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Telltale Signs: COUNTDOWN TO INDEPENDENCE |
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 Rodel Rodis, June 3, 2005
FIVE SCORE and seven years ago, our forefathers (and foremothers) brought forth
to this world a new nation, conceived in liberty, and destined to become an
event annually celebrated in cities and towns throughout the Philippines and in
Filipino communities throughout the world on June 12.
And yet what do we really know about the Philippine declaration of independence?
Filipinos generally know that Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the leader of the
Philippine revolutionary forces at the time, proclaimed the country's
independence from Spain from the balcony of his home in Kawit, Cavite on June
12, 1898. He presented and raised the new Philippine flag that he had designed
in Hongkong which was made there by Marcela Agoncillo and Delfina Natividad. The
new Philippine National Anthem (Marcha Nacional Filipina) composed by Julian
Felipe was then performed by the Banda Matanda.
But what events led to that June 12, 1898 proclamation?
At the beginning of 1898, Gen. Aguinaldo was in exile in Hongkong along with his
revolutionary junta, the result of his surrender of the revolution to Spain in
what was spinned as a "negotiated truce" known as the Pact of Biak-na-Bato. In
exchange for laying down their arms and calling for an end to the revolution,
Aguinaldo and his junta would be exiled to Hongkong and receive 400,000 pesos
from the Spaniards.
But while in Hongkong, Aguinaldo sent his representative, Felipe Agoncillo, to
meet with the US Consul-General there, Rounseville Wildman, about forging a
Filipino-American alliance in the event war broke out between Spain and the
United States. Agoncillo proposed that the Americans provide the Filipinos with
arms and ammunition to overthrow Spanish rule, which Filipinos would pay back to
the US upon recognition of the Revolutionary Government by the United States.
Consul-General Wildman did not reject the Filipinos' proposal but would not
commit to accepting it either. He would get back to the Filipinos after
consulting with Washington DC, he told them.
Meanwhile in the Philippines, sporadic battles broke out between Filipino rebels
and the Spanish forces after February 19. The American Consul in Manila reported
that, in retaliation for the Filipino uprisings, the Spaniards committed
"barbarities" with "casualties too horrid for an official report…the vilest
cruelties of war are added to the mangling of old men, women and children to
make full the measure of inequity."
The Filipino rebels, some of whom were under the command of Katipunero Emilio
Jacinto, attacked Spanish garrisons in Bulacan, Camarines, Laguna, Nueva Ecija,
Pangasinan and Cebu. In Cavite, the 74th Regiment of the Spanish Army, composed
of Filipinos, deserted to the rebels on March 24.
From Hongkong, Aguinaldo sent a message to the Filipino rebels encouraging them
to continue the revolution against Spain promising that "before long, I will not
fail to be there with you." But even as he made that bold promise, he was
preoccupied with a lawsuit filed in a Hongkong court by a member of his junta
who was seeking his "fair share" of the 400,000 pesos received from Spain.
Spain was preoccupied with the Philippines and with Cuba as well. The Cuban
revolution was on its third year on February 15, when the American battleship
Maine mysteriously blew up in Havana harbor killing 260 American seamen.
Although there was no evidence linking Spain to the explosion, "Remember the
Maine!" became the battle-cry of hawks who wanted the US to declare war on
Spain.
The most active hawk, US Undersecretary of the Navy Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt,
used the Maine explosion to order Commodore George Dewey to sail his fleet of
warships to Hongkong to prepare to destroy the Spanish fleet in Manila once war
broke out with Spain. It did not take long. On April 24, the US declared war on
Spain.
On that same day, unaware of the US declaration, Aguinaldo sailed to Singapore
to escape the Hongkong lawsuit. Upon his arrival there, he was met by US Consul
Spencer Pratt who informed him of the US action and his assurance that the US
would help the Filipinos defeat the Spaniards. Just as the US had guaranteed
Cuba's independence, so would the US guarantee Philippine independence, Pratt
assured Aguinaldo.
From Hongkong, Dewey cabled Pratt: "Tell Aguinaldo to come as soon as possible."
Aguinaldo immediately returned to Hongkong on May 2 and learned of Dewey's
smashing victory over the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay the day before. He
immediately convened his now-unified junta on May 4 to assess the situation.
One of the junta members, Felipe Agoncillo, proposed that Aguinaldo quickly
return to the Philippines to resume control of the Philippine revolution. He
expressed his hope that the Americans would help the Filipinos gain their
independence from Spain and that "President Aguinaldo" should be there to keep
the Filipinos united. There was fear that in-fighting among Filipinos would be
used as a pretext for the US or other foreign powers to interfere in the
Philippines.
Aguinaldo and members of his junta were brought to Cavite harbor by Dewey's
cutter, the McCullough, on May 19. Aguinaldo met with Dewey upon his arrival and
left the meeting hopeful that the US would honor Philippine independence. He did
not know that on that same day, US President William McKinley had issued orders
to occupy the Philippines.
After returning to Cavite, Aguinaldo announced that the war for independence
would officially resume at noon on May 31. He instructed his revolutionaries to
wage a "proper war" otherwise "the Americans will decide to sell us or else,
divide up our territory."
The Spaniards, meanwhile, had organized a native militia to defend its
Philippine colony from an impending American invasion. On May 22, the new
Spanish Governor-General, Basilio Agustin, sent an emissary to Aguinaldo with
his offer to appoint Aguinaldo chief of the Philippine armed forces and a
brigadier general in the Spanish army. Aguinaldo arrested and jailed the
emissary.
On May 24, Aguinaldo announced the formation of a "dictatorial government" under
his command to administer the islands until a constitutional assembly could be
organized.
On June 2, the Cavite native militia, under the command of Gen. Artemio Ricarte
and Gen. Mariano Trias, with troops armed by the Spaniards, joined the
revolution and liberated the entire province of Cavite from Spanish control.
On June 8, Governor-General Agustin reported to Madrid that the native militias
he had organized and armed to defend the country from the US had defected over
to the rebels.
On June 9, Aguinaldo sent a letter to Agustin asking the governor-general to
surrender. Agustin rejected the offer and moved his dwindling forces to
Intramuros, awaiting reinforcements from Spain.
On June 12, Aguinaldo proclaimed that Filipinos "are and have the right to be
free and independent" and that the Philippines from that day onward "begins to
have a life of its own." The proclamation annouunced the severance of all
political ties between the Philippines and Spain invoking "the Supreme Judge of
the Universe" to witness the Filipinos' independence and sovereignty with the
"protection of the mighty and humane nation, North America."
Although Dewey was invited to be the special guest of the event, he chose to
ignore it. Dewey was biding his time, waiting. In less than two months, more
than 10,500 US troops would arrive in Manila with orders to occupy the new
independent republic.
Send comments to Rodel50@aol.com.
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Posted on Tuesday, June 21 @ 15:02:18 CDT by don |
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