃ mg̃á Anak ng̃ Bayan (Highest and Most Honorable Society of the Children of the Nation). The Katipunan is also known by its acronym, K.K.K..
Being a secret organization, its members were subjected to the utmost secrecy and were expected to abide with the rules established by the society. Aspirant applicants were given standard initiation rites to become members of the society. At first, membership in the Katipunan was only open to male Filipinos; later, women were accepted in the society. The Katipunan had its own publication, Kalayaan (Liberty) that had its first and last print on March 1896. Revolutionary ideals and works flourished within the society, and Philippine literature were expanded by some of its prominent members.
In planning the revolution, Bonifacio contacted Rizal for his full-fledged support for the Katipunan in exchange for a promise of rescuing Rizal from his detainment. On May 1896, a delegation was sent to the Emperor of Japan
to solicit funds and military arms. The Katipunan's existence was revealed to the Spanish authorities after a member named Teodoro Patiño confessed the Katipunan's illegal activities to his sister, and finally to the mother portress of Mandaluyong Orphanage. Seven days after the Spanish authorities learned of the existence of the secret society, on August 26, 1896, Bonifacio and his men tore their cedúlas during the infamous Cry of Balintawak that started the Philippine Revolution
.
The Katipunan and the Cuerpo de Compromisarios were, effectively, successor organizations of La Liga Filipina
, founded by José Rizal
, as part of the late 19th century Propaganda Movement
in the Philippines
. Katipunan founders Andrés Bonifacio
, Ladislao Diwa
, and Teodoro Plata
were all members of La Liga and were influenced by the nationalistic ideals of the Propaganda Movement
in Spain.
Marcelo H. del Pilar
, another leader of the Propaganda Movement in Spain, also influenced the formation of the Katipunan. Modern-day historians believe that he had a direct hand in its organization because of his role in the Propaganda Movement and his eminent position in Philippine Masonry; most of the Katipunan's founders were freemasons. The Katipunan had initiation ceremonies that were copied from masonic rites. It also had a hierarchy of rank that was similar to that of freemasonry
. Rizal's Spanish biographer Wenceslao Retana and Filipino biographer Juan Raymundo Lumawag saw the formation of the Katipunan as Del Pilar's victory over Rizal: "La Liga dies, and the Katipunan rises in its place. Del Pilar's plan wins over that of Rizal. Del Pilar and Rizal had the same end, even if each took a different road to it."
On the night of July 7, 1892, when Rizal was banished and exiled to Dapitan in Mindanao
, Andrés Bonifacio
, a member of the La Liga Filipina
, founded the Katipunan in a house in Tondo, Manila
. Bonifacio did establish the Katipunan when it was becoming apparent to anti-Spanish Filipinos that societies like the La Liga Filipina would be suppressed by colonial authorities. He was assisted by his two friends, Teodoro Plata
(brother-in-law) and Ladislao Diwa
, plus Valentín Díaz
and Deodato Arellano
. The Katipunan was founded along Azcarraga St. (now Claro M. Recto Avenue) near Elcano St. in Tondo
, Manila
. Despite their reservations about the peaceable reformation that Rizal espoused, they named Rizal honorary president without his knowledge. The Katipunan, established as a secret brotherhood organization, went under the name Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng̃ mg̃á Anak ng̃ Bayan (Supreme and Venerable Society of the Children of the Nation).
The Katipunan had four aims, namely:
The rise of the Katipunan signaled the end of the crusade to secure reforms
from Spain
by means of a peaceful campaign. The Propaganda Movement
led by Rizal
, del Pilar
, Jaena and others had failed its mission; hence, Bonifacio started the militant movement for independence.
, and the following as officials:
In February 1893, the Supreme Council was reorganized, with Ramón Basa as Supreme President and Bonifacio as the fiscal. In January 1895, Bonifacio assumed the Supreme Presidency of the Katipunan. At the outbreak of the 1896 revolution
, the Council was further reorganized into a 'cabinet' which the Katipunan regarded as a genuine revolutionary government, de-facto and de-jure.
In each province where there were Katipunan members, a provincial council called Sangguniang Bayan was established and in each town was an organized popular council called Sangguniang Balangay. Each Bayan and Balangay had its own set of elected officials: Pangulo (president); Kalihim (secretary); Tagausig (fiscal); Tagaingat-yaman (treasurer); Pangalawang Pangulo (vice president); Pangalawang Kalihim (vice secretary); mga kasanguni (councilors); Mabalasig (terrible brother); Taliba (guard); Maniningil (collector/auditor); Tagapamahala ng Basahan ng Bayan(custodian of the People’s Library); Tagapangasiwa (administrator); Manunulat (clerk); Tagatulong sa Pagsulat (assistant clerk); Tagalaan (warden); and Tagalibot (patroller). Each Balangay were given a chance to expand their own spheres of influence, through triangle system in order to elevate their status to Sangguniang Bayan. Every Balangay that did not gain Sanggunian Bayan status were dissolved and annexed by greater provincial or popular councils.
The towns which supported the Katipunan cause were given symbolic names, such as Magdiwang (To celebrate) for Noveleta
; Magdalo (To come) for Kawit; Magwagi (To win) for Naic; Magtagumpay (To succeed) for Maragondon
; Walangtinag (Never-diminished) for Indang
and Haligue (Aggregate) for Imus
–all are in the province of Cavite
.
Within the society functioned a secret chamber, called Camara Reina, which was presided over by Bonifacio, Jacinto, and Pío Valenzuela
. This mysterious chamber passed judgment upon those who had betrayed their oath and those accused of certain offenses penalized by Katipunan laws. Every katipunero stood in fearful awe of this chamber. According to José P. Santos, throughout the existence of the secret chamber, about five katipuneros were convicted and sentenced to die by it. The death sentence was handed down in the figure of a cup with a serpent
coiled around it.
In 1893, the Supreme Council comprised Ramón Basa as president, Bonifacio as fiscal, José Turiano Santiago
as secretary, Vicente Molina as treasurer and Restituto Javier, Briccio Pantas, Teodoro Gonzales. Gonzales, Plata, and Diwa were councilors. It was during Basa's term that the society organized a women's auxiliary section. Two of its initial members were Gregoria de Jesus
, whom Bonifacio had just married, and Marina Dizon, daughter of José Dizon. It was also in 1893 when Basa and Diwa organized the provincial council of Cavite, which would later be the most successful council of the society.
The Filipino scholar Maximo Kalaw reports that Basa yielded the presidency to Bonifacio in 1894 because of a dispute over the usefulness of the initiation rites and Bonifacio's handling of the society's funds. Basa contested Bonifacio's practice of lending their funds to needy members, complete with promissory notes. Moreover, Basa refused to induct his son into the organization.
It was also in 1894 when Emilio Jacinto
, a nephew of Dizon who was studying law at the University of Santo Tomas
, joined the Katipunan. He intellectualized the society's aims and formulated the principles of the society as embodied in its primer, called Kartilla. It was written in Tagalog and all recruits were required to commit it to heart before they were initiated. Jacinto would later be called the Brains of the Katipunan.
At the same time, Jacinto also edited Kalayaan (Freedom), the society's official organ, but only one edition of the paper was issued; a second was prepared but never printed due to the discovery of the society. Kalayaan was published through the printing press of the Spanish newspaper Diario de Manila. This printing press and its workers would later play an important role in the outbreak of the revolution.
In 1895, José Turiano Santiago
, a close personal friend of Bonifacio, was expelled because a coded message of the Katipunan fell into the hands of a Spanish priest teaching at the University of Santo Tomas
. Since the priest was a friend of Santiago's sister, he and his half-brother Restituto Javier were suspected of betrayal, but the two would remain loyal to the Katipunan and Santiago would even join the Philippine revolutionary forces in the Philippine-American War
. Jacinto replaced Santiago as secretary.
In early 1895, Bonifacio called a meeting of the society and deposed Basa in an election that installed Bonifacio as president, Jacinto as Fiscal, Santiago as secretary, Molina as secretary, Pío Valenzuela
and Pantaleon Torres as physicians, and Aguedo del Rosario and Doreteo Trinidad as councilors.
On December 31, 1895, another election named Bonafacio as president, Jacinto as Fiscal, Santiago as secretary, Molina as secretary, Pío Valenzuela and Pantaleon Torres as physicians, and Aguedo del Rosario and Doreteo Trinidad as councilors.
The members of the Supreme Council in 1895 were Bonifacio as president, Valenzuela as fiscal and physician, Jacinto as secretary, and Molina as treasurer. Enrico Pacheco, Pantaleon Torres, Balbino Florentino, Francisco Carreon and Hermenegildo Reyes were named councilers.
Eight months later, in August 1896, the fifth and last supreme council was elected to renamed offices. Bonifacio was named Supremo, Jacinto Secretary of State, Plata Secretary of War, Bricco Pantas Secretary of Justice, Aguedo del Rosario Secretary of Interior and Enrice Pacheco Secretary of Finance.
writer Isabelo de los Reyes
estimated membership at 15,000 to 50,000.
Aside from Manila, the Katipunan also had sizeable chapters in Batangas
, Laguna, Cavite
, Rizal
, Bulacan
, Pampanga
, Tarlac
and Nueva Ecija
. There were also smaller chapters in Ilocos Sur
, Ilocos Norte
, Pangasinan
and the Bicol
region. The Katipunan founders spent their free time recruiting members. For example, Diwa, who was a clerk at a judicial court, was assigned to the office of a justice of the peace in Pampanga. He initiated members in that province as well as Bulacan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija. Most of the Katipuneros were plebeian although several wealthy patriots joined the society and submitted themselves to the leadership of Bonifacio.
Katipunero (plural
, mga Katipunero) is the demonym
of a male member of the Katipunan. Katipunera (plural
, mga Katipunera) refers to female members.
and Ladislao Diwa
. Each of them re-instituted Katipunan thoughts into another two new converts. The founder of the triangle knew the other two members, but the latter did not know each other. On December 1892 the system was abolished after proving it to be clumsy and complicated. A new system of initiation, modelled after the Masonic rites was then adopted.
When the Katipunan had expanded to more than a hundred members, Bonifacio divided the members into three grades: the Katipon (literally: Associate) which is the lowest rank, the Kawal (soldier), and the Bayani (Hero or Patriot). In the meeting of the society, Katipon wore a black hood with a triangle of white ribbon having the letters "Z. Ll. B.", corresponding to the roman "A. ng̃ B.", meaning Anak ng̃ Bayan (Son of the People, see below). Kawal wore a green hood with a triangle having white lines and the letters "Z. LL. B." at the three angles of the triangle, and also wore a green ribbon with a medal with the letter
(ka) in Baybayin
script above a depiction of a crossed sword and flag. The password was Gom-Bur-Za
, taken from the names of the three martyrs Mariano Gomez
, Jose Burgos
and Jacinto Zamora
. Bayani (Hero) wore a red mask and a sash with green borders, symbolizing courage and hope. The front of the mask had white borders that formed a triangle with three Ks arranged as if occupying the angles of a triangle within a triangle, and with the letters "Z. Ll. B." below. Another password was Rizal
. Countersigns enabled members to recognize one another on the street. A member meeting another member placed the palm of his right hand on his breast and, as he passed the other member, he closed the hands to bring the right index finger and thumb together.
Katipon could graduate to Kawal class by bringing several new members into the society. A Kawal could become a Bayani upon being elected an officer of the society.
, to test his courage, patriotism, and loyalty. New recruits underwent the initiation rite three at a time so that no member knew more than two other members of the society. The neophyte was first blindfolded and then led into a dimly-lighted room with black curtains where his folded cloth was removed from his eyes. An admonition, in Tagalog, was posted at the entrance to the room:
Inside the candle-lit room, they would be brought to a table adorned with a skull and a bolo. There, they would condemn the abuses of the Spanish government and vow to fight colonial oppression:
During Bonifacio's time, all of the Filipino people are referred collectively by the Katipunan as Tagalogs, while Philippines is Katagalugan.
The next step in the initiation ceremony was the lecture given by the master of ceremonies, called Mabalasig/Mabalasik (terrible brother), who informed the neophyte to withdraw if he lacked courage since he would be out of place in the patriotic society. If the neophyte persisted, he was presented to the assembly of the brethren, who subjected him to various ordeals such as blindfolding him and making him shoot a supposedly a revolver
at a person, or forcing him to jump a supposedly hot flame. After the ordeals came to final rite–the pacto de sangre or blood compact
–in which the neophyte signed the oath with blood taken from his arm. He was then accepted as a full-pledged member, with a symbolic name by which he was be known within Katipunan circles. Bonifacio's symbolic name was Maypagasa; Jacinto
was Pingkian; Emilio Aguinaldo
was Magdalo and Artemio Ricarte
was Vibora.
The first woman to become member of the Katipunan was Gregoria de Jesus
, wife of Bonifacio. She was called the Lakambini ng Katipunan (Princess of the Katipunan). Initially, there were 29 women were admitted to the Katipunan: Gregoria de Jesus, Maria Dizon, president of the women's section; Josefa and Trinidad Rizal, sisters of Dr. José Rizal; Angelica Lopez and Delfina Herbosa Natividad, close relatives of Dr. Rizal; Carmén de Rodriguez; Marina Hizon; Benita Rodriguez; Semiona de Rémigio; Gregoria Montoya; Agueda Kahabagan
, Teresa Magbanua
, Trinidad Tecson, rendered as "Mother of Biak-na-Bato
"; Nazaria Lagos; Patronica Gamboa; Marcela Agoncillo
; Melchora Aquino
, the "Grand Old Woman of Balintawak"; Marta Saldaña and Macaria Pañgilinan.
The women rendered valuable services to the Katipunan. They guarded the secret papers and documents of the society. Whenever the Katipunan held sessions in a certain house, they usually made merry, singing and dancing with some of the men in the living room so that the civil guard
were led that there was nothing but a harmless social party within.
Though women are considered to be members of the Katipunan, information regarding the women's section were scarce and sometimes conflicting. Teodoro Agoncillo
, for example, disregarded Marina Dizon and concluded that Josefa Rizal was the only president of the said section. Gregorio Zaide, on the other hand, mentioned Dizon's presidency in his 1939 publication History of the Katipunan but changed his mind when he adopted Dr. Pío Valenzuela's notion that women-members did not elect officers, hence there is no room for president.
Supporters:
, Emilio Jacinto
and Dr. Pío Valenzuela. Each of the three's works were stirring literature of patriotism and are aimed to spread the revolutionary thoughts and ideals of the society.
Kalayaan (Liberty/Freedom) was the official organ and newspaper of the Katipunan. It was first published March 1896 (even though its masthead was dated January 1896.) The first Kalayaan issue has never been followed.
In 1895, the Katipunan bought an old hand-press with the money generously donated by two Visayan co-patriots Francisco del Castillo and Candido Iban–who returned to the country after working as shell and pearl divers in Australia
and had some money from a lottery win. They bought the press and a small quantity of type
s from Antonio Salazar’s "Bazar el Cisne" on Calle Carriedo, and Del Castillo transported it to the house of Andrés Bonifacio
in Santa Cruz, Manila
. On January 1, 1896, Valenzuela accepted the position as the Katipunan "fiscal" in exchange of Bonifacio's consent to send the printing press on his house in Calle de Lavezares, San Nicolas, Manila
, "so that he could assist and edit a monthly publication which would be the Katipunan's main organ". Bonifacio agreed, and on mid-January, the press was delivered in San Nicolas.
The name Kalayaan was suggested by Dr. Pío Valenzuela, which was agreed both by Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto
. Even though Valenzuela was chosen to become the editor of the organ, they all decided to use the name of Marcelo H. del Pilar
as its editor. To fool the Spanish authorities, the Kalayaan was also decided to carry a false masthead
stating that it was being printed in Yokohama, Japan.
That very same month, January 1896, the publication of Kalayaan was started. Valenzuela expected it to finish at the end of the month, so they dated it as January. The existence of the press was kept in utmost secrecy. Under the supervision of Valenzuela, two printers, Faustino Duque, a student from Colegio de San Juan de Letran
, and Ulpiano Fernández, a part-time printer at El Comercio, printed the revolutionary literature of the society and Kalayaan.
When Valenzuela was appointed as the physician-general of the Katipunan, he dropped his obligation as the editor and passed it to Emilio Jacinto
. Jacinto took the job, editing articles after his pre-law classes in University of Santo Tomas
. Since the press was in Germanized alphabet, there are no Tagalog letters such as "k", "w", "h" and "y". To solve this problem, Jacinto obliged his mother, Josefa Dizon, to buy types that resembles such letters. The types
used in printing were purchased from publisher Isabelo de los Reyes
, but many were taken surreptitiously from the press of the Diario de Manila by Filipino employees who were also members of the Katipunan.
According to Valenzuela, the printing process is so laborious that setting eight pages of typesets require two months to complete. For weeks, Jacinto, Duque and Fernández (and sometimes Valenzuela) took turns at preparing the pages of the Kalayaan, which was approximately nine by twelve inches in size. On March 1896, first copies were issued (dated January 1896), and about 2,000 prints had been circulated in secret, according to Valenzuela. According to Epifanio de los Santos
, only 1,000 copies were printed: 700 was distributed by Bonifacio, 300 by Aguinaldo, and some 100 by Valenzuela himself.
The first issue contained a supposed editorial work done by del Pilar, which, in fact, was done by Jacinto himself. It also includes Bonifacio's Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa, Valenzuela's Catuiran? and several works that exposed Spanish abuses and promoting patriotism. Copies spread to nearby Manila
provinces, including Cavite, Morong (now Rizal), Kalookan
, and Malabon. Surprised by this initial success, Jacinto decided to print a second issue that would contain nothing but his only works.
On August 1896, the second issue was prepared. It was during this time when Spanish authorities began to grow suspicious about anti-government activities and supposition that a subversive
periodical is in circulation (see below), raided the place where Kalayaan is being printed, at No. 6 Clavel Street, San Nicolas, Manila. Fortunately, the printers, Duque and Fernández, warned in time, had destroyed the incriminating molds and escaped. Therefore, Spanish authorities never found any evidence of the Kalayaan.
. Copies of which were distributed among the members of the society.
Kartilya was written by Emilio Jacinto
and consists of thirteen teachings (though other sources like the one provided by Philippine Centennial Commission has listed only twelve). The term kartilya was derived from Spanish
cartilla, which was a primer for grade school students before going to school at that time.
, and uses an alphabet
nearly-similar to Spanish alphabet but has different meaning and the way it was read was changed. Diacritic
s were added, to emphasize the existence of ng and mga on Tagalog orthography. The following is an excerpt from Flores' Kartilyang
Makabayan: Mga Tanong at Sagot Ukol Kay Andrés Bonifacio
at sa KKK (Nationalist Primer: Questions and Answers about Andres Bonifacio and KKK, Manila, 1922):
Presented below is the Katipunan alphabet, when compared to the Spanish alphabet.
Eulogio Despujol y Dusay
, Katipunan was founded.
In a secret meeting of the Katipunan at a little river called Bitukang Manok near Pasig on May 2, 1896, Bonifacio and his councilors decided to enlist Rizal's support for the revolution. Bonifacio named Dr. Pío Valenzuela, an old friend of Rizal, to be Katipunan's emissary to Dapitan. This was done in order to inform Rizal of Katipunan's plan to launch a revolution and, if possible, a war against Spain.
On June 15, 1896, Dr. Valenzuela left Manila aboard the steamer
Venus. To disguise his real mission, he brought with him a blind man named Raymundo Mata and a guide, going to Dapitan to seek Rizal's expert medical service. (at the time, Rizal was renowned across the country for his achievements in ophthalmology
.)
Valenzuela arrived in Dapitan on June 21, where Rizal welcomed him. After supper, Valenzuela told him the real reason why he went to Dapitan and the necessity of securing Rizal's support. According to Valenzuela, Rizal only answered, "Huwag, huwag! Iya'y makasasama sa bayang Pilipino!" (No, no! That will harm the Filipino nation!)
Rizal objected to Bonifacio's audacious project to plunge the country into a bloody revolution. He was of the sincere belief that it was premature, for two reasons:
Because of this notion, Valenzuela gave another proposal to Rizal: to rescue him. Rizal disapproved of this plan, because he had given his word of honor to the Spanish authorities, and he did not want to break it. Instead, Rizal advised Valenzuela to persuade wealthy Filipinos, so that they can solicit funds, where he recommended an elite army officer name Antonio Luna
to be Katipunan's war general, should a revolution break out. According to Valenzuela's statement to the Spanish authorities, they almost quarreled over the matter and Valenzuela left the following day instead of staying for a month as originally planned.
When Valenzuela returned to Manila and informed the Katipunan of his failure to secure Rizal's sanction, Bonifacio, furious, warned Valenzuela not to tell anyone of Rizal's refusal to support the impending uprising. However, Valenzuela had already spread the word, so that much fund proposals to the society were canceled. Despite Rizal's rejection, the Katipunan was already trying to address its arms supply problem and had taken steps to smuggle in weapons from abroad.
At his trial, Rizal will eventually deny that he knew Valenzuela. He will only say that he met him first at Dapitan, and he considered him a good friend because of what Valenzuela showed to him, and his appreciation of medical tools Valenzuela gave to him. He will also say that it was also the last time they met.
, which loomed then as the probable champion of Asian liberties against Western oppression at the time. In May 1896, after Valenzuela's visit to Rizal, a delegation of Katipunan members, headed by Jacinto and Bonifacio, conferred with a visiting Japanese naval officer and captain of a Japanese ship, named Kongo, and the Japanese consul at a Japanese bazaar
in Manila. The interpreter, a friend of Valenzuela, was José Moritaro Tagawa who was married to a Filipino woman of Bocaue, Bulacan
.
After the usual exchange of courtesies, Jacinto submitted the Katipunan memorial for the Emperor of Japan
in which the Filipinos prayed for Japanese aid in their projected revolution, "so that the light of liberty that illuminates Japan may also shed its rays over the Philippines."
It was with good reason that the Katipunan solicited Japan's aid and alliance. Japan had been friendly to the Filipinos since the Spanish colonial era. Many Filipinos who had fled from Spanish persecution had been welcomed there and given full protection of Japanese laws. Bonifacio tried to purchase arms and ammunition
from Japan, but failed due to lack of funds and the uncovering of the Katipunan, Jose Dizon was part of the committee that the Katipunan formed to secure arms from Japan with the connivance of the Japanese ship captain. Three months later, however, the Katipunan was uncovered and Dizon was among the hundreds who were arrested for rebellion.
stationed at Pasig, reported to Governor-General
Ramón Blanco y Erenas
the mysterious activities of certain Filipinos who had been gathering arms and recruiting men for some unknown purposes. On August 13, 1896, Fr. Agustín Fernández, an Augustinian curate of San Pedro Makati, wrote to Don Manuél Luengo, Civil Governor of Manila, denouncing anti-Spanish meetings in his parish.
The Katipunan was finally discovered by the Spanish authorities six days after Fernández's letter to Luengo. On early August 1896, two Katipuneros, namely Teodoro Patiño and Apolonio de la Cruz, who were working for the Diario de Manila
printing press (leading newspaper during those times) had undergone misunderstanding regarding wages. Press foreman de la Cruz and typesetter Patiño fought over salary increase of two pesos, and de la Cruz tried to blame Patiño for the loss of the printing supplies that were used for the Kalayaan. As an action against de la Cruz, Patiño revealed the secrets of the society to his sister, Honoria Patiño, an inmate nun at the Mandaluyong Orphanage. That afternoon, on August 19, 1896, Honoria grew shocked and very upset to the revelation. The mother portress of the Orphanage, Sor
Teresa de Jesus saw Honoria crying so she approached her. Honoria told everything she heard from her brother. At around 6:15 pm that day, Sor Teresa called Teodoro Patiño and advised him to tell everything he knew about the Katipunan through confession
to Father Mariano Gíl.
Controlled by his fear of Hell, Teodoro went to Father Mariano Gíl, an Augustinian parish
curate
of the Tondo
convent. Though he is willed to tell anything about the Katipunan, Teodoro confessed to Father Gíl that a lithographic stone was hidden in the press-room of Diario de Manila, which was used by the society for printing receipts. He also said that aside from the stone, there were also documents of membership (that uses member’s blood for signing) hidden, together with a picture of Dr. José Rizal and several dagger
s that was made for the katipunero-employees of the newspaper.
Alarmed by the stunning truth of existence of a secret society, Father Gíl, accompanied by local Spanish authorities, searched the printing office of Diario de Manila and found the incriminating evidence. They also found Apolonio de la Cruz in possession of a dagger used in Katipunan initiation rites and some list of new accepted members. After the arrest, Father Gíl rushed to Governor-General Blanco to denounce the revolutionary plot of the Katipunan. The Spanish unleashed a crackdown and arrested dozens of people, where many innocent citizens were forced to go to Fort Santiago
.
Patiño's alleged betrayal has become the standard version of how the revolution broke out in 1896. In the 1920s, however, the Philippine National Library commissioned a group of former Katipuneros to confirm the truth of the story. José Turiano Santiago
, Bonifacio's close friend who was expelled in 1895, denied the story. He claimed that Bonifacio himself ordered Patiño to divulge the society's existence to hasten the Philippine revolution
and preempt any objection from members.
Historian Teodoro Agoncillo
gives a differing version of events, writing that Patiño revealed the secrets of the society to his sister, Honoria, following on a misunderstanding with Apolonio de la Cruz, another society member who worked with him in the Spanish-owned Diario de Manila periodical. Honoria, an orphanage inmate, was upset at the news and informed Sor Teresa, the orphanage madre portera, who suggested that Patiño tell all to Father Mariano Gil. On August 19, Patiño told Father Mariano what he knew of the secret society. Father Mariano and the owner of the Diario de Manila searched the printing shop, discovering the lithographic stone used to print pring Katipunan receipts. After this discovery the locker of Policarpio Turla, whose signature appeared on the receipts, was forced open and found to contain a dagger, the rules of the society, and other pertinent documents. These were turned over to the police, leading to the arrest and conviction on charges of illegal association and treason of some 500 prominent men.
government, and regarded themselves as a genuine government. Even though the society did have a unified structure, own laws and a centralized leadership, it turned to be working only when the revolution began.
They met again at another place in Balintawak the following day. Historians are still debating whether this event took place at the yard of Melchora Aquino
or at the house of her son Juan Ramos. The meeting took place either on August 23 or August 24. It was at this second meeting where the Katipuneros in attendance decided to start the armed uprising and they tore their cedulas (residence certificates and identity papers) as a sign of their commitment to the revolution. The Katipuneros also agreed to attack Manila on August 29.
But Spanish civil guards discovered the meeting and the first battle occurred with the Battle of Pasong Tamo. While the Katipunan initially had the upper hand, the Spanish civil guards turned the fight around. Bonifacio and his men retreated toward Marikina via Balara (now in Quezon City
). They then proceeded to San Mateo (in the province now called Rizal
) and took the town. The Spanish, however, regained it three days later. After regrouping, the Katipuneros decided not to attack Manila directly but agreed to take the Spanish powder magazine and garrison at San Juan.
On August 30, the Katipunan attacked the 100 Spanish soldiers defending the powder magazine in the Battle of Pinaglabanan. About 153 Katipuneros were killed in the battle, but the Katipunan had to withdraw upon the arrival of Spanish reinforcements. More than 200 were taken prisoner. At about the same time, Katipuneros in other suburban Manila areas, like Caloocan, San Pedro de Tunasan (now Makati City
), Pateros
and Taguig, rose up in arms. In the afternoon of the same day, the Spanish Gov. Gen. Camilo de Polavieja
declared martial law in Manila
and the provinces of Cavite
, Laguna, Batangas
, Bulacan
, Pampanga
, Tarlac
and Nueva Ecija
. The Philippine Revolution had begun.
In Bulacan, the Bulacan Revolutionary Movement were attacked by the strongest artillery forces ever converged in the capital town of Bulacan. This subsequently led to the Battle of San Rafael, where Gen. Anacleto Enriquez and his men were surrounded and attacked in the Church of San Rafael.
in Cuba
in a bid to persuade the Spanish authorities of his loyalty to Spain. His application was accepted and he arrived in Manila to board a ship for Spain in August 1896, shortly before the secret society was exposed. But while Rizal was enroute to Spain, the Katipunan was unmasked and a telegram overtook the steamer at Port Said
, recalling him to the Philippines to face charges that he was the mastermind of the uprising. He was later executed by musketry on December 30, 1896 at the field of Bagumbayan (now known as Luneta).
While Rizal was being tried by a military court for treason, the prisoners taken in the Battle of Pinaglabanan—Sancho Valenzuela, Ramón Peralta, Modesto Sarmiento, and Eugenio Silvestre—were executed on September 6, 1896 at Bagumbayan.
Six days later, they also executed the Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite
at Fort San Felipe Fort in Cavite.
The Spanish colonial authorities also pressed the prosecution of those who were arrested after the raid on the Diario de Manila printing press, where they found evidence incriminating not only common folk but also wealthy Filipino society leaders.
The Bicol Martyrs were executed by firing squad on January 4, 1897 at Bagumbayan. They were Manuel Abella, Domingo Abella, priests Inocencio Herrera, Gabriel Prieto and Severino Díaz, Camio Jacob, Tomas Prieto, Florencio Lerma, Macario Valentin, Cornelio Mercado and Mariano Melgarejo.
They arrested and seized the properties of prominent businessmen Francisco Roxas, Telesforo Chuidian and Jacinto Limjap. While there may be circumstantial evidence pointing to Chuidian and Limjap as financiers of the revolution, the record showed no evidence against Roxas except that he was involved in funding the Propaganda Movement. Even Mariano Ponce
, another leader of the Propaganda Movement, said the arrest of Roxas was a "fatal mistake". Nonetheless, Roxas was found guilty of treason and shot on January 11, 1897 at Bagumbayan.
Roxas was executed with Numeriano Adriano, José Dizon, Domingo Franco, Moises Salvador, Luis Enciso Villareal, Braulio Rivera, Antonio Salazar, Ramon P. Padilla, Faustino Villaruel and Eustaquio Mañalak. Also executed with the group were Lt. Benedicto Nijaga and Corporal Geronimo Medina, both of the Spanish army.
On February 6, 1897, Apolonio de la Cruz, Roman Basa, Teodoro Plata, Vicente Molina, Hermenegildo de los Reyes, Joes Trinidad, Pedro Nicodemus, Feliciano del Rosarioo, Gervasio Samson and Doroteo Domínguez were also executed at Bagumbayan.
But the executions, especially Rizal's, only added fuel to the rebellion, with the Katipuneros shouting battle cries: Mabuhay ang Katagalugan! (Long Live Katagalugan!--Katagalugan being the Katipunan term for the Philippines) and Mabuhay si Dr. José Rizal! (Long Live Dr. José Rizal!). To the Katipuneros, José Rizal is the Honorary President of the Katipunan.
) and the Magdalo faction (led by Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo
, cousin of General Emilio Aguinaldo
), both situated in Cavite
.
At a convention in Tejeros, Cavite, the revolutionaries assembled to form a revolutionary government. There, Bonifacio lost his bid for the presidency of the revolutionary government to Emilio Aguinaldo and instead was elected Secretary of the Interior. When members of the Magdalo faction tried to discredit him as uneducated and unfit for the position, Bonifacio declared the results of the convention as null and void, speaking as the Supremo of the Katipunan. Despite this, Aguinaldo took his oath of office as president the next day in Santa Cruz de Malabon (present-day Tanza) in Cavite, as did the rest of the officers, except for Bonifacio. Andres Bonifacio and his brother was later arrested upon orders of Gen. Aguinaldo and executed on May 10, 1897 at Mount Buntis in Maragondon,Cavite. He and his brother Procopio was buried in an unmarked grave. Thus ended the existence of the real Katipunan, replaced by Aguinaldo's own revolutionary government.
reproduction from the Project Gutenberg
. The reference is an e-book
reproduction from the Project Gutenberg
.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
s in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in 1892, whose primary aim was to gain independence from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
through revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
. The society was initiated by Filipino patriots Andrés Bonifacio
Andres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
, Teodoro Plata
Teodoro Plata
Teodoro Plata was a Filipino patriot, and a co-founder of the Katipunan, the secret society which sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule in 1896....
, Ladislao Diwa
Ladislao Diwa
Ladislao Diwa y Nocon was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that initiated the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896.-Early years:...
, and others on the night of July 7, when Filipino writer José Rizal
José Rizal
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda , was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by...
was to be banished to Dapitan. Initially, the Katipunan was a secret organization until its discovery in 1896 that led to the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
.
The word "katipunan", literally meaning 'association', comes from the root word "tipon", a Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
word meaning "gather together" or society. Its official revolutionary name is Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng̃ mg̃á Anak ng̃ Bayan (Highest and Most Honorable Society of the Children of the Nation). The Katipunan is also known by its acronym, K.K.K..
Being a secret organization, its members were subjected to the utmost secrecy and were expected to abide with the rules established by the society. Aspirant applicants were given standard initiation rites to become members of the society. At first, membership in the Katipunan was only open to male Filipinos; later, women were accepted in the society. The Katipunan had its own publication, Kalayaan (Liberty) that had its first and last print on March 1896. Revolutionary ideals and works flourished within the society, and Philippine literature were expanded by some of its prominent members.
In planning the revolution, Bonifacio contacted Rizal for his full-fledged support for the Katipunan in exchange for a promise of rescuing Rizal from his detainment. On May 1896, a delegation was sent to the Emperor of Japan
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
to solicit funds and military arms. The Katipunan's existence was revealed to the Spanish authorities after a member named Teodoro Patiño confessed the Katipunan's illegal activities to his sister, and finally to the mother portress of Mandaluyong Orphanage. Seven days after the Spanish authorities learned of the existence of the secret society, on August 26, 1896, Bonifacio and his men tore their cedúlas during the infamous Cry of Balintawak that started the Philippine Revolution
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
.
Influence of the Propaganda Movement
La Liga Filipina
La Liga Filipina was a progressive organization created by Dr. José Rizal in the Philippines in a house at Ilaya Street, Tondo, Manila in 1892.The organization derived from La Solidaridad and the Propaganda movement...
, founded by José Rizal
José Rizal
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda , was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by...
, as part of the late 19th century Propaganda Movement
Propaganda Movement
The Propaganda Movement was a literary and cultural organization formed in 1872 by Filipino émigrés who had settled in Europe. Composed of Filipino liberals exiled in 1872 and students attending Europe's universities, the organization aimed to increase Spanish awareness of the needs of its colony,...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Katipunan founders Andrés Bonifacio
Andres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
, Ladislao Diwa
Ladislao Diwa
Ladislao Diwa y Nocon was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that initiated the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896.-Early years:...
, and Teodoro Plata
Teodoro Plata
Teodoro Plata was a Filipino patriot, and a co-founder of the Katipunan, the secret society which sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule in 1896....
were all members of La Liga and were influenced by the nationalistic ideals of the Propaganda Movement
Propaganda Movement
The Propaganda Movement was a literary and cultural organization formed in 1872 by Filipino émigrés who had settled in Europe. Composed of Filipino liberals exiled in 1872 and students attending Europe's universities, the organization aimed to increase Spanish awareness of the needs of its colony,...
in Spain.
Marcelo H. del Pilar
Marcelo H. del Pilar
Marcelo Hilario del Pilar y Gatmaitán , better known by his nom-de-plume Plaridel, was a celebrated figure in the Philippine Revolution and a leading propagandist for reforms in the Philippines A master polemicist in both the Tagalog and Spanish languages, he helped the Propaganda Movement through...
, another leader of the Propaganda Movement in Spain, also influenced the formation of the Katipunan. Modern-day historians believe that he had a direct hand in its organization because of his role in the Propaganda Movement and his eminent position in Philippine Masonry; most of the Katipunan's founders were freemasons. The Katipunan had initiation ceremonies that were copied from masonic rites. It also had a hierarchy of rank that was similar to that of freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
. Rizal's Spanish biographer Wenceslao Retana and Filipino biographer Juan Raymundo Lumawag saw the formation of the Katipunan as Del Pilar's victory over Rizal: "La Liga dies, and the Katipunan rises in its place. Del Pilar's plan wins over that of Rizal. Del Pilar and Rizal had the same end, even if each took a different road to it."
Founding of the Katipunan
Captured Katipunan members (also known as Katipuneros), who were also members of La Liga, revealed to the Spanish colonial authorities that there was a difference of opinion among members of La Liga. One group insisted on La Liga's principle of a peaceful reformation while the other espoused armed revolution.Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
, Andrés Bonifacio
Andres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
, a member of the La Liga Filipina
La Liga Filipina
La Liga Filipina was a progressive organization created by Dr. José Rizal in the Philippines in a house at Ilaya Street, Tondo, Manila in 1892.The organization derived from La Solidaridad and the Propaganda movement...
, founded the Katipunan in a house in Tondo, Manila
Tondo, Manila
Tondo is a district of Manila, Philippines. The locale has existed prior to the arrival of the Spanish, referred to as "Tundun" in the Laguna Copperplate Inscription. One of the most densely populated areas of land in the world, Tondo is located in the northwest portion of the city and is primarily...
. Bonifacio did establish the Katipunan when it was becoming apparent to anti-Spanish Filipinos that societies like the La Liga Filipina would be suppressed by colonial authorities. He was assisted by his two friends, Teodoro Plata
Teodoro Plata
Teodoro Plata was a Filipino patriot, and a co-founder of the Katipunan, the secret society which sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule in 1896....
(brother-in-law) and Ladislao Diwa
Ladislao Diwa
Ladislao Diwa y Nocon was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that initiated the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896.-Early years:...
, plus Valentín Díaz
Valentin Diaz
Valentín Díaz was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that started the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896....
and Deodato Arellano
Deodato Arellano
Deodato Arellano was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that started the Philippine Revolution against Spain....
. The Katipunan was founded along Azcarraga St. (now Claro M. Recto Avenue) near Elcano St. in Tondo
Tondo, Manila
Tondo is a district of Manila, Philippines. The locale has existed prior to the arrival of the Spanish, referred to as "Tundun" in the Laguna Copperplate Inscription. One of the most densely populated areas of land in the world, Tondo is located in the northwest portion of the city and is primarily...
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. Despite their reservations about the peaceable reformation that Rizal espoused, they named Rizal honorary president without his knowledge. The Katipunan, established as a secret brotherhood organization, went under the name Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng̃ mg̃á Anak ng̃ Bayan (Supreme and Venerable Society of the Children of the Nation).
The Katipunan had four aims, namely:
- to develop a strong alliance with each and every Katipunero
- to unite Filipinos into one solid nation;
- to win Philippine independence by means of an armed conflict (or revolution);
- to establish a republicRepublicA republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
after independence.
The rise of the Katipunan signaled the end of the crusade to secure reforms
Propaganda Movement
The Propaganda Movement was a literary and cultural organization formed in 1872 by Filipino émigrés who had settled in Europe. Composed of Filipino liberals exiled in 1872 and students attending Europe's universities, the organization aimed to increase Spanish awareness of the needs of its colony,...
from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
by means of a peaceful campaign. The Propaganda Movement
Propaganda Movement
The Propaganda Movement was a literary and cultural organization formed in 1872 by Filipino émigrés who had settled in Europe. Composed of Filipino liberals exiled in 1872 and students attending Europe's universities, the organization aimed to increase Spanish awareness of the needs of its colony,...
led by Rizal
José Rizal
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda , was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by...
, del Pilar
Marcelo H. del Pilar
Marcelo Hilario del Pilar y Gatmaitán , better known by his nom-de-plume Plaridel, was a celebrated figure in the Philippine Revolution and a leading propagandist for reforms in the Philippines A master polemicist in both the Tagalog and Spanish languages, he helped the Propaganda Movement through...
, Jaena and others had failed its mission; hence, Bonifacio started the militant movement for independence.
Administration
The Katipunan was governed by the Supreme Council (Tagalog: Kataastaasang Sanggunian). The first Supreme Council of the Katipunan was formed around August 1892, a month after the founding of the society. The Supreme Council was headed by an elected president (Pangulo), followed by the secretary/secretaries (Kalihim); the treasurer (Tagaingat-yaman) and the fiscal (Tagausig). The Supreme Council also had its councilors (Kasanguni); the number varied through presidencies. To distinguish from presidents of lower sanggunian or councils (below) the president of the Supreme Council was called the Supreme President (Tagalog: Kataastaasang Pangulo; Spanish: Presidente Supremo). Initially, the Supreme Council was headed by Deodato ArellanoDeodato Arellano
Deodato Arellano was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that started the Philippine Revolution against Spain....
, and the following as officials:
- Deodato ArellanoDeodato ArellanoDeodato Arellano was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that started the Philippine Revolution against Spain....
, Supreme President - Andrés BonifacioAndres BonifacioAndrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
, comptrollerComptrollerA comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the... - Ladislao DiwaLadislao DiwaLadislao Diwa y Nocon was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that initiated the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896.-Early years:...
, fiscal - Teodoro PlataTeodoro PlataTeodoro Plata was a Filipino patriot, and a co-founder of the Katipunan, the secret society which sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule in 1896....
, secretary - Valentín DíazValentin DiazValentín Díaz was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that started the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896....
, treasurer
In February 1893, the Supreme Council was reorganized, with Ramón Basa as Supreme President and Bonifacio as the fiscal. In January 1895, Bonifacio assumed the Supreme Presidency of the Katipunan. At the outbreak of the 1896 revolution
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
, the Council was further reorganized into a 'cabinet' which the Katipunan regarded as a genuine revolutionary government, de-facto and de-jure.
- Andrés Bonifacio, President
- Emilio JacintoEmilio JacintoEmilio Jacinto y Dizon , was a Filipino revolutionary known as the Brains of the Katipunan.-Biography:Born in Trozo, Tondo, Manila. Jacinto was the son of Mariano Jacinto and Josefa Dizon...
, Secretary of State - Teodoro Plata, Secretary of War
- Briccio Pantas, Secretary of Justice
- Aguedo del Rosario, Secretary of the Interior
- Enrique Pacheco, Secretary of Finance
- Marina Dizon, head of women's division
In each province where there were Katipunan members, a provincial council called Sangguniang Bayan was established and in each town was an organized popular council called Sangguniang Balangay. Each Bayan and Balangay had its own set of elected officials: Pangulo (president); Kalihim (secretary); Tagausig (fiscal); Tagaingat-yaman (treasurer); Pangalawang Pangulo (vice president); Pangalawang Kalihim (vice secretary); mga kasanguni (councilors); Mabalasig (terrible brother); Taliba (guard); Maniningil (collector/auditor); Tagapamahala ng Basahan ng Bayan(custodian of the People’s Library); Tagapangasiwa (administrator); Manunulat (clerk); Tagatulong sa Pagsulat (assistant clerk); Tagalaan (warden); and Tagalibot (patroller). Each Balangay were given a chance to expand their own spheres of influence, through triangle system in order to elevate their status to Sangguniang Bayan. Every Balangay that did not gain Sanggunian Bayan status were dissolved and annexed by greater provincial or popular councils.
The towns which supported the Katipunan cause were given symbolic names, such as Magdiwang (To celebrate) for Noveleta
Noveleta, Cavite
The Municipality of Noveleta is an urban municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 46,336 people. The current mayor is Engr...
; Magdalo (To come) for Kawit; Magwagi (To win) for Naic; Magtagumpay (To succeed) for Maragondon
Maragondon, Cavite
The Municipality of Maragondon is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. Maragondon is 54 kilometers away from Manila going southeast. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 33,604 people...
; Walangtinag (Never-diminished) for Indang
Indang, Cavite
Indang is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines.Although Indang is a small municipality, it is starting to be developed. Now, fast-food restaurants such as Jollibee, have been opened up .Indang has a public market, or palengke, where goods such as vegetables, seafood,...
and Haligue (Aggregate) for Imus
Imus, Cavite
The Municipality of Imus is a first-class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines, and it is the officially designated capital of Cavite...
–all are in the province of Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
.
Within the society functioned a secret chamber, called Camara Reina, which was presided over by Bonifacio, Jacinto, and Pío Valenzuela
Pio Valenzuela
Pío Valenzuela was a Filipino physician and patriot who was among the leaders of the Katipunan that started the Philippine Revolution against Spain...
. This mysterious chamber passed judgment upon those who had betrayed their oath and those accused of certain offenses penalized by Katipunan laws. Every katipunero stood in fearful awe of this chamber. According to José P. Santos, throughout the existence of the secret chamber, about five katipuneros were convicted and sentenced to die by it. The death sentence was handed down in the figure of a cup with a serpent
Serpent (symbolism)
Serpent in Latin means: Rory Collins :&, in turn, from the Biblical Hebrew word of: "saraf" with root letters of: which refers to something burning-as, the pain of poisonous snake's bite was likened to internal burning.This word is commonly used in a specifically mythic or religious context,...
coiled around it.
History of administration
In 1892, after the Katipunan was founded, the members of the Supreme Council consisted of Arellano as president, Bonifacio as comptroller, Diwa as fiscal, Plata as secretary and Díaz as treasurer.In 1893, the Supreme Council comprised Ramón Basa as president, Bonifacio as fiscal, José Turiano Santiago
Jose Turiano Santiago
José Turiano Santiago was a Filipino patriot who was among the leaders of the Katipunan that sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896....
as secretary, Vicente Molina as treasurer and Restituto Javier, Briccio Pantas, Teodoro Gonzales. Gonzales, Plata, and Diwa were councilors. It was during Basa's term that the society organized a women's auxiliary section. Two of its initial members were Gregoria de Jesus
Gregoria de Jesus
Gregoria de Jesús , also known as Aling Oriang, was the founder and vice-president of the women's chapter of the Katipunan of the Philippines. She was also the custodian of the documents and seal of the Katipunan. She married Andrés Bonifacio, the supremo of the Katipunan, and played a major role...
, whom Bonifacio had just married, and Marina Dizon, daughter of José Dizon. It was also in 1893 when Basa and Diwa organized the provincial council of Cavite, which would later be the most successful council of the society.
The Filipino scholar Maximo Kalaw reports that Basa yielded the presidency to Bonifacio in 1894 because of a dispute over the usefulness of the initiation rites and Bonifacio's handling of the society's funds. Basa contested Bonifacio's practice of lending their funds to needy members, complete with promissory notes. Moreover, Basa refused to induct his son into the organization.
It was also in 1894 when Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto y Dizon , was a Filipino revolutionary known as the Brains of the Katipunan.-Biography:Born in Trozo, Tondo, Manila. Jacinto was the son of Mariano Jacinto and Josefa Dizon...
, a nephew of Dizon who was studying law at the University of Santo Tomas
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
, joined the Katipunan. He intellectualized the society's aims and formulated the principles of the society as embodied in its primer, called Kartilla. It was written in Tagalog and all recruits were required to commit it to heart before they were initiated. Jacinto would later be called the Brains of the Katipunan.
At the same time, Jacinto also edited Kalayaan (Freedom), the society's official organ, but only one edition of the paper was issued; a second was prepared but never printed due to the discovery of the society. Kalayaan was published through the printing press of the Spanish newspaper Diario de Manila. This printing press and its workers would later play an important role in the outbreak of the revolution.
In 1895, José Turiano Santiago
Jose Turiano Santiago
José Turiano Santiago was a Filipino patriot who was among the leaders of the Katipunan that sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896....
, a close personal friend of Bonifacio, was expelled because a coded message of the Katipunan fell into the hands of a Spanish priest teaching at the University of Santo Tomas
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
. Since the priest was a friend of Santiago's sister, he and his half-brother Restituto Javier were suspected of betrayal, but the two would remain loyal to the Katipunan and Santiago would even join the Philippine revolutionary forces in the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
. Jacinto replaced Santiago as secretary.
In early 1895, Bonifacio called a meeting of the society and deposed Basa in an election that installed Bonifacio as president, Jacinto as Fiscal, Santiago as secretary, Molina as secretary, Pío Valenzuela
Pio Valenzuela
Pío Valenzuela was a Filipino physician and patriot who was among the leaders of the Katipunan that started the Philippine Revolution against Spain...
and Pantaleon Torres as physicians, and Aguedo del Rosario and Doreteo Trinidad as councilors.
On December 31, 1895, another election named Bonafacio as president, Jacinto as Fiscal, Santiago as secretary, Molina as secretary, Pío Valenzuela and Pantaleon Torres as physicians, and Aguedo del Rosario and Doreteo Trinidad as councilors.
The members of the Supreme Council in 1895 were Bonifacio as president, Valenzuela as fiscal and physician, Jacinto as secretary, and Molina as treasurer. Enrico Pacheco, Pantaleon Torres, Balbino Florentino, Francisco Carreon and Hermenegildo Reyes were named councilers.
Eight months later, in August 1896, the fifth and last supreme council was elected to renamed offices. Bonifacio was named Supremo, Jacinto Secretary of State, Plata Secretary of War, Bricco Pantas Secretary of Justice, Aguedo del Rosario Secretary of Interior and Enrice Pacheco Secretary of Finance.
Members
Over the next four years, the Katipunan founders would recruit new members. By the time the society was uncovered, the American writer James Le Roy estimated the strength of the Katipunan at 100,000 to 400,000 members. Historian Teodoro Agoncillo estimated that the membership had increased to around 30,000 by 1896. The IlocanoIlocano people
The Ilocano or Ilokano people are the third largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group. Aside from being referred to as Ilocanos, from "i"-from, and "looc"-bay, they also refer to themselves as Samtoy, from the Ilocano phrase "sao mi ditoy", meaning 'our language here.' The word "Ilocano" came from...
writer Isabelo de los Reyes
Isabelo de los Reyes
Isabelo Florentino De Los Reyes, Sr., also known as Don Belong , was a prominent Filipino politician, writer and labor activist in the 19th and 20th centuries. He was the founder of the Aglipayan Church, an independent Philippine national church...
estimated membership at 15,000 to 50,000.
Aside from Manila, the Katipunan also had sizeable chapters in Batangas
Batangas
Batangas is a first class province of the Philippines located on the southwestern part of Luzon in the CALABARZON region. Its capital is Batangas City and it is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and Laguna to the north and Quezon to the east. Across the Verde Island Passages to the south is the...
, Laguna, Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
, Rizal
Rizal
Rizal is a province located in the CALABARZON , just 16 kilometers east of Manila. The province was named after the country's national hero, José Rizal. Rizal Governor Casimiro A. Ynares III on June 17, 2008 announced the transfer of the Capitol from Pasig. Its P 270-million capitol building,...
, Bulacan
Bulacan
Bulacan , officially called the Province of Bulacan or simply Bulacan Province, is a first class province of the Republic of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Region in the island of Luzon, north of Manila , and part of the Metro...
, Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...
, Tarlac
Tarlac
Tarlac is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Luzon Island. Its capital is Tarlac City. Tarlac borders Pampanga to the south, Nueva Ecija to the east, Pangasinan to the north, and Zambales to the west...
and Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Palayan City...
. There were also smaller chapters in Ilocos Sur
Ilocos Sur
Ilocos Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Vigan City, located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the provincial capital...
, Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Its capital is Laoag City and is located at the northwest corner of Luzon Island, bordering Cagayan and Apayao to the east, and Abra and Ilocos Sur to the south...
, Pangasinan
Pangasinan
Pangasinan is a province of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen. Pangasinan is located on the west central and peripheral area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, with the total land area being 5,368.82 square kilometers . According to the latest census,...
and the Bicol
Bicol Region
The Bicol Region or Bicolandia is one of the 17 regions of the Philippines. Its regional center is Legazpi City...
region. The Katipunan founders spent their free time recruiting members. For example, Diwa, who was a clerk at a judicial court, was assigned to the office of a justice of the peace in Pampanga. He initiated members in that province as well as Bulacan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija. Most of the Katipuneros were plebeian although several wealthy patriots joined the society and submitted themselves to the leadership of Bonifacio.
Katipunero (plural
Plural
In linguistics, plurality or [a] plural is a concept of quantity representing a value of more-than-one. Typically applied to nouns, a plural word or marker is used to distinguish a value other than the default quantity of a noun, which is typically one...
, mga Katipunero) is the demonym
Demonym
A demonym , also referred to as a gentilic, is a name for a resident of a locality. A demonym is usually – though not always – derived from the name of the locality; thus, the demonym for the people of England is English, and the demonym for the people of Italy is Italian, yet, in english, the one...
of a male member of the Katipunan. Katipunera (plural
Plural
In linguistics, plurality or [a] plural is a concept of quantity representing a value of more-than-one. Typically applied to nouns, a plural word or marker is used to distinguish a value other than the default quantity of a noun, which is typically one...
, mga Katipunera) refers to female members.
Triangle system and grades
It was the original plan of Bonifacio to increase the membership of the Katipunan by means of sistemang patatsulok or triangle system. He formed his first triangle with his two comrades, Teodoro PlataTeodoro Plata
Teodoro Plata was a Filipino patriot, and a co-founder of the Katipunan, the secret society which sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule in 1896....
and Ladislao Diwa
Ladislao Diwa
Ladislao Diwa y Nocon was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that initiated the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896.-Early years:...
. Each of them re-instituted Katipunan thoughts into another two new converts. The founder of the triangle knew the other two members, but the latter did not know each other. On December 1892 the system was abolished after proving it to be clumsy and complicated. A new system of initiation, modelled after the Masonic rites was then adopted.
When the Katipunan had expanded to more than a hundred members, Bonifacio divided the members into three grades: the Katipon (literally: Associate) which is the lowest rank, the Kawal (soldier), and the Bayani (Hero or Patriot). In the meeting of the society, Katipon wore a black hood with a triangle of white ribbon having the letters "Z. Ll. B.", corresponding to the roman "A. ng̃ B.", meaning Anak ng̃ Bayan (Son of the People, see below). Kawal wore a green hood with a triangle having white lines and the letters "Z. LL. B." at the three angles of the triangle, and also wore a green ribbon with a medal with the letter
(ka) in BaybayinBaybayin
Baybayin , is a pre-Spanish Philippine writing system. It is a member of the Brahmic family and is recorded as being in use in the 16th century...
script above a depiction of a crossed sword and flag. The password was Gom-Bur-Za
Gomburza
Gomburza or GOMBURZA is an acronym denoting the surnames of the priests Mariano Gómez, José Apolonio Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, three Filipino priests who were executed on 17 February 1872 at Bagumbayan in Manila, Philippines by Spanish colonial authorities on charges of subversion arising from...
, taken from the names of the three martyrs Mariano Gomez
Mariano Gómez
Mariano Gómez y Guard was a Filipino secular priest, part of the Gomburza trio who were falsely accused of mutiny by the Spanish colonial authorities in the Philippines in the 19th century. He was placed in a mock trial and summarily executed in Manila along with two other clergymen.-Early...
, Jose Burgos
José Burgos
José Apolonio Burgos y García was a Filipino mestizo secular priest, accused of mutiny by the Spanish colonial authorities in the Philippines in the 19th century...
and Jacinto Zamora
Jacinto Zamora
Jacinto Zamora y del Rosario was a Filipino friar, part of the Gomburza trio who were falsely accused of mutiny by the Spanish colonial authorities in the Philippines in the 19th century...
. Bayani (Hero) wore a red mask and a sash with green borders, symbolizing courage and hope. The front of the mask had white borders that formed a triangle with three Ks arranged as if occupying the angles of a triangle within a triangle, and with the letters "Z. Ll. B." below. Another password was Rizal
José Rizal
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda , was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by...
. Countersigns enabled members to recognize one another on the street. A member meeting another member placed the palm of his right hand on his breast and, as he passed the other member, he closed the hands to bring the right index finger and thumb together.
Color designations:
- Katipon. First degree members. Other symbols: Black hood, revolver and/or bolo.
- Kawal. Second degree members. Other symbols: green ribboned-medallion with Malayan K inscription.
- Bayani. Third degree members. Other symbols: Red hood and sash, with green borders.
Katipon could graduate to Kawal class by bringing several new members into the society. A Kawal could become a Bayani upon being elected an officer of the society.
Membership
Any person who wished to join the Katipunan was subjected to certain initiation rites, resembling those of Masonic ritesMasonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
, to test his courage, patriotism, and loyalty. New recruits underwent the initiation rite three at a time so that no member knew more than two other members of the society. The neophyte was first blindfolded and then led into a dimly-lighted room with black curtains where his folded cloth was removed from his eyes. An admonition, in Tagalog, was posted at the entrance to the room:
Inside the candle-lit room, they would be brought to a table adorned with a skull and a bolo. There, they would condemn the abuses of the Spanish government and vow to fight colonial oppression:
During Bonifacio's time, all of the Filipino people are referred collectively by the Katipunan as Tagalogs, while Philippines is Katagalugan.
The next step in the initiation ceremony was the lecture given by the master of ceremonies, called Mabalasig/Mabalasik (terrible brother), who informed the neophyte to withdraw if he lacked courage since he would be out of place in the patriotic society. If the neophyte persisted, he was presented to the assembly of the brethren, who subjected him to various ordeals such as blindfolding him and making him shoot a supposedly a revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
at a person, or forcing him to jump a supposedly hot flame. After the ordeals came to final rite–the pacto de sangre or blood compact
Blood compact
Blood compact was a ritual in the Philippines where tribes would cut their wrist and pour their blood into a cup filled with liquid and drink each other's blood as part of the tribal tradition to seal a friendship, a pact or treaty, or to validate an agreement...
–in which the neophyte signed the oath with blood taken from his arm. He was then accepted as a full-pledged member, with a symbolic name by which he was be known within Katipunan circles. Bonifacio's symbolic name was Maypagasa; Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto y Dizon , was a Filipino revolutionary known as the Brains of the Katipunan.-Biography:Born in Trozo, Tondo, Manila. Jacinto was the son of Mariano Jacinto and Josefa Dizon...
was Pingkian; Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation...
was Magdalo and Artemio Ricarte
Artemio Ricarte
Artemio Ricarte y Garcia was a Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War. He is considered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as the "Father of the Philippine Army"...
was Vibora.
Admission of women to the society
At first, Katipunan was purely a patriotic society for men. Owing to the growing suspicion of the women regarding nocturnal absences of their husbands, the reduction of their monthly earnings and "long hours of work", Bonifacio had to bring them into the realms of the KKK. A section for women was established in the society: to become admitted, one must be a wife, a daughter, or a sister of a male katipunero. It was estimated that from 20 to 50 women had become members of the society.The first woman to become member of the Katipunan was Gregoria de Jesus
Gregoria de Jesus
Gregoria de Jesús , also known as Aling Oriang, was the founder and vice-president of the women's chapter of the Katipunan of the Philippines. She was also the custodian of the documents and seal of the Katipunan. She married Andrés Bonifacio, the supremo of the Katipunan, and played a major role...
, wife of Bonifacio. She was called the Lakambini ng Katipunan (Princess of the Katipunan). Initially, there were 29 women were admitted to the Katipunan: Gregoria de Jesus, Maria Dizon, president of the women's section; Josefa and Trinidad Rizal, sisters of Dr. José Rizal; Angelica Lopez and Delfina Herbosa Natividad, close relatives of Dr. Rizal; Carmén de Rodriguez; Marina Hizon; Benita Rodriguez; Semiona de Rémigio; Gregoria Montoya; Agueda Kahabagan
Agueda Kahabagan
Agueda Kahabagan y Iniquinto is referred to in the few sources that mention her as "Henerala Agueda". Not so much is known about her but from snatches of information available, she was presumably a native of Sta. Cruz, Laguna. Henerala's bravery in battle was legendary. She was reportedly often...
, Teresa Magbanua
Teresa Magbanua
Teresa Magbanua y Ferraris earned the distinction of being the only woman to lead combat troops in the Visayas against Spanish and American forces. Born in Pototan, Iloilo, Philippines on 13 October 1868, to wealthy parents, she earned a teaching degree and taught in her hometown...
, Trinidad Tecson, rendered as "Mother of Biak-na-Bato
Republic of Biak-na-Bato
The Republic of Biak-na-Bato , officially referred to in its constitution as the Philippine Republic , was the first republic ever declared in the Philippines by the revolutionary Emilio Aguinaldo and his fellow members of the Katipunan. Despite its successes, including the establishment of the...
"; Nazaria Lagos; Patronica Gamboa; Marcela Agoncillo
Marcela Agoncillo
Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo , also simply known as Marcela Agoncillo, was a Filipina renowned in Philippine history as the principal seamstress of the first and official flag of the Philippines, gaining her the title of Mother of the Philippine Flag.Agoncillo was a daughter of a rich family in her...
; Melchora Aquino
Melchora Aquino
Melchora Aquino de Ramos was a Filipina revolutionary who became known as "Tandang Sora" in the history of the Philippines because of her age when the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896...
, the "Grand Old Woman of Balintawak"; Marta Saldaña and Macaria Pañgilinan.
The women rendered valuable services to the Katipunan. They guarded the secret papers and documents of the society. Whenever the Katipunan held sessions in a certain house, they usually made merry, singing and dancing with some of the men in the living room so that the civil guard
Civil Guard (Spain)
The Civil Guard is the Spanish gendarmerie. It has foreign peace-keeping missions and maintains military status and is the equivalent of a federal military-status police force. As a police force, the Guardia Civil is comparable today to the French Gendarmerie, the Italian Carabinieri and the...
were led that there was nothing but a harmless social party within.
Though women are considered to be members of the Katipunan, information regarding the women's section were scarce and sometimes conflicting. Teodoro Agoncillo
Teodoro Agoncillo
Teodoro Andal Agoncillo was a 20th-century Filipino historian. He and his contemporary Renato Constantino were among the first Filipino historians renowned for promoting a distinctly nationalist point of view of Filipino history...
, for example, disregarded Marina Dizon and concluded that Josefa Rizal was the only president of the said section. Gregorio Zaide, on the other hand, mentioned Dizon's presidency in his 1939 publication History of the Katipunan but changed his mind when he adopted Dr. Pío Valenzuela's notion that women-members did not elect officers, hence there is no room for president.
Notable Katipuneros
- Emilio AguinaldoEmilio AguinaldoEmilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation...
(1869–1964) - First and only president of the then First Philippine RepublicFirst Philippine RepublicThe Philippine Republic , more commonly known as the First Philippine Republic or the Malolos Republic was a short-lived insurgent revolutionary government in the Philippines...
, Katipunan's successor. He was also a war general and head of the Magdalo faction that led to a strife among the Katipuneros. During his presidency, he ordered the execution of Andrés Bonifacio in 1897. - Andrés BonifacioAndres BonifacioAndrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
(1863–1897) - Supremo, third leader and founder of the Katipunan. - Gregoria de JesúsGregoria de JesusGregoria de Jesús , also known as Aling Oriang, was the founder and vice-president of the women's chapter of the Katipunan of the Philippines. She was also the custodian of the documents and seal of the Katipunan. She married Andrés Bonifacio, the supremo of the Katipunan, and played a major role...
(1875–1943) - called as the Lakambini ng Katipunan (Muse of the Katipunan) and nicknamed Aling Oryang, she was the wife of Bonifacio before marrying Julio Nakpil after the former's death. She was also regarded as one of the first women members of the Katipunan. - Gregorio del PilarGregorio del PilarGregorio del Pilar y Sempio was one of the youngest generals in the Philippine Revolutionary Forces during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War. He is most known for his role and death at the Battle of Tirad Pass...
(1875–1899) - entered the Katipunan circle when he joined the First Philippine RepublicFirst Philippine RepublicThe Philippine Republic , more commonly known as the First Philippine Republic or the Malolos Republic was a short-lived insurgent revolutionary government in the Philippines...
's army against the Americans. He died during the Battle of Tirad PassBattle of Tirad PassThe Battle of Tirad Pass, sometimes referred to as the "Philippine Thermopylae", was a battle in the Philippine-American War fought on December 2, 1899, in northern Luzon in the Philippines, in which a 60-man Filipino rearguard commanded by Brigadier General Gregorio del Pilar succumbed to 500...
. - Licerio GerónimoLicerio GerónimoLicerio Gerónimo was a general of the Philippine Revolutionary Forces under Emilio Aguinaldo. He is remembered in Philippine-American War annals as the opposing general to Major General Henry Ware Lawton at the Battle of San Mateo on December 19, 1899, where Lawton lost his life along with 13...
(1855–1924) - Aguinaldo's war general during Philippine-American WarPhilippine-American WarThe Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
. - Emilio JacintoEmilio JacintoEmilio Jacinto y Dizon , was a Filipino revolutionary known as the Brains of the Katipunan.-Biography:Born in Trozo, Tondo, Manila. Jacinto was the son of Mariano Jacinto and Josefa Dizon...
(1875–1899) - called as the Brains of the Katipunan. He wrote several papers during the Revolution like the KartilyaKartilya ng KatipunanThe Kartilya ng Katipunan served as the guidebook for new members of the organization, which laid out the group's rules and principles. The first edition of the Kartilya was written by Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto will later pen a revised Decalogue....
(Primer). - Vicente LukbanVicente LukbanVicente Lukbán y Rilles , was a Filipino officer in Emilio Aguinaldo's staff during the Philippine Revolution and the politico-military chief of Samar and Leyte during the Philippine-American War. The Americans credited him as the mastermind of the famous Balangiga massacre, in which more than...
(1860–1916) - Americans regarded him to be the mastermind of the bloody Balangiga massacreBalangiga massacreThe Balangiga massacre, as it is known in the Philippines, or the Balangiga affair, as it is known in the United States, was an incident in 1901 during the Philippine-American War where more than forty American soldiers were killed in a surprise guerrilla attack in the town of Balangiga on Samar...
in 1901 during Philippine-American WarPhilippine-American WarThe Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
. - Antonio LunaAntonio LunaAntonio Luna y Novicio was a Filipino pharmacist and general who fought in the Philippine-American War. He was also the founder of the Philippines's first military academy.- Family background :...
(1866–1899) - Aguinaldo's brigadier generalBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
, he led the war against the Americans during Philippine-American WarPhilippine-American WarThe Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
. was killed by kawit troops under orders from Emilio AguinaldoEmilio AguinaldoEmilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation... - Miguel Malvar y Carpio (1865–1911) - commander of the Katipunan and was one of the causes of strife among the society members.
- Enrique Pacheco - Alias Resurreccion Macabuhay. Secretary of Finance, and head of the Macabuhay Council.
- Macario Sakay- head of Katipunan in Trozo, Manila. Future founder of Republika ng Katagalugan that will oppose American occupation in the Phils.
- Antonio Soliman
- Paciano RizalPaciano RizalPaciano Rizal was a Filipino general and revolutionary, and the older brother of José Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines.-Early Life:...
- Paciano Rizal was the brother of the national hero Jose RizalJosé RizalJosé Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda , was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by...
was a personal friend of Padre Jose Burgos during his youth, and joined the Katipunan years before Jose's return from dapitan. - Manuel TinioManuel TinioManuel Tinio y Bundoc was the youngest General of the Philippine Revolutionary Army and in 1907, elected Governor of the Province of Nueva Ecija, Republic of the Philippines.-Antecedents:...
(1877–1924) - youngest general of the Katipunan, he later became the governor of Nueva EcijaNueva EcijaNueva Ecija is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Palayan City...
from 1907-1909. - Aurelio Tolentino
- Jacinto Tolentino
- Solomon Doma
- Julian Carpio (1832–1915) - colonial lawyer, teacher and member of La Liga Filipina, he later served as legal advisor to the Katipunan. His tenacious ability in argumentative reasoning earned him the nickname "demente viejo" among the colonial Principalía. In spite of being devout Catholic, Carpio, like other Filipino revolutionaries, was a member of the Freemasons before the formation of the Katipunan. In Manila, Julian ran a private law school which many of his personal socio-political ideals succeeded to his students. Notable Katipuneros under his tutelage was Gregorio AglipayGregorio AglipayGregorio Labayan Aglipay was the first Filipino Supreme Bishop of the Philippine Independent Church.-Early life:...
and Miguel MalvarMiguel MalvarMiguel Malvar y Carpio was a Filipino commander who served during the Philippine Revolution and subsequently during the Philippine–American War. He assumed command of the Philippine revolutionary forces during the latter conflict following the capture of Emilio Aguinaldo in 1901...
.
Supporters:
- Melchora AquinoMelchora AquinoMelchora Aquino de Ramos was a Filipina revolutionary who became known as "Tandang Sora" in the history of the Philippines because of her age when the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896...
(1812–1919) - also known as Tandang Sora (Old Sora) and nicknamed as the Grand Woman of the revolution as well as Mother of Balintawak, she has been notable for her heroic contribution to wounded and ailing Katipuneros during revolution.
Literature of the society
Written works
During Katipunan's existence, literature flourished through prominent writers of the Katipunan: Andrés BonifacioAndres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
, Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto y Dizon , was a Filipino revolutionary known as the Brains of the Katipunan.-Biography:Born in Trozo, Tondo, Manila. Jacinto was the son of Mariano Jacinto and Josefa Dizon...
and Dr. Pío Valenzuela. Each of the three's works were stirring literature of patriotism and are aimed to spread the revolutionary thoughts and ideals of the society.
- Bonifacio works. Probably one of the best works done inside the Katipunan was written by Andrés BonifacioAndres BonifacioAndrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
, the Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa (Love of Fatherland), a poem of sincere patriotic sentiment. Pag-ibig was published in the Kalayaan only issue of January 1896 under his nom-de-plume Agapito Bagumbayan. According to Manuel Artigas y Cuerva, the name Agapito Bagumbayan was a corruption of combination agap-ito, bagum-bayan, which, if translated from Tagalog to English word by word, means "the new nation is here, and ready". There is no known original source of Pag-ibig, especially that there is no surviving Kalayaan issue. The two available texts accessible reprinted through books is the one published by Jose P. Santos in 1935. The other one, with familiar discrepancies to Santos' print, was archived in military annals of MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
.
- After Rizal's execution at Bagumbayan on December 30, 1896, Bonifacio wrote the first Tagalog translation of the former's Mi último adiósMi último adiós"Mi último adiós" is a poem written by Philippine national hero José Rizal on the eve of his execution on December 30, 1896. Although the poem was untitled, this title served as an artifice useful as a quick reference. This poem was one of the last notes he wrote before his execution...
(Final Farewell), in which he gave the name Pahimakas (Farewell). He also wrote the prose Katungkulang Gagawin ng mga Z. Ll. B. (Duties of the Sons of the People), that was never published because he believed that Jacinto's Kartilya was superior than his. Bonifacio also wrote Ang Dapat Mabatid ng Mga Tagalog (What the Tagalogs Should Know), which is a politic-historical essay.
- Jacinto works. Emilio JacintoEmilio JacintoEmilio Jacinto y Dizon , was a Filipino revolutionary known as the Brains of the Katipunan.-Biography:Born in Trozo, Tondo, Manila. Jacinto was the son of Mariano Jacinto and Josefa Dizon...
is considered the Brains of the Katipunan, later the Revolution. His poetical masterpiece, written in Laguna on October 8, 1897, was A la Patría (To My Fatherland), with an inspiring melody paralleled from Rizal's Mi último adiósMi último adiós"Mi último adiós" is a poem written by Philippine national hero José Rizal on the eve of his execution on December 30, 1896. Although the poem was untitled, this title served as an artifice useful as a quick reference. This poem was one of the last notes he wrote before his execution...
He also wrote a touching odeOdeOde is a type of lyrical verse. A classic ode is structured in three major parts: the strophe, the antistrophe, and the epode. Different forms such as the homostrophic ode and the irregular ode also exist...
entitled A mí Madre (To My Mother). His masterpiece in prose, the KartillaKartilya ng KatipunanThe Kartilya ng Katipunan served as the guidebook for new members of the organization, which laid out the group's rules and principles. The first edition of the Kartilya was written by Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto will later pen a revised Decalogue....
(Kartilya, Primer) became the BibleBibleThe Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
of the Katipunan.(see below) His other prose writing was Liwanag at Dilim (Light and Darkness), a series of articles on human rights, liberty, equality, labor, government, and love of country. His nom-de-plume was Dimas-Ilaw.
- Valenzuela works. Dr. Pío Valenzuela was a medical doctor by profession. In 1896, during the first publication of Kalayaan, Valenzuela assisted Bonifacio and Jacinto in editing the newspaper. He also wrote Catuiran? (Is it Fair?), which described the cruelties of the Spanish priest and civil guards of San Francisco del Monte (now in Quezon CityQuezon CityQuezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
) on a helpless village lieutenant. He also collaborated with Bonifacio in writing the article Sa Mga Kababayan (To my Countrymen), an essay addresses to the motherland. His nom-de-plume was Madlang-Away.
- During the infamous Cry of Balintawak, Valenzuela had the position as physician-general of the Katipunan.
Kalayaan
- "Ang Kalayaan" redirects here. For other uses, see KalayaanKalayaanKalayaan, is a Filipino word for liberty or freedom. It may refer to:* , a municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines* Kalayaan, Palawan, a municipality in the province of Palawan; encompasses part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea...
.
Kalayaan (Liberty/Freedom) was the official organ and newspaper of the Katipunan. It was first published March 1896 (even though its masthead was dated January 1896.) The first Kalayaan issue has never been followed.
In 1895, the Katipunan bought an old hand-press with the money generously donated by two Visayan co-patriots Francisco del Castillo and Candido Iban–who returned to the country after working as shell and pearl divers in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and had some money from a lottery win. They bought the press and a small quantity of type
Typeface
In typography, a typeface is the artistic representation or interpretation of characters; it is the way the type looks. Each type is designed and there are thousands of different typefaces in existence, with new ones being developed constantly....
s from Antonio Salazar’s "Bazar el Cisne" on Calle Carriedo, and Del Castillo transported it to the house of Andrés Bonifacio
Andres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
in Santa Cruz, Manila
Santa Cruz, Manila
Santa Cruz is located on the right bank of the Pasig River, on the northern portion of the City of Manila, near the mouth of the river, in between the districts of Tondo and Quiapo...
. On January 1, 1896, Valenzuela accepted the position as the Katipunan "fiscal" in exchange of Bonifacio's consent to send the printing press on his house in Calle de Lavezares, San Nicolas, Manila
San Nicolas, Manila
San Nicolas is located in the Western side of North Manila, at the edge of the Pasig River surrounded by the districts of Binondo and Tondo. A lost jewel in Philippine Heritage this district has kept its 19th century houses, which symbolizes the wealthy lives of the people who use to live there....
, "so that he could assist and edit a monthly publication which would be the Katipunan's main organ". Bonifacio agreed, and on mid-January, the press was delivered in San Nicolas.
The name Kalayaan was suggested by Dr. Pío Valenzuela, which was agreed both by Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto y Dizon , was a Filipino revolutionary known as the Brains of the Katipunan.-Biography:Born in Trozo, Tondo, Manila. Jacinto was the son of Mariano Jacinto and Josefa Dizon...
. Even though Valenzuela was chosen to become the editor of the organ, they all decided to use the name of Marcelo H. del Pilar
Marcelo H. del Pilar
Marcelo Hilario del Pilar y Gatmaitán , better known by his nom-de-plume Plaridel, was a celebrated figure in the Philippine Revolution and a leading propagandist for reforms in the Philippines A master polemicist in both the Tagalog and Spanish languages, he helped the Propaganda Movement through...
as its editor. To fool the Spanish authorities, the Kalayaan was also decided to carry a false masthead
Masthead (publishing)
The masthead is a list, published in a newspaper or magazine, of its staff. In some publications it names only the most senior individuals; in others, it may name many or all...
stating that it was being printed in Yokohama, Japan.
That very same month, January 1896, the publication of Kalayaan was started. Valenzuela expected it to finish at the end of the month, so they dated it as January. The existence of the press was kept in utmost secrecy. Under the supervision of Valenzuela, two printers, Faustino Duque, a student from Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Colegio de San Juan de Letran
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Letran College, or simply Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of learning located in Intramuros, Manila, in the Philippines. The college was founded in 1620. Colegio de San Juan de Letran has the distinction of being the oldest college in the...
, and Ulpiano Fernández, a part-time printer at El Comercio, printed the revolutionary literature of the society and Kalayaan.
When Valenzuela was appointed as the physician-general of the Katipunan, he dropped his obligation as the editor and passed it to Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto y Dizon , was a Filipino revolutionary known as the Brains of the Katipunan.-Biography:Born in Trozo, Tondo, Manila. Jacinto was the son of Mariano Jacinto and Josefa Dizon...
. Jacinto took the job, editing articles after his pre-law classes in University of Santo Tomas
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
. Since the press was in Germanized alphabet, there are no Tagalog letters such as "k", "w", "h" and "y". To solve this problem, Jacinto obliged his mother, Josefa Dizon, to buy types that resembles such letters. The types
Typeface
In typography, a typeface is the artistic representation or interpretation of characters; it is the way the type looks. Each type is designed and there are thousands of different typefaces in existence, with new ones being developed constantly....
used in printing were purchased from publisher Isabelo de los Reyes
Isabelo de los Reyes
Isabelo Florentino De Los Reyes, Sr., also known as Don Belong , was a prominent Filipino politician, writer and labor activist in the 19th and 20th centuries. He was the founder of the Aglipayan Church, an independent Philippine national church...
, but many were taken surreptitiously from the press of the Diario de Manila by Filipino employees who were also members of the Katipunan.
According to Valenzuela, the printing process is so laborious that setting eight pages of typesets require two months to complete. For weeks, Jacinto, Duque and Fernández (and sometimes Valenzuela) took turns at preparing the pages of the Kalayaan, which was approximately nine by twelve inches in size. On March 1896, first copies were issued (dated January 1896), and about 2,000 prints had been circulated in secret, according to Valenzuela. According to Epifanio de los Santos
Epifanio de los Santos
Epifanio de los Santos y Cristóbal, sometimes known as Don Pañong or Don Panyong was a noted Filipino historian, literary critic, art critic, jurist, prosecutor, antiquarian, archivist, scholar, painter, poet, musician, musicologist, philosopher, philologist, bibliographer, translator,...
, only 1,000 copies were printed: 700 was distributed by Bonifacio, 300 by Aguinaldo, and some 100 by Valenzuela himself.
The first issue contained a supposed editorial work done by del Pilar, which, in fact, was done by Jacinto himself. It also includes Bonifacio's Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa, Valenzuela's Catuiran? and several works that exposed Spanish abuses and promoting patriotism. Copies spread to nearby Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
provinces, including Cavite, Morong (now Rizal), Kalookan
Caloocan City
The City of Caloocan is one of the cities and municipalities that comprises the Metro Manila region in the Philippines. It is a major residential area inside Metro Manila...
, and Malabon. Surprised by this initial success, Jacinto decided to print a second issue that would contain nothing but his only works.
On August 1896, the second issue was prepared. It was during this time when Spanish authorities began to grow suspicious about anti-government activities and supposition that a subversive
Subversion (politics)
Subversion refers to an attempt to transform the established social order, its structures of power, authority, and hierarchy; examples of such structures include the State. In this context, a "subversive" is sometimes called a "traitor" with respect to the government in-power. A subversive is...
periodical is in circulation (see below), raided the place where Kalayaan is being printed, at No. 6 Clavel Street, San Nicolas, Manila. Fortunately, the printers, Duque and Fernández, warned in time, had destroyed the incriminating molds and escaped. Therefore, Spanish authorities never found any evidence of the Kalayaan.
Kartilya ng Katipunan
The teachings of the Katipunan were embodied in a document entitled Kartilya ng Katipunan, a pamphlet printed in Tagalog languageTagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
. Copies of which were distributed among the members of the society.
Kartilya was written by Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto y Dizon , was a Filipino revolutionary known as the Brains of the Katipunan.-Biography:Born in Trozo, Tondo, Manila. Jacinto was the son of Mariano Jacinto and Josefa Dizon...
and consists of thirteen teachings (though other sources like the one provided by Philippine Centennial Commission has listed only twelve). The term kartilya was derived from Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
cartilla, which was a primer for grade school students before going to school at that time.
Language and alphabet
According to Filipino writer and historian Hermenegildo Flores, the official language of the Katipunan is TagalogTagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
, and uses an alphabet
Alphabet
An alphabet is a standard set of letters—basic written symbols or graphemes—each of which represents a phoneme in a spoken language, either as it exists now or as it was in the past. There are other systems, such as logographies, in which each character represents a word, morpheme, or semantic...
nearly-similar to Spanish alphabet but has different meaning and the way it was read was changed. Diacritic
Diacritic
A diacritic is a glyph added to a letter, or basic glyph. The term derives from the Greek διακριτικός . Diacritic is both an adjective and a noun, whereas diacritical is only an adjective. Some diacritical marks, such as the acute and grave are often called accents...
s were added, to emphasize the existence of ng and mga on Tagalog orthography. The following is an excerpt from Flores' Kartilyang
Kartilya ng Katipunan
The Kartilya ng Katipunan served as the guidebook for new members of the organization, which laid out the group's rules and principles. The first edition of the Kartilya was written by Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto will later pen a revised Decalogue....
Makabayan: Mga Tanong at Sagot Ukol Kay Andrés Bonifacio
Andres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
at sa KKK (Nationalist Primer: Questions and Answers about Andres Bonifacio and KKK, Manila, 1922):
- Rough translation:
Presented below is the Katipunan alphabet, when compared to the Spanish alphabet.
| Abakada ng̃ kastilà (Spanish alphabet) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | LL | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
| Abakada ng̃ "Katipunan" ("Katipunan" alphabet) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Z | B | K | D | Q | - | G | H | N | - | K | J | V | LL | C | P | K | R | S | T | X | - | W | - | Y | - |
Attempt to seek Rizal's support
It should be remembered that the night when Dr. José Rizal was condemned to be exiled in Dapitan by Governor-GeneralGovernor-General of the Philippines
The Governor-General of the Philippines was the title of the government executive during the colonial period of the Philippines, governed mainly by Spain and the United States, and briefly by Great Britain, from 1565 to 1935....
Eulogio Despujol y Dusay
Eulogio Despujol
Eulogio Despujol y Dusay served as a Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines from 1891 to 1893. A native of Catalunya, at first, he ruled in the Philippines as a conservative but later became a reactionary...
, Katipunan was founded.
In a secret meeting of the Katipunan at a little river called Bitukang Manok near Pasig on May 2, 1896, Bonifacio and his councilors decided to enlist Rizal's support for the revolution. Bonifacio named Dr. Pío Valenzuela, an old friend of Rizal, to be Katipunan's emissary to Dapitan. This was done in order to inform Rizal of Katipunan's plan to launch a revolution and, if possible, a war against Spain.
On June 15, 1896, Dr. Valenzuela left Manila aboard the steamer
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
Venus. To disguise his real mission, he brought with him a blind man named Raymundo Mata and a guide, going to Dapitan to seek Rizal's expert medical service. (at the time, Rizal was renowned across the country for his achievements in ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
.)
Valenzuela arrived in Dapitan on June 21, where Rizal welcomed him. After supper, Valenzuela told him the real reason why he went to Dapitan and the necessity of securing Rizal's support. According to Valenzuela, Rizal only answered, "Huwag, huwag! Iya'y makasasama sa bayang Pilipino!" (No, no! That will harm the Filipino nation!)
Rizal objected to Bonifacio's audacious project to plunge the country into a bloody revolution. He was of the sincere belief that it was premature, for two reasons:
- the people are not ready for a massive revolution; and
- arms and funds must first be collected before raising the cry of revolution.
Because of this notion, Valenzuela gave another proposal to Rizal: to rescue him. Rizal disapproved of this plan, because he had given his word of honor to the Spanish authorities, and he did not want to break it. Instead, Rizal advised Valenzuela to persuade wealthy Filipinos, so that they can solicit funds, where he recommended an elite army officer name Antonio Luna
Antonio Luna
Antonio Luna y Novicio was a Filipino pharmacist and general who fought in the Philippine-American War. He was also the founder of the Philippines's first military academy.- Family background :...
to be Katipunan's war general, should a revolution break out. According to Valenzuela's statement to the Spanish authorities, they almost quarreled over the matter and Valenzuela left the following day instead of staying for a month as originally planned.
When Valenzuela returned to Manila and informed the Katipunan of his failure to secure Rizal's sanction, Bonifacio, furious, warned Valenzuela not to tell anyone of Rizal's refusal to support the impending uprising. However, Valenzuela had already spread the word, so that much fund proposals to the society were canceled. Despite Rizal's rejection, the Katipunan was already trying to address its arms supply problem and had taken steps to smuggle in weapons from abroad.
At his trial, Rizal will eventually deny that he knew Valenzuela. He will only say that he met him first at Dapitan, and he considered him a good friend because of what Valenzuela showed to him, and his appreciation of medical tools Valenzuela gave to him. He will also say that it was also the last time they met.
Attempt to solicit Japan's aid
Despite Rizal's rejection of an armed revolution, Bonifacio continued to plan for an armed conflict with Spain. The Katipunan cast its eyes on JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, which loomed then as the probable champion of Asian liberties against Western oppression at the time. In May 1896, after Valenzuela's visit to Rizal, a delegation of Katipunan members, headed by Jacinto and Bonifacio, conferred with a visiting Japanese naval officer and captain of a Japanese ship, named Kongo, and the Japanese consul at a Japanese bazaar
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
in Manila. The interpreter, a friend of Valenzuela, was José Moritaro Tagawa who was married to a Filipino woman of Bocaue, Bulacan
Bocaue, Bulacan
Bocaue is a first-class urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. The municipality of Bocaue lies 24.5 kilometers northeast of Manila through the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Highway and is located at the mid-southwestern portion of Bulacan...
.
After the usual exchange of courtesies, Jacinto submitted the Katipunan memorial for the Emperor of Japan
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
in which the Filipinos prayed for Japanese aid in their projected revolution, "so that the light of liberty that illuminates Japan may also shed its rays over the Philippines."
It was with good reason that the Katipunan solicited Japan's aid and alliance. Japan had been friendly to the Filipinos since the Spanish colonial era. Many Filipinos who had fled from Spanish persecution had been welcomed there and given full protection of Japanese laws. Bonifacio tried to purchase arms and ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
from Japan, but failed due to lack of funds and the uncovering of the Katipunan, Jose Dizon was part of the committee that the Katipunan formed to secure arms from Japan with the connivance of the Japanese ship captain. Three months later, however, the Katipunan was uncovered and Dizon was among the hundreds who were arrested for rebellion.
Discovery
As the Katipunan was busy preparing for the revolution, various denuinciations regarding its existence reached the Spanish authorities. On July 5, 1896, Manuél Sityar, a Spanish lieutenant of the guardia civílCivil Guard (Spain)
The Civil Guard is the Spanish gendarmerie. It has foreign peace-keeping missions and maintains military status and is the equivalent of a federal military-status police force. As a police force, the Guardia Civil is comparable today to the French Gendarmerie, the Italian Carabinieri and the...
stationed at Pasig, reported to Governor-General
Governor-General of the Philippines
The Governor-General of the Philippines was the title of the government executive during the colonial period of the Philippines, governed mainly by Spain and the United States, and briefly by Great Britain, from 1565 to 1935....
Ramón Blanco y Erenas
Ramón Blanco y Erenas
Ramón Blanco y Erenas, marqués de Peña Plata was a Spanish brigadier and colonial administrator. Born in San Sebastián, he was sent to the Caribbean in 1858 and governed Cuba and Santo Domingo...
the mysterious activities of certain Filipinos who had been gathering arms and recruiting men for some unknown purposes. On August 13, 1896, Fr. Agustín Fernández, an Augustinian curate of San Pedro Makati, wrote to Don Manuél Luengo, Civil Governor of Manila, denouncing anti-Spanish meetings in his parish.
The Katipunan was finally discovered by the Spanish authorities six days after Fernández's letter to Luengo. On early August 1896, two Katipuneros, namely Teodoro Patiño and Apolonio de la Cruz, who were working for the Diario de Manila
Diario de Manila
Diario de Manila was a Spanish language newspaper published in the Philippines, founded on October 11, 1848, and closed down by official decree on February 19, 1898, after the colonial authorities discovered that its installations were being used to print revolutionary material.The Diario was...
printing press (leading newspaper during those times) had undergone misunderstanding regarding wages. Press foreman de la Cruz and typesetter Patiño fought over salary increase of two pesos, and de la Cruz tried to blame Patiño for the loss of the printing supplies that were used for the Kalayaan. As an action against de la Cruz, Patiño revealed the secrets of the society to his sister, Honoria Patiño, an inmate nun at the Mandaluyong Orphanage. That afternoon, on August 19, 1896, Honoria grew shocked and very upset to the revelation. The mother portress of the Orphanage, Sor
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
Teresa de Jesus saw Honoria crying so she approached her. Honoria told everything she heard from her brother. At around 6:15 pm that day, Sor Teresa called Teodoro Patiño and advised him to tell everything he knew about the Katipunan through confession
Confession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
to Father Mariano Gíl.
Controlled by his fear of Hell, Teodoro went to Father Mariano Gíl, an Augustinian parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of the Tondo
Tondo, Manila
Tondo is a district of Manila, Philippines. The locale has existed prior to the arrival of the Spanish, referred to as "Tundun" in the Laguna Copperplate Inscription. One of the most densely populated areas of land in the world, Tondo is located in the northwest portion of the city and is primarily...
convent. Though he is willed to tell anything about the Katipunan, Teodoro confessed to Father Gíl that a lithographic stone was hidden in the press-room of Diario de Manila, which was used by the society for printing receipts. He also said that aside from the stone, there were also documents of membership (that uses member’s blood for signing) hidden, together with a picture of Dr. José Rizal and several dagger
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
s that was made for the katipunero-employees of the newspaper.
Alarmed by the stunning truth of existence of a secret society, Father Gíl, accompanied by local Spanish authorities, searched the printing office of Diario de Manila and found the incriminating evidence. They also found Apolonio de la Cruz in possession of a dagger used in Katipunan initiation rites and some list of new accepted members. After the arrest, Father Gíl rushed to Governor-General Blanco to denounce the revolutionary plot of the Katipunan. The Spanish unleashed a crackdown and arrested dozens of people, where many innocent citizens were forced to go to Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago is a defense fortress built for Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi. The fort is part of the structures of the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines. José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, was imprisoned in the fort before his execution in 1896...
.
Patiño's alleged betrayal has become the standard version of how the revolution broke out in 1896. In the 1920s, however, the Philippine National Library commissioned a group of former Katipuneros to confirm the truth of the story. José Turiano Santiago
Jose Turiano Santiago
José Turiano Santiago was a Filipino patriot who was among the leaders of the Katipunan that sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896....
, Bonifacio's close friend who was expelled in 1895, denied the story. He claimed that Bonifacio himself ordered Patiño to divulge the society's existence to hasten the Philippine revolution
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
and preempt any objection from members.
Historian Teodoro Agoncillo
Teodoro Agoncillo
Teodoro Andal Agoncillo was a 20th-century Filipino historian. He and his contemporary Renato Constantino were among the first Filipino historians renowned for promoting a distinctly nationalist point of view of Filipino history...
gives a differing version of events, writing that Patiño revealed the secrets of the society to his sister, Honoria, following on a misunderstanding with Apolonio de la Cruz, another society member who worked with him in the Spanish-owned Diario de Manila periodical. Honoria, an orphanage inmate, was upset at the news and informed Sor Teresa, the orphanage madre portera, who suggested that Patiño tell all to Father Mariano Gil. On August 19, Patiño told Father Mariano what he knew of the secret society. Father Mariano and the owner of the Diario de Manila searched the printing shop, discovering the lithographic stone used to print pring Katipunan receipts. After this discovery the locker of Policarpio Turla, whose signature appeared on the receipts, was forced open and found to contain a dagger, the rules of the society, and other pertinent documents. These were turned over to the police, leading to the arrest and conviction on charges of illegal association and treason of some 500 prominent men.
First Filipino republic
From August 24, 1896, the Katipunan became an open insurgentInsurgent
Insurgent, insurgents or insurgency can refer to:* The act of insurgency-Specific insurgencies:* Iraqi insurgency, uprising in Iraq* Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, uprising in India* Insurgency in North-East India...
government, and regarded themselves as a genuine government. Even though the society did have a unified structure, own laws and a centralized leadership, it turned to be working only when the revolution began.
Revolution
When the Katipunan leaders learned of the arrests, Bonifacio called an assembly of all provincial councils to decide the start of the armed uprising. The meeting was held at the house of Apolonio Samson at a place called Kangkong in Balintawak. About 1,000 Katipuneros attended the meeting but they were not able to settle the issue.They met again at another place in Balintawak the following day. Historians are still debating whether this event took place at the yard of Melchora Aquino
Melchora Aquino
Melchora Aquino de Ramos was a Filipina revolutionary who became known as "Tandang Sora" in the history of the Philippines because of her age when the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896...
or at the house of her son Juan Ramos. The meeting took place either on August 23 or August 24. It was at this second meeting where the Katipuneros in attendance decided to start the armed uprising and they tore their cedulas (residence certificates and identity papers) as a sign of their commitment to the revolution. The Katipuneros also agreed to attack Manila on August 29.
But Spanish civil guards discovered the meeting and the first battle occurred with the Battle of Pasong Tamo. While the Katipunan initially had the upper hand, the Spanish civil guards turned the fight around. Bonifacio and his men retreated toward Marikina via Balara (now in Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
). They then proceeded to San Mateo (in the province now called Rizal
Rizal
Rizal is a province located in the CALABARZON , just 16 kilometers east of Manila. The province was named after the country's national hero, José Rizal. Rizal Governor Casimiro A. Ynares III on June 17, 2008 announced the transfer of the Capitol from Pasig. Its P 270-million capitol building,...
) and took the town. The Spanish, however, regained it three days later. After regrouping, the Katipuneros decided not to attack Manila directly but agreed to take the Spanish powder magazine and garrison at San Juan.
On August 30, the Katipunan attacked the 100 Spanish soldiers defending the powder magazine in the Battle of Pinaglabanan. About 153 Katipuneros were killed in the battle, but the Katipunan had to withdraw upon the arrival of Spanish reinforcements. More than 200 were taken prisoner. At about the same time, Katipuneros in other suburban Manila areas, like Caloocan, San Pedro de Tunasan (now Makati City
Makati City
The City of Makati is one of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines and one of the major financial, commercial and economic hubs in Asia...
), Pateros
Pateros, Metro Manila
The Municipality of Pateros is a First-class municipality in Metro Manila, Philippines. This small town is famous for its duck-raising industry and especially for producing balut, a Filipino delicacy that is boiled duck egg...
and Taguig, rose up in arms. In the afternoon of the same day, the Spanish Gov. Gen. Camilo de Polavieja
Camilo de Polavieja
Camilo Polavieja y del Castillo, Marques de Polavieja was a Spanish general born in Madrid on July 13, 1838, in a family of merchants...
declared martial law in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
and the provinces of Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
, Laguna, Batangas
Batangas
Batangas is a first class province of the Philippines located on the southwestern part of Luzon in the CALABARZON region. Its capital is Batangas City and it is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and Laguna to the north and Quezon to the east. Across the Verde Island Passages to the south is the...
, Bulacan
Bulacan
Bulacan , officially called the Province of Bulacan or simply Bulacan Province, is a first class province of the Republic of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Region in the island of Luzon, north of Manila , and part of the Metro...
, Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...
, Tarlac
Tarlac
Tarlac is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Luzon Island. Its capital is Tarlac City. Tarlac borders Pampanga to the south, Nueva Ecija to the east, Pangasinan to the north, and Zambales to the west...
and Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Palayan City...
. The Philippine Revolution had begun.
In Bulacan, the Bulacan Revolutionary Movement were attacked by the strongest artillery forces ever converged in the capital town of Bulacan. This subsequently led to the Battle of San Rafael, where Gen. Anacleto Enriquez and his men were surrounded and attacked in the Church of San Rafael.
Spanish response
Even before the discovery of the Katipunan, Rizal applied for a position as doctor in the Spanish armySpanish Army
The Spanish Army is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies - dating back to the 15th century.-Introduction:...
in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
in a bid to persuade the Spanish authorities of his loyalty to Spain. His application was accepted and he arrived in Manila to board a ship for Spain in August 1896, shortly before the secret society was exposed. But while Rizal was enroute to Spain, the Katipunan was unmasked and a telegram overtook the steamer at Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
, recalling him to the Philippines to face charges that he was the mastermind of the uprising. He was later executed by musketry on December 30, 1896 at the field of Bagumbayan (now known as Luneta).
While Rizal was being tried by a military court for treason, the prisoners taken in the Battle of Pinaglabanan—Sancho Valenzuela, Ramón Peralta, Modesto Sarmiento, and Eugenio Silvestre—were executed on September 6, 1896 at Bagumbayan.
Six days later, they also executed the Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite
Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite
The Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite were Filipino patriots in Cavite, Philippines who were executed by mustketry on September 11, 1896, for cooperating with the Katipunan during the Philippine Revolution against Spain. The city of Trece Martires in Cavite is named after them.-The martyrs:* Luis Aguado...
at Fort San Felipe Fort in Cavite.
The Spanish colonial authorities also pressed the prosecution of those who were arrested after the raid on the Diario de Manila printing press, where they found evidence incriminating not only common folk but also wealthy Filipino society leaders.
The Bicol Martyrs were executed by firing squad on January 4, 1897 at Bagumbayan. They were Manuel Abella, Domingo Abella, priests Inocencio Herrera, Gabriel Prieto and Severino Díaz, Camio Jacob, Tomas Prieto, Florencio Lerma, Macario Valentin, Cornelio Mercado and Mariano Melgarejo.
They arrested and seized the properties of prominent businessmen Francisco Roxas, Telesforo Chuidian and Jacinto Limjap. While there may be circumstantial evidence pointing to Chuidian and Limjap as financiers of the revolution, the record showed no evidence against Roxas except that he was involved in funding the Propaganda Movement. Even Mariano Ponce
Mariano Ponce
Mariano Ponce , was a Filipino physician, writer, and active member of the Propaganda Movement. In Spain, he was among the founders of La Solidaridad and Asociacion Hispano-Filipino...
, another leader of the Propaganda Movement, said the arrest of Roxas was a "fatal mistake". Nonetheless, Roxas was found guilty of treason and shot on January 11, 1897 at Bagumbayan.
Roxas was executed with Numeriano Adriano, José Dizon, Domingo Franco, Moises Salvador, Luis Enciso Villareal, Braulio Rivera, Antonio Salazar, Ramon P. Padilla, Faustino Villaruel and Eustaquio Mañalak. Also executed with the group were Lt. Benedicto Nijaga and Corporal Geronimo Medina, both of the Spanish army.
On February 6, 1897, Apolonio de la Cruz, Roman Basa, Teodoro Plata, Vicente Molina, Hermenegildo de los Reyes, Joes Trinidad, Pedro Nicodemus, Feliciano del Rosarioo, Gervasio Samson and Doroteo Domínguez were also executed at Bagumbayan.
But the executions, especially Rizal's, only added fuel to the rebellion, with the Katipuneros shouting battle cries: Mabuhay ang Katagalugan! (Long Live Katagalugan!--Katagalugan being the Katipunan term for the Philippines) and Mabuhay si Dr. José Rizal! (Long Live Dr. José Rizal!). To the Katipuneros, José Rizal is the Honorary President of the Katipunan.
Schism and disestablishment
In the course of the revolution against Spain, a split developed between the Magdiwang faction (led by Gen. Mariano ÁlvarezMariano Álvarez
Mariano Álvarez was a Filipino revolutionary and politician.-Pre-war life:Álvarez was born in Noveleta, Cavite. He received formal schooling at the San José College in Manila, and obtained a teacher's diploma. He returned to Cavite and worked as a schoolteacher in Naic and Maragondon. He was...
) and the Magdalo faction (led by Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo
Baldomero Aguinaldo
Baldomero Aguinaldo y Baloy was a leader of the Philippine Revolution. He was the first cousin of Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippines, as well as the grandfather of Cesar Virata, a former prime minister in the 1980s.-Early life:Baldomero Aguinaldo was born in Kawit, Cavite...
, cousin of General Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation...
), both situated in Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
.
At a convention in Tejeros, Cavite, the revolutionaries assembled to form a revolutionary government. There, Bonifacio lost his bid for the presidency of the revolutionary government to Emilio Aguinaldo and instead was elected Secretary of the Interior. When members of the Magdalo faction tried to discredit him as uneducated and unfit for the position, Bonifacio declared the results of the convention as null and void, speaking as the Supremo of the Katipunan. Despite this, Aguinaldo took his oath of office as president the next day in Santa Cruz de Malabon (present-day Tanza) in Cavite, as did the rest of the officers, except for Bonifacio. Andres Bonifacio and his brother was later arrested upon orders of Gen. Aguinaldo and executed on May 10, 1897 at Mount Buntis in Maragondon,Cavite. He and his brother Procopio was buried in an unmarked grave. Thus ended the existence of the real Katipunan, replaced by Aguinaldo's own revolutionary government.
See also
- Spanish-American WarSpanish-American WarThe Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
- Malolos CongressMalolos Congress-Further reading:*Philippine House of Representatives Congressional Library...
- Philippine Declaration of IndependencePhilippine Declaration of IndependenceThe Philippine Declaration of Independence occurred on June 12, 1898 in Cavite II el Viejo , Cavite, Philippines. With the public reading of the Act of the Declaration of Independence, Filipino revolutionary forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the...
- First Philippine RepublicFirst Philippine RepublicThe Philippine Republic , more commonly known as the First Philippine Republic or the Malolos Republic was a short-lived insurgent revolutionary government in the Philippines...
- Philippine-American WarPhilippine-American WarThe Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
- Philippine Revolutionary ArmyPhilippine Revolutionary ArmyThe Philippine Revolutionary Army was founded on March 22, 1897 in Cavite. General Artemio Ricarte was its first Captain General...
Published works
The reference is an e-bookE-book
An electronic book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital...
reproduction from the Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
. The reference is an e-book
E-book
An electronic book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital...
reproduction from the Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
.
- Kalaw, Maximo M. The Development of Philippine Politics (1872–1920) (Manila: Oriental Commercial Co. Inc., 1926; reprint ed., Manila: Solar Publishing Corp., 1986)
- At Google Books
- Retana, Wenceslao. Vida y Escritorios de Dr. Jose Rizal. Madrid: 1907. This book was published by Ricarte himself, includes his memoirs on the Philippine Revolution.. citing a letter sent to him by Pío Valenzuela dated December 19, 1931.
External links
- Draft of preliminary reading for initiation into the Katipunan.
- Oaths and form of initiation into the Katipunan society.
- Kartilyang Makabayan Pamphlet about the Katipunan written by Hermenegildo Cruz.
- Philippines - Historical Flags to 1899. El sitio de Baler: los últimos de Filipinas (The site of BalerBaler, AuroraBaler is a 4th class municipality in the province of Aurora, Philippines. It is the provincial capital of Aurora. According to the latest census, it has a population of 34,492 people and 5.955 members per household....
: Final locations in the Philippines) - Information about Katipunan