Macario Sacay
Encyclopedia
Macario Sakay y de León was a Filipino
general in the Philippine Revolution against Spain and in the Philippine-American War
. According to some historians, He may have been a president of the Philippines but is currently not recognized as such by the Philippine government.
He continued resistance against the United States
following the official American declaration of the war's end in 1902 and in the following year became president of the Tagalog Republic,
Sakay was conned by the Americans into coming down from the mountains on promise of amnesty for him and his officials, on top of the formation of Philippine Assembly composed of Filipinos to serve as the 'gate of freedom. His surrender was made to be a prerequisite for a state of peace that would supposedly ensure the election of Filipino delegates to the Philippine Assembly. Sakay believed that the struggle has shifted to constitutional means, with the Assembly as means to winning Philippine Independence.
Dominador Gomez, a Filipino labor leader , was authorized in 1905 by Governor General Henry Clay Ide
to negotiate for the surrender of Sakay and his men. Gomez met with Sakay at his camp and argued that the establishment of a national assembly was being held up by Sakay's intransigence, and that its establishment would be the first step toward Filipino independence. Sakay agreed to end his resistance on conditions that a general amnesty be granted his men, that they be permitted to carry firearms, and that he and his officers would be permitted to leave the country. Gomez assured Sakay that these conditions the would be acceptable to the Americans, and Sakay's emissary, General Leon Villafuerte, obtained agreement to them from the American Governor General. Sakay and Villafuerte traveled to Manila, where they were welcomed and invited to receptions and banquets. One invitation came from the Constabulary Chief, Col. Harry H. Bandholtz. That invitation was a colonial trap and Sakay and his principal lieutenants were disarmed and arrested while the party was in progress.
He was accused of "bandolerismo under the Brigandage Act of Nov. 12, 1902, which interpreted all acts of armed resistance to American rule as banditry." The colonial Supreme Court of the Philippines upheld the decision. On September 13, 1907, the leader of the Republic of Katagalugan, the de facto fourth President of the Philippines, was hanged. Before his death, he made the following statement:
, Manila
where he worked as a barber
. An original member of the Katipunan
movement, he fought alongside Andrés Bonifacio
throughout the Philippine Revolution
of 1896. In 1899 he continued the struggle for Philippine independence against the United States. Near the end of the Philippine-American War
Sakay was captured and jailed by the Philippine Constabulary
.
After the surrender of the last Filipino commanding general Miguel Malvar
in April 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt
officially ended the Philippine-American War
on July 4, 1902. At the end of the war, Sakay was granted amnesty and released from prison.
, which strove for Philippine independence though legal means. The party appealed to the Philippine Commission
. However, the Commission passed the Sedition Law, which banned the party. (An unrelated Nacionalista Party
which survives to the present day was founded in 1907.) Sakay thus took up arms again.
On November 12, 1902, the Philippine Commission
passed the Bandolerism Act which proclaimed all captured resistance fighters or insurgents to be tried in court as bandits, ladrones, and robbers. In April 1904, Sakay issued his own manifesto proclaiming himself President and established his own government called the Repúblika ng Katagalugan (Tagalog Republic) in opposition to U.S. colonial rule. The U.S. Government did not recognize Sakay's government and, through the Bandolerism Act, labeled him an outlaw.
The Governor General, the U.S. Government, and the U.S. military left the pursuit of Sakay in the hands of the Philippine Constabulary
and Philippine Scouts
. In 1905 concentration camps, often referred to as Zonas, were re-established in parts of Cavite
, Batangas
, and Laguna. This had little effect on Sakay and his fighters. Extensive fighting continued in Southern-Luzon for months.
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 ....
general in the Philippine Revolution against Spain and 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...
. According to some historians, He may have been a president of the Philippines but is currently not recognized as such by the Philippine government.
He continued resistance against the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
following the official American declaration of the war's end in 1902 and in the following year became president of the Tagalog Republic,
Sakay was conned by the Americans into coming down from the mountains on promise of amnesty for him and his officials, on top of the formation of Philippine Assembly composed of Filipinos to serve as the 'gate of freedom. His surrender was made to be a prerequisite for a state of peace that would supposedly ensure the election of Filipino delegates to the Philippine Assembly. Sakay believed that the struggle has shifted to constitutional means, with the Assembly as means to winning Philippine Independence.
Dominador Gomez, a Filipino labor leader , was authorized in 1905 by Governor General Henry Clay Ide
Henry Clay Ide
Henry Clay Ide was a U.S. judge, colonial Commissioner, ambassador, and Governor-General.- Early life, States Attorney, Senator, and Presidential Commissioner to Samoa :...
to negotiate for the surrender of Sakay and his men. Gomez met with Sakay at his camp and argued that the establishment of a national assembly was being held up by Sakay's intransigence, and that its establishment would be the first step toward Filipino independence. Sakay agreed to end his resistance on conditions that a general amnesty be granted his men, that they be permitted to carry firearms, and that he and his officers would be permitted to leave the country. Gomez assured Sakay that these conditions the would be acceptable to the Americans, and Sakay's emissary, General Leon Villafuerte, obtained agreement to them from the American Governor General. Sakay and Villafuerte traveled to Manila, where they were welcomed and invited to receptions and banquets. One invitation came from the Constabulary Chief, Col. Harry H. Bandholtz. That invitation was a colonial trap and Sakay and his principal lieutenants were disarmed and arrested while the party was in progress.
He was accused of "bandolerismo under the Brigandage Act of Nov. 12, 1902, which interpreted all acts of armed resistance to American rule as banditry." The colonial Supreme Court of the Philippines upheld the decision. On September 13, 1907, the leader of the Republic of Katagalugan, the de facto fourth President of the Philippines, was hanged. Before his death, he made the following statement:
Early life
Sakay was born on January 3, 1870, he was a native of TondoTondo, 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,...
where he worked as a barber
Barber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
. An original member of the Katipunan
Katipunan
The Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-Spanish Filipinos 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...
movement, he fought alongside 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...
throughout 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...
of 1896. In 1899 he continued the struggle for Philippine independence against the United States. Near the end of 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...
Sakay was captured and jailed by the Philippine Constabulary
Philippine Constabulary
The Philippine Constabulary ' was the oldest of four service commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It was a gendarmerie type para-military police force of the Philippines established in 1901 by the United States-appointed administrative authority replacing the Guardia Civil...
.
After the surrender of the last Filipino commanding general Miguel Malvar
Miguel Malvar
Miguel 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...
in April 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
officially ended 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...
on July 4, 1902. At the end of the war, Sakay was granted amnesty and released from prison.
After the war
Sakay was one of the founders of the Nacionalista PartyNacionalista Party
The Nacionalista Party is the oldest political party in the Philippines today and was responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th century since its founding in 1907...
, which strove for Philippine independence though legal means. The party appealed to the Philippine Commission
Philippine Commission
The Philippine Commission was a body appointed by the President of the United States to exercise legislative and limited executive powers in the Philippines. It was first appointed by President William McKinley in 1901. Beginning in 1907, it acted as the upper house of a bicameral Philippine...
. However, the Commission passed the Sedition Law, which banned the party. (An unrelated Nacionalista Party
Nacionalista Party
The Nacionalista Party is the oldest political party in the Philippines today and was responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th century since its founding in 1907...
which survives to the present day was founded in 1907.) Sakay thus took up arms again.
On November 12, 1902, the Philippine Commission
Philippine Commission
The Philippine Commission was a body appointed by the President of the United States to exercise legislative and limited executive powers in the Philippines. It was first appointed by President William McKinley in 1901. Beginning in 1907, it acted as the upper house of a bicameral Philippine...
passed the Bandolerism Act which proclaimed all captured resistance fighters or insurgents to be tried in court as bandits, ladrones, and robbers. In April 1904, Sakay issued his own manifesto proclaiming himself President and established his own government called the Repúblika ng Katagalugan (Tagalog Republic) in opposition to U.S. colonial rule. The U.S. Government did not recognize Sakay's government and, through the Bandolerism Act, labeled him an outlaw.
The Governor General, the U.S. Government, and the U.S. military left the pursuit of Sakay in the hands of the Philippine Constabulary
Philippine Constabulary
The Philippine Constabulary ' was the oldest of four service commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It was a gendarmerie type para-military police force of the Philippines established in 1901 by the United States-appointed administrative authority replacing the Guardia Civil...
and Philippine Scouts
Philippine Scouts
The Philippine Scouts was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 until the end of World War II. Made up of native Filipinos assigned to the United States Army Philippine Department, these troops were generally enlisted and under the command of American officers, however, a...
. In 1905 concentration camps, often referred to as Zonas, were re-established in parts 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...
, 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...
, and Laguna. This had little effect on Sakay and his fighters. Extensive fighting continued in Southern-Luzon for months.
In popular culture
- Sakay is the subject of the biographical film Sakay directed by Raymond Red, in which he is portrayed by actor Julio Diaz.
- A life-size statue of Sakay was unveiled at Plaza Morga in TondoTondo, ManilaTondo 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...
, by the Manila Historical Heritage Commission, on September 13, 2008. Also in September 2008, the Philippine SenateSenate of the PhilippinesThe Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
adopted two separate resolutions expressing the sense of the Senate to honor the life of Macario Sakay and his fellow freedom fighters for their contribution to fight for Philippine Independence.