HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Katipunan, officially known as the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK; en, Supreme and Honorable Association of the Children of the Nation; es, Suprema y Honorable Asociación de los Hijos del Pueblo), was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-Spanish colonialist
Filipinos Filipinos ( tl, Mga Pilipino) are the people who are citizens of or native to the Philippines. The majority of Filipinos today come from various Austronesian ethnolinguistic groups, all typically speaking either Filipino, English and/or other ...
in Manila in 1892; its primary goal was to gain independence from Spain through a revolution. Revolutionary documents from Archivo General Militar de Madrid rediscovered in the 21st century suggest that the society had been organized as early as January 1892 but may not have become active until July 7 of the same year; that was the date that Filipino writer José Rizal was to be banished to
Dapitan Dapitan, officially the City of Dapitan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dapitan; Subanon: ''Gembagel G'benwa Dapitan/Bagbenwa Dapitan cbk, Ciudad de Dapitan''), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. According ...
. Founded by Filipino patriots
Deodato Arellano Deodato Arellano y de la Cruz (July 26, 1844 – October 7, 1899) was a Filipino propagandist and the first president of the Katipunan, which was founded at his home in Azcarraga Street ( Claro M. Recto Avenue today), Manila. He was first to be ...
,
Andrés Bonifacio Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (, ; November 30, 1863May 10, 1897) was a Filipino Freemason and revolutionary leader. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine Revolution", and considered one of the national heroes of the Philippines ...
, Valentin Diaz,
Ladislao Diwa Ladislao Diwa y Nocon (June 27, 1863 − March 12, 1930) was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that initiated the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896. Early years He was born in San Roque, Cavite to Marian ...
,
José Dizon José Matanza Dizon (died January 11, 1897) was a Filipino patriot who was among those who founded the Katipunan that sparked the Philippine Revolution Dizon was born in Binondo, Manila and was married to Roberta Bartolomé, who died in March 18 ...
, and
Teodoro Plata Teodoro Plata (1866 – February 6, 1897) was a Filipino patriot, and a co-founder of the Katipunan, the secret society which sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule in 1896. He met Andrés Bonifacio at a boarding house in Manila ...
, the Katipunan was a secret organization until it was discovered in 1896. This discovery led to the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution. The Katipunan being a secret organization, had its members subjected to the utmost secrecy and abidance to the rules established by the society. Aspiring applicants were given standard initiation rites in order to become members of the society. At first, membership in the Katipunan was only open to male Filipinos; later, women were accepted into the society. The Katipunan had its own publication, ''Kalayaan'' (Freedom) which issued its first and last printing in March 1896. Revolutionary ideals and works flourished within the society, and Filipino literature was 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 to rescue Rizal from his detention. In May 1896, the leadership of the Katipunan met with the Captain of a visiting Japanese warship in an attempt to secure a source of arms for the revolution, but without success. The Katipunan's existence was revealed to the Spanish authorities. Days after the Spanish authorities learned of the existence of the secret society, in August 1896, Bonifacio and his men tore up their '' cédulas'' during the
Cry of Pugad Lawin The Cry of Pugad Lawin ( tgl, Sigaw ng Pugad Lawin, es, Grito de Pugad Lawin) was the beginning of the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish Empire. In late August 1896, members of the ''Katipunan'' led by Andrés Bonifacio revolted som ...
that started the Philippine Revolution.


Etymology

The name "''Katipunan''" is a short name for "''Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan''" (Supreme and Honorable Society of the Children of the Nation). The Tagalog word "''katipunan''" (literally, "association", "gathering", "assemblage", or "group") comes from the root word "''tipon''", a Tagalog word meaning "gathering" or "to gather".


Formation


History

The ''Katipunan'' and the ''Cuerpo de Compromisarios'' were, effectively, successor organizations of ''
La Liga Filipina La Liga Filipina () was a secret organization. It was founded by José Rizal in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco at Ilaya Street, Tondo, Manila on July 3, 1892. The organization derived from La Solidaridad and the Propaganda movement. The purpose ...
'', founded by José Rizal (Who himself was inspired by the martyrdom of his predecessors, the nationalist Priests: Gomez,
Burgos Burgos () is a city in Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Burgos. Burgos is situated in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, on the confluence of t ...
and Zamora). This organization was part of the late 19th century
Propaganda Movement The Propaganda Movement encompassed the activities of a group of Filipinos who called for political reforms in their land in the late 19th century, and produced books, leaflets, and newspaper articles to educate others about their goals and is ...
in the Philippines. The founders of the Katipunan were Deodato Arrellano,
Teodoro Plata Teodoro Plata (1866 – February 6, 1897) was a Filipino patriot, and a co-founder of the Katipunan, the secret society which sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule in 1896. He met Andrés Bonifacio at a boarding house in Manila ...
, Valentin Diaz,
Ladislao Diwa Ladislao Diwa y Nocon (June 27, 1863 − March 12, 1930) was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that initiated the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896. Early years He was born in San Roque, Cavite to Marian ...
,
Andres Bonifacio Andres or Andrés may refer to: *Andres, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Will County, Illinois, US *Andres, Pas-de-Calais, a commune in Pas-de-Calais, France *Andres (name) *Hurricane Andres * "Andres" (song), a 1994 song by L7 See also ...
, and Jose Dizon. Katipunan founders Bonifacio, Diwa, and 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; many of the Katipunan's founders were
freemasons Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
. 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 or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
. Rizal's Spanish biographer
Wenceslao Retana Wenceslao "Wenchesco" Emilio Retana y Gamboa (September 28, 1862 – January 21, 1924), also known as W.E. Retana or Wenceslao E. Retana, was a 19th-century Spanish polymath. He was a civil servant, colonial administrator, writer, biographer, p ...
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.". Del Pilar is also said to have approved the Katipunan's statutes.
Epifanio de los Santos Epifanio de los Santos y Cristóbal, sometimes known as Don Pañong or Don Panyong (April 7, 1871 – April 18, 1928), was a noted Filipino historian, journalist, and civil servant.Afan, Carolina L. Epifanio de los Santos y Cristobal. Fili ...
, in the 1920's narrates: "It is very correctly stated that Andrés Bonifacio ordered Teodoro Plata to draw up the statutes of the Katipunan, and that he did this with the aid of Ladislao Diwa and Valentín Diaz. After the statutes had been discussed, Bonifacio, with the concurrence of Deodato Arellano, submitted them to Marcelo H. del Pilar for approval. Upon the latter’s letter approving the statutes, Bonifacio used the same for the purpose of gaining adepts."


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. On July 7, 1892, writer Jose Rizal was banished and exiled to
Dapitan Dapitan, officially the City of Dapitan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dapitan; Subanon: ''Gembagel G'benwa Dapitan/Bagbenwa Dapitan cbk, Ciudad de Dapitan''), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. According ...
in Mindanao. That night Bonifacio, a member of the
La Liga Filipina La Liga Filipina () was a secret organization. It was founded by José Rizal in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco at Ilaya Street, Tondo, Manila on July 3, 1892. The organization derived from La Solidaridad and the Propaganda movement. The purpose ...
; with Plata, Diwa, Diaz, Arellano, and Dizon, founded the Katipunan in a house on Azcarraga St. (now Recto Avenue) near Elcano Street in San Nicolas, Manila. They established the Katipunan when anti-Spanish Filipinos had realized that societies such as the ''La Liga Filipina'' would be suppressed by colonial authorities. Despite their reservations about the peaceable reformation that Rizal espoused, they named Rizal as honorary president, without his knowledge. The Katipunan, established as a secret brotherhood organization, was known as the ''Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng̃ mg̃á Anak ng̃ Bayan'' (Supreme and Venerable Society of the Children of the Nation). Gregorio Zaide translated as ''Highest and Most Respected Association of the Sons of the Country.'' 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 republic after independence. The rise of the Katipunan signalled 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.


Organization


Administration

The Katipunan was governed by the Supreme Council (Tagalog: ''Kataas-taasang 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 Fiscal usually refers to government finance. In this context, it may refer to: Economics * Fiscal policy, use of government expenditure to influence economic development * Fiscal policy debate * Fiscal adjustment, a reduction in the government ...
(''tagausig''). The Supreme Council also had its councilors (''kasangguni''); 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: ''Kataas-taasang Pangulo''; Spanish: ''Presidente Supremo''). 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 kasangguni'' (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'' was given a chance to expand their own spheres of influence through the triangle system in order to elevate their status to ''Sangguniang Bayan''. Every ''balangay'' that did not gain ''Sangguniang Bayan'' status were dissolved and annexed by greater provincial or popular councils. The towns/cities which supported the Katipunan cause were given symbolic names, such as ''Magdiwang'' (to celebrate) for Noveleta; ''Magdalo'' (to come) for
Kawit Kawit, officially the Municipality of Kawit ( tgl, Bayan ng Kawit), is a first-class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 107,535. It is one of the notable places that had ...
; ''Magwagi'' (to win) for
Naic Naic, officially the Municipality of Naic ( tgl, Bayan ng Naic), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 160,987 people. Naic has a land area of 76.24 square kilo ...
; ''Magtagumpay'' (to succeed) for
Maragondon Maragondon, officially the Municipality of Maragondon ( tgl, Bayan ng Maragondon), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 40,687 people. The town is famous for its ...
; ''Walangtinag'' (never-diminished) for
Indang Indang, officially the Municipality of Indang ( tgl, Bayan ng Indang), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 68,699 people. The municipality is situated in the c ...
and ''Haligue'' (wall) for Imus–all are in the province of
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest o ...
. 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 Serpent or The Serpent may refer to: * Snake, a carnivorous reptile of the suborder Serpentes Mythology and religion * Sea serpent, a monstrous ocean creature * Serpent (symbolism), the snake in religious rites and mythological contexts * Serp ...
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 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 Jesús Gregoria de Jesús y Álvarez (9 May 1875 – 15 March 1943), also known by her nickname 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 s ...
, whom Bonifacio had just married, and
Marina Dizon Marina Bartolome Dizon-Santiago (July 18, 1875 – October 25, 1950) a native of Tondo, Manila, was a heroine of the Philippine Revolution and one of the first women initiated into the Katipunan. She also kept important documents for the Kati ...
, 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 The University of Santo Tomas (also known as UST and officially as the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, Manila) is a private, Catholic research university in Manila, Philippines. Founded on April 28, 1611, by Spanish friar Migu ...
, 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 The University of Santo Tomas (also known as UST and officially as the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, Manila) is a private, Catholic research university in Manila, Philippines. Founded on April 28, 1611, by Spanish friar Migu ...
. 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 The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. Jacinto replaced Santiago as secretary. In early 1895, Bonifacio called for 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 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. 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 Carreón and Hermenegildo Reyes were named councilers. Eight months later, in August 1896, the fifth and last supreme council was elected to rename offices. Bonifacio was named President, Jacinto as Secretary of State, Plata as Secretary of War, Bricco Pantas as Secretary of Justice, Aguedo del Rosario as Secretary of the Interior and Enrico Pacheco as 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 Ilocano writer
Isabelo de los Reyes Isabelo de los Reyes Sr. y Florentino, also known as Don Belong (July 7, 1864 – October 10, 1938), was a prominent Filipino politician, writer, journalist, and labor activist in the 19th and 20th centuries. He was the original founder of the ...
estimated membership at 15,000 to 50,000. Aside from Manila, the ''Katipunan'' also had sizeable chapters in
Batangas Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Its capital is the city of Batangas, and is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and Lag ...
, Laguna,
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest o ...
, Rizal,
Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the ...
, Pampanga, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija. There were also smaller chapters in
Ilocos Sur Ilocos Sur, officially the Province of Ilocos Sur ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ilocos Sur; tl, Lalawigan ng Ilocos Sur), is a province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the capital o ...
,
Ilocos Norte Ilocos Norte, officially the Province of Ilocos Norte ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ilocos Norte; tl, Lalawigan ng Ilocos Norte), is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region. Its capital is Laoag City, located in the northwest corner o ...
,
Pangasinan Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan ( pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Pangasinan, ; ilo, Probinsia ti Pangasinan; tl, Lalawigan ng Pangasinan), is a coastal province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capi ...
and the
Bicol region Bicol, known formally as the Bicol Region or colloquially as Bicolandia ( bcl, Rehiyon kan Bikol; Rinconada Bikol: ''Rehiyon ka Bikol''; Waray Sorsogon, Masbateño: ''Rehiyon san Bikol''; tl, Rehiyon ng Bikol), is an administrative region of ...
. 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 A demonym (; ) or gentilic () is a word that identifies a group of people (inhabitants, residents, natives) in relation to a particular place. Demonyms are usually derived from the name of the place (hamlet, village, town, city, region, province, ...
of a male member of the Katipunan. ''Katipunera'' (plural, ''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 Plata Teodoro Plata (1866 – February 6, 1897) was a Filipino patriot, and a co-founder of the Katipunan, the secret society which sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule in 1896. He met Andrés Bonifacio at a boarding house in Manila ...
and
Ladislao Diwa Ladislao Diwa y Nocon (June 27, 1863 − March 12, 1930) was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that initiated the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896. Early years He was born in San Roque, Cavite to Marian ...
. 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. In 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 Katipuneros 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. N. B.''", meaning ''Anak ng̃ Bayan'' (Son of the People, see
below Below may refer to: *Earth * Ground (disambiguation) *Soil *Floor * Bottom (disambiguation) *Less than *Temperatures below freezing *Hell or underworld People with the surname *Ernst von Below (1863–1955), German World War I general *Fred 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 (, ''pre-kudlít'': , ''virama-krus-kudlít'': , ''virama-pamudpod'': ; also formerly commonly incorrectly known as alibata) is a Philippine script. The script is an abugida belonging to the family of the Brahmic scripts. Geographically, it ...
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 Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. * Jose ben Abin * Jose ben Akabya * Jose the Galil ...
and
Jacinto Zamora Jacinto Zamora y del Rosario (14 August 1835 – 17 February 1872) was a Filipino Catholic priest, part of the Gomburza, a trio of priests who were falsely accused of mutiny by the Spanish colonial authorities in the Philippines in the 19th ce ...
. ''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 ''K''s 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.
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 rites, 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 the Philippines is referred to as the ''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 over a supposedly hot flame. After the ordeals came to final rite–the ''pacto de sangre'' or
blood compact Blood compact (Spanish: ''Pacto de sangre''; Filipino: ''Sanduguan'') was an ancient ritual in the Philippines intended to seal a friendship or treaty, or to validate an agreement. The contracting parties would cut their hands and pour their blo ...
–in which the neophyte signed the following oath with the blood taken from his arm: He was then accepted as a full-fledged member, with a symbolic name by which he was known within Katipunan circles. Bonifacio's symbolic name was ''Maypagasa'';
Jacinto Jacinto is a Spanish and Portuguese name meaning Hyacinth, which can refer to Saint Hyacinth, a Roman martyr (Hyacinth and Protus), or the Hyacinth flower itself. Common English nicknames for "Jacinto" are "Chinto" and "Jesse". Jacinto has only ...
was ''Pingkian'' and
Artemio Ricarte Artemio Ricarte y García (October 20, 1866 – July 31, 1945) was a Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War. He is regarded as the ''Father of the Philippine Army'', and the first Chief of Staff ...
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 a member of the Katipunan was
Gregoria de Jesús Gregoria de Jesús y Álvarez (9 May 1875 – 15 March 1943), also known by her nickname 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 s ...
, wife of Bonifacio. Her codename was ''Lakambini'' (Princess). Initially, there were 29 women were admitted to the Katipunan: Gregoria de Jesús,
Marina Dizon Marina Bartolome Dizon-Santiago (July 18, 1875 – October 25, 1950) a native of Tondo, Manila, was a heroine of the Philippine Revolution and one of the first women initiated into the Katipunan. She also kept important documents for the Kati ...
, president of the women's section; Josefa and
Trinidad Rizal Trinidad Rizal y Alonso (June 6, 1868 – May 9, 1951), commonly known as Trinidad Rizal, was a Filipina feminist leader and co-founder of the Philippines' first feminist organization, the ''Asociación Femenista Filipina''. She was the younger ...
, sisters of
Dr. José Rizal Doctor is an academic title that originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb 'to teach'. It has been used as an academic title in Europe since the 13th century, w ...
; Angelica Lopez and
Delfina Herbosa Natividad Delfina Rizal Herbosa de Natividad (December 20, 1879 – March 10, 1900) was a Filipino renowned for being one of the three women, together with Marcela Agoncillo and her daughter Lorenza, who seamed together the Philippine flag, and for being ...
, close relatives of Dr. Rizal; Carmén de Rodriguez;
Marina Hizon A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : ''marina'', "coast" or "shore") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or ...
; Benita Rodriguez; Semiona de Rémigio; Gregoria Montoya; Agueda Kahabagan,
Teresa Magbanua Teresa Magbanua y Ferraris (October 13, 1868 – August 1947), better known as Teresa Magbanua and dubbed as the "Visayan Joan of Arc", was a Filipino schoolteacher and military leader. Born in Pototan, Iloilo, Philippines, she retired from e ...
, Trinidad Tecson, rendered as "Mother of Biak-na-Bato"; Nazaria Lagos; Patronica Gamboa;
Marcela Agoncillo Doña Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo (née Mariño y Coronel; June 24, 1859 – May 30, 1946) was a Filipina who was the principal seamstress of the first and official flag of the Philippines, gaining her the title of "The Mother of the Philippin ...
;
Melchora Aquino Melchora Aquino de Ramos (January 6, 1812 – February 19, 1919) was a Filipino revolutionary. She became known as "Tandang Sora" because of her age during the Philippine Revolution. She was known as the "Grand Woman of the Revolution" an ...
, 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.


Foreign members of the Katipunan

Attracted by the universal appeal of the Katipunan's Kartilya, there were several members who were not native Filipinos at all yet joined the Katipunan and/or, later, the
Philippine Revolutionary Army The Philippine Revolutionary Army, later renamed Philippine Republican Army (Spanish: ''Ejército Revolucionario Filipino''; Tagalog: ''Panghimagsikang Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''), was the official armed forces of the First Philippine Repu ...
(PRA) in the spirit of national liberation. Among the foreign-born Katipuneros were: General Juan Cailles, a half
Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...
(From India) and French mestizo, General Jose Ignacio Paua who was a full-blooded Chinese, the famous African-American, PRA Captain
David Fagen David Fagen (born 1875, date of death unknown) was an African-American soldier who defected during the Philippine–American War. He acquired the rank of captain in the Philippine Revolutionary Army. Service A native of Tampa, Florida, Fagen serv ...
who defected from the Americans to join the Filipinos due to his disgust of racism and imperialism, Captain Camillo Richairdi an Italian who joined the rebel Filipinos and Vicente Catalan who was a Cuban
Criollo Criollo or criolla (Spanish for creole) may refer to: People * Criollo people, a social class in the Spanish race-based colonial caste system (the European descendants) Animals * Criollo duck, a species of duck native to Central and South Ameri ...
captain of a ship but became the first Admiral of the Philippine Navy. There were also a large amount of former Latin-American officers in the Spanish army; mostly from Mexico and as well as from the now independent nations of Colombia, Venezuela, Peru,
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
,
Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
and Costa Rica that were dismissed on the context of the
Andres Novales Andres or Andrés may refer to: *Andres, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Will County, Illinois, US *Andres, Pas-de-Calais, a commune in Pas-de-Calais, France *Andres (name) *Hurricane Andres * "Andres" (song), a 1994 song by L7 See also ...
uprising, one of the precursors of the revolution. These Latin-American born officers who moved to the Philippines to militarily serve, allied with the revolutionaries. There were also several Spanish and American defectors to the Philippine side during the Philippine War of Independence and the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. To add to these were the Japanese militants supporting the Katipunan and the First Republic among which include Lieutenant Saburo Nakamori and Captain Chizuno Iwamoto who served on President Emilio Aguinaldo's staff.


Notable Katipuneros

*
Andres Bonifacio Andres or Andrés may refer to: *Andres, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Will County, Illinois, US *Andres, Pas-de-Calais, a commune in Pas-de-Calais, France *Andres (name) *Hurricane Andres * "Andres" (song), a 1994 song by L7 See also ...
(1863–1897) – The leading founder and the third Supreme President (Kataas-taasang Pangulo, Presidente Supremo) of the Katipunan, later taking the title Pangulo ng Haring Bayang Katagalugan (President of the Sovereign Tagalog Nation; "Haring Bayan" was also translated as Republic, i.e. Republika ng Katagalugan) upon the start of the revolution. * Emilio Aguinaldo (1869–1964) – First president of the First Philippine Republic, the Katipunan's successor. He was also a war general and one of the officers of the ''Magdalo'' chapter that led to a lot of notable victories for the Katipunan against Spain. During his presidency, he ordered the arrest and eventual execution of Andrés and
Procopio Bonifacio Procopio Bonifacio y de Castro (1873 – May 10, 1897) was a Filipino independence activist and revolutionary during the Philippine Revolution of 1896 against Spain. He was a member of the secret revolutionary society turned revolutionary govern ...
in 1897 after the trial. * Emilio Jacinto (1875–1899) – called as the ''Brains of the Katipunan''. He wrote several papers during the Revolution like the '' Kartilya'' (Primer). *
Mariano Álvarez Mariano M. Álvarez ( : March 15, 1818 – August 25, 1924) was a Filipino revolutionary and statesman. Pre-war life Álvarez was born in Noveleta, Cavite. He received formal schooling at the San José College in Manila, and obtained a teac ...
(1818–1924) – the President of the ''Magdiwang'' chapter and a war general he was also Oriang's uncle. *
Baldomero Aguinaldo Baldomero Aguinaldo y Baloy (February 27, 1869 – February 4, 1915) 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 ...
(1818–1924) – the President of the ''Magdalo'' chapter and a war general he was also Emilio Aguinaldo's first cousin. *
Gregoria de Jesús Gregoria de Jesús y Álvarez (9 May 1875 – 15 March 1943), also known by her nickname 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 s ...
(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 Julio Nakpil y García (22 May 1867 – 2 November 1960) was a Filipino musician, composer and a General during the Philippine Revolution against Spain. He was a member of the Katipunan, a secret society turned revolutionary government which wa ...
after the former's death. She was also regarded as one of the first women members of the Katipunan. *
Gregorio del Pilar Gregorio Hilario del Pilar y Sempio (; ; November 14, 1875 – December 2, 1899) was a Filipino general of the Philippine Revolutionary Army during the Philippine–American War. As one of the youngest generals in the Revolutionary Army, he ...
(1875–1899) – entered the Katipunan circle fighting against the Spanish and later the First Philippine Republic's army against the Americans. He died during the
Battle of Tirad Pass The Battle of Tirad Pass ( es, Batalla de Paso Tirad; tgl, Labanan sa Pasong Tirad; ilo, Gubat ti Paso), sometimes referred to as the "Philippine Thermopylae", was a battle in the Philippine–American War fought on December 2, 1899, in north ...
. *
Pio del Pilar Pio may refer to: Places * Pio Lake, Italy * Pio Island, Solomon Islands * Pio Point, Bird Island, south Atlantic Ocean People * Pio (given name) * Pio (surname) * Pio (footballer, born 1986), Brazilian footballer * Pio (footballer, born 1988), B ...
(1860–1931) – the leader of the ''Matagumpay'' chapter, one of the closest officers of
Andrés Bonifacio Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (, ; November 30, 1863May 10, 1897) was a Filipino Freemason and revolutionary leader. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine Revolution", and considered one of the national heroes of the Philippines ...
. Despite this, as the new revolutionary government was established, he was one of the officers who advised Aguinaldo to reverse his commutation (to banishment) of the death sentences given to Andrés and Procopio Bonifacio. *
Licerio Gerónimo Licerio Gerónimo y Imaya (August 27, 1855 – January 16, 1924) 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 War ...
(1855–1924) – Aguinaldo's war general during
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. *
Vicente Lukbán Vicente Lukbán y Rilles or Vicente Lucbán Rilles (February 11, 1860 – November 16, 1916) was a Philippine General in the Philippine Republican Army. He was also an officer in Emilio Aguinaldo's staff during the Philippine Revolution and the ...
(1860–1916) – Americans regarded him to be the mastermind of the bloody
Balangiga massacre The Battle of Balangiga ( es, Batalla de Balangíga; tl, Labanan sa Balangiga; war, Gubat ha Balangiga), also known as the Balangiga Encounter, Balangiga Incident, or Balangiga Conflict, was a battle that occurred during the Philippine–Ameri ...
in 1901 during
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. * Miguel Malvar y Carpio (1865–1911) – commander of the Katipunan and became a general of the First Philippine Republic. *
Macario Sakay Macario Sakay y de León (March 1, 1878 – September 13, 1907) was a Filipino general who took part in the 1896 Philippine Revolution against the Spanish Empire and in the Philippine–American War. After the war was declared over by the Un ...
(1878-1907) - head of Katipunan in Trozo, Manila. Future founder or rather reviver of the Republika ng Katagalugan (the concept and name dating back to Bonifacio) that would oppose American occupation in the Philippines. *
Paciano Rizal Paciano Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (March 9, 1851 – April 13, 1930) was a Filipino general and revolutionary, and the older brother of José Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. Early life Paciano Rizal was born to Francisc ...
(1851–1930) - The older brother of national hero José Rizal, he was also a personal friend of Padre
José Burgos José Apolonio Burgos y García was a Filipino Catholic priest, accused of mutiny by the Spanish colonial authorities in the Philippines in the 19th century. He was tried and executed in Manila along with two other clergymen, Mariano Gomez ...
in his youth. He joined the Katipunan years before Jose's return from Dapitan. *
Manuel Tinio Manuel Tinio y Bundoc (June 17, 1877 – February 22, 1924) was the youngest General of the Philippine Revolutionary Army, and was elected Governor of the Province of Nueva Ecija, Republic of the Philippines in 1907. He is one of those consider ...
(1877–1924) – youngest general of the Katipunan and the First Philippine Republic, he later became the governor of Nueva Ecija from 1907–1909. *
Aurelio Tolentino Aurelio Tolentino y Valenzuela (October 15, 1869 – July 5, 1915) was a Filipino playwright, poet, journalist, and revolutionary. His works at the turn of the 20th century depicted his desire to see Philippine independence from its colonizers. He ...
(1869-1915) - was a Filipino playwright, poet, journalist, and revolutionary. He wrote and directed the anti-imperialist play Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow), which led to his arrest in 1903. * Julián Felipe (1861–1944) – composer of Lupang Hinirang, 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 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 Aglipay and
Miguel Malvar Miguel Malvar y Carpio (September 27, 1865 – October 13, 1911) was a Filipino general who served during the Philippine Revolution and, subsequently, during the Philippine–American War. He assumed command of the Philippine revolutionary forc ...
. File:Andrés Bonifacio.jpg,
Andrés Bonifacio Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (, ; November 30, 1863May 10, 1897) was a Filipino Freemason and revolutionary leader. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine Revolution", and considered one of the national heroes of the Philippines ...
File:Emilio Aguinaldo (ca. 1898).jpg, Emilio Aguinaldo File:Santiago Alvarez.jpg, Santiago Alvarez File:Miguel_Malvar.JPG,
Miguel Malvar Miguel Malvar y Carpio (September 27, 1865 – October 13, 1911) was a Filipino general who served during the Philippine Revolution and, subsequently, during the Philippine–American War. He assumed command of the Philippine revolutionary forc ...
File:Ladislao_Diwa.jpg,
Ladislao Diwa Ladislao Diwa y Nocon (June 27, 1863 − March 12, 1930) was a Filipino patriot who was among the founders of the Katipunan that initiated the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896. Early years He was born in San Roque, Cavite to Marian ...
File:Macario_Sacay.jpg,
Macario Sakay Macario Sakay y de León (March 1, 1878 – September 13, 1907) was a Filipino general who took part in the 1896 Philippine Revolution against the Spanish Empire and in the Philippine–American War. After the war was declared over by the Un ...


Literature of the society


Written works

During the Katipunan's existence, literature flourished through prominent writers of the Katipunan:
Andrés Bonifacio Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (, ; November 30, 1863May 10, 1897) was a Filipino Freemason and revolutionary leader. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine Revolution", and considered one of the national heroes of the Philippines ...
, Emilio Jacinto and Dr. Pío Valenzuela. Each of the three's works stirred 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 Bonifacio Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (, ; November 30, 1863May 10, 1897) was a Filipino Freemason and revolutionary leader. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine Revolution", and considered one of the national heroes of the Philippines ...
, ''Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa'' (Love for the Homeland). It is a poem of sincere patriotic sentiment. ''Pag-ibig'' was published in the January 1896 issue of '' Kalayaan'' by Bonifacio under his pen name ''Agapito Bagumbayan''. According to Manuel Artigas y Cuerva, the name ''Agapito Bagumbayan'' was a corruption of ''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 the military annals of Madrid. : After Rizal's execution at Bagumbayan on December 30, 1896, Bonifacio wrote the first Tagalog translation of the former's ''
Mi último adiós "Mi último adiós" ( en, "My Last Farewell") is a poem written by Filipino propagandist and writer Dr. José Rizal before his execution by firing squad on December 30, 1896. The piece was one of the last notes he wrote before his death. Another ...
'' (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 Jacinto is considered as the ''Brains of the Katipunan'', later ''of 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 adiós "Mi último adiós" ( en, "My Last Farewell") is a poem written by Filipino propagandist and writer Dr. José Rizal before his execution by firing squad on December 30, 1896. The piece was one of the last notes he wrote before his death. Another ...
''. He also wrote a touching
ode An ode (from grc, ᾠδή, ōdḗ) is a type of lyric poetry. Odes are elaborately structured poems praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing nature intellectually as well as emotionally. A classic ode is structured in three majo ...
entitled ''A mí Madre'' (To My Mother). His masterpiece in prose, the '' Kartilya'' (Primer; see
below Below may refer to: *Earth * Ground (disambiguation) *Soil *Floor * Bottom (disambiguation) *Less than *Temperatures below freezing *Hell or underworld People with the surname *Ernst von Below (1863–1955), German World War I general *Fred Below ...
), became the Bible of the Katipunan. 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 pen name 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 City) on a helpless village lieutenant. He also collaborated with Bonifacio in writing the article ''Sa Mga Kababayan'' (To my Countrymen), an essay addressing the people of the Philippines. His pen name was ''Madlang-Away''. :During the infamous Cry of Balintawak, Valenzuela held the position of physician-general of the Katipunan.


''Kalayaan''

''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 types from Antonio Salazar's "Bazar del Cisne" on Calle Carriedo, and Del Castillo transported it to the house of
Andrés Bonifacio Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (, ; November 30, 1863May 10, 1897) was a Filipino Freemason and revolutionary leader. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine Revolution", and considered one of the national heroes of the Philippines ...
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 is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of ...
. That very same month, January 1896, the publication of ''Kalayaan'' began. Valenzuela expected to complete it by the end of the month and so it was dated as such. 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 The Colegio de San Juan de Letran, (transl: College of San Juan de Letran) also referred to by its acronym CSJL, is a private Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution owned and run by the friars of the Order of Preachers i ...
, and Ulpiano Fernández, a part-time printer at ''El Comercio'', printed the revolutionary literature of the society and ''Kalayaan''. When Valenzuela was appointed the physician-general of the Katipunan, he passed on his editorial duties to Jacinto. Jacinto edited the articles after his pre-law classes in
University of Santo Tomas The University of Santo Tomas (also known as UST and officially as the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, Manila) is a private, Catholic research university in Manila, Philippines. Founded on April 28, 1611, by Spanish friar Migu ...
. Since the press was in the old orthography and not in the new "
Germanized Germanisation, or Germanization, is the spread of the German language, people and culture. It was a central idea of German conservative thought in the 19th and the 20th centuries, when conservatism and ethnic nationalism went hand in hand. In ling ...
" alphabet, as called by the Spaniards, there were no Tagalog letters such as "k", "w", "h" and "y". To solve this problem, Jacinto obliged his mother, Josefa Dizon, to buy typefaces that resembled such letters. The typefaces used in its printing were purchased from publisher
Isabelo de los Reyes Isabelo de los Reyes Sr. y Florentino, also known as Don Belong (July 7, 1864 – October 10, 1938), was a prominent Filipino politician, writer, journalist, and labor activist in the 19th and 20th centuries. He was the original founder of the ...
, but many were taken surreptitiously from the presses of the ''Diario de Manila'' by Filipino employees who were also members of the Katipunan. According to Valenzuela, the printing process was so laborious that setting eight pages required two months to complete. For weeks, Jacinto, Duque and Fernández (and sometimes Valenzuela) took turns in preparing the pages of the ''Kalayaan'', which was approximately nine by twelve inches in size. In March 1896, the first copies of the January 1896 issue were secretly circulated with about 2,000 copies, according to Valenzuela. According to
Epifanio de los Santos Epifanio de los Santos y Cristóbal, sometimes known as Don Pañong or Don Panyong (April 7, 1871 – April 18, 1928), was a noted Filipino historian, journalist, and civil servant.Afan, Carolina L. Epifanio de los Santos y Cristobal. Fili ...
, only 1,000 copies were printed: 700 were distributed by Bonifacio, 300 by Aguinaldo, and some 100 by Valenzuela himself. The first issue contained a supposed editorial done by del Pilar, which, in fact, was done by Jacinto himself. It also included Bonifacio's ''Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa'', Valenzuela's ''Catuiran?'' and several works that exposed Spanish abuses and promoted 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 works. In August 1896, the second issue was prepared. It was during this time that Spanish authorities began to grow wary of anti-government activities and, suspecting the existence of a subversive periodical in circulation (see
below Below may refer to: *Earth * Ground (disambiguation) *Soil *Floor * Bottom (disambiguation) *Less than *Temperatures below freezing *Hell or underworld People with the surname *Ernst von Below (1863–1955), German World War I general *Fred Below ...
), raided the place where ''Kalayaan'' was being printed, at No. 6 Clavel Street, San Nicolas, Manila. Fortunately, the printers Duque and Fernández were warned in time, 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 language. Copies of which were distributed among the members of the society. ''Kartilya'' was written by Emilio Jacinto, and later revised by Emilio Aguinaldo. The revised version consists of thirteen teachings (though some sources, such as the one provided by
Philippine Centennial Commission The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
, list 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.


Language and alphabet

According to Filipino writer and historian Hermenegildo Cruz, the official language of the Katipunan is Tagalog, and uses an alphabet nearly similar to Spanish alphabet but has a different meaning and the way it was read was changed. Diacritics were added, to emphasize the existence of ng and mga on Tagalog orthography. The following is an excerpt from Cruz' '' Kartilyang Makabayan: Mga Tanong at Sagot Ukol Kay
Andrés Bonifacio Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (, ; November 30, 1863May 10, 1897) was a Filipino Freemason and revolutionary leader. He is often called "The Father of the Philippine Revolution", and considered one of the national heroes of the Philippines ...
at sa KKK'' ( en, Nationalist Primer: Questions and Answers about Andrés Bonifacio and KKK, Manila, 1922): * Rough translation: Presented below is the Katipunan alphabet, when compared to the Spanish alphabet.


Preparation for the revolution


Attempt to seek Rizal's support

The night when Governor-General
Eulogio Despujol Eulogio Despujol y Dusay ( Catalan: ''Eulogi Despujol i Dusay''; 11 March 1834 – 18 October 1907) served as the Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines between 1891 and 1893. Alfonso XII granted him the nobiliary title of Count of Caspe af ...
exiled
Dr. José Rizal Doctor is an academic title that originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb 'to teach'. It has been used as an academic title in Europe since the 13th century, w ...
to
Dapitan Dapitan, officially the City of Dapitan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dapitan; Subanon: ''Gembagel G'benwa Dapitan/Bagbenwa Dapitan cbk, Ciudad de Dapitan''), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. According ...
, Katipunan was discovered. In a secret meeting of the Katipunan by a small creek named Bitukang Manok (later known as Parian Creek, now nearly extinct) near
Pasig Pasig, officially the City of Pasig ( fil, Lungsod ng Pasig), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, i ...
on May 4, 1896, Bonifacio and his councilors decided to seek the advice of Rizal regarding a decision to revolt. Bonifacio delegated Dr. Pío Valenzuela as the Katipunan's emissary to
Dapitan Dapitan, officially the City of Dapitan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dapitan; Subanon: ''Gembagel G'benwa Dapitan/Bagbenwa Dapitan cbk, Ciudad de Dapitan''), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. According ...
. This was done in order to inform Rizal of Katipunan's plan to launch a revolution and, if possible, a war against Spain. By the end of May 1896, Valenzuela had visited and interviewed Rizal in Dapitan. As cover, Valenzuela was accompanied by a blind man named Raymundo Máta, since Rizal is an
ophthalmologist Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a medic ...
. Valenzuela arrived in Dapitan on June 21, 1896, where Rizal welcomed him. After supper, Valenzuela told him his real purpose and the necessity of securing Rizal's support. Dr. Pío Valenzuela, ''Memoirs'', Unpublished manuscript. 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 plan to plunge the country into a bloody revolution. He believed 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 made 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 Narciso Luna de San Pedro y Novicio Ancheta (; October 29, 1866 – June 5, 1899) was a Filipino army general who fought in the Philippine–American War before his assassination in 1899. Regarded as one of the fiercest generals of hi ...
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 denied that he knew Valenzuela, saying only that he met him first at Dapitan and that he considered him a good friend because of what Valenzuela showed to him and his appreciation of medical tools Valenzuela gave to him. He also said that this was 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 Japan, 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 Bocaue, officially the Municipality of Bocaue ( tgl, Bayan ng Bocaue), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 141,412 people. With the continuous expansion of Met ...
. After the usual exchange of courtesies, Jacinto submitted the Katipunan memorial for the
Emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his position is derived from "the wi ...
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 (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...
from Japan, but failed due to lack of funds and the uncovering of the Katipunan, José 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 revolt, various denunciations regarding its existence reached the Spanish authorities. On July 5, 1896, Manuél Sityar, a Spanish lieutenant of the Guardia Civil stationed at
Pasig Pasig, officially the City of Pasig ( fil, Lungsod ng Pasig), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, i ...
, reported to Governor-General Ramón Blanco the mysterious activities of certain natives 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, the civil governor (mayor) of Manila, denouncing anti-Spanish meetings in his parish. The Katipunan was finally discovered by the Spanish authorities six days after Fr. Fernández's letter to Luengo. In early August 1896, Teodoro Patiño and Apolonio de la Cruz, both 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. De la Cruz tried to blame Patiño for the loss of the printing supplies that were used for the printing of ''Kalayaan''. In retaliation, 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 of the revelation. The mother portress of the Orphanage, ''
Sor Sor may refer to: * Fernando Sor (1778–1839), Spanish guitarist and composer * Sor, Ariège, a French commune * SOR Libchavy, a Czech bus manufacturer * Sor, Azerbaijan, a village * Sor, Senegal, an offshore island * Sor River, a river in th ...
'' (Sister) 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 Patiño and advised him to tell everything he knew about the Katipunan through
confession A confession is a statement – made by a person or by a group of persons – acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden. The term presumes that the speaker is providing information th ...
to Fr. Mariano Gíl. Controlled by his fear of
Hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells ...
, Patiño went to Fr. Gíl, an Augustinian parish
curate A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' (''cura'') ''of souls'' of a parish. In this sense, "curate" means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy w ...
of the Tondo convent. Though he is willed to tell anything about the Katipunan, Patiño confessed that a lithographic stone was hidden in the press room of the ''Diario de Manila'', which was used by the society for printing receipts. He also said that aside from the lithographic stone, there were also documents of membership (that uses member's blood for signing) hidden, together with a picture of
Dr. José Rizal Doctor is an academic title that originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb 'to teach'. It has been used as an academic title in Europe since the 13th century, w ...
and several daggers that was made for the ''Katipunero''-employees of the newspaper. Alarmed by the stunning truth of the existence of a secret society, Fr. Gíl, accompanied by local Spanish authorities, searched the printing office of ''Diario de Manila'' and found the incriminating evidence. They also found de la Cruz in possession of a dagger used in Katipunan initiation rites and some list of newly accepted members. After the arrest, Fr. 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 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 Fr. Gíl. On August 19, Patiño told Fr. Gíl what he knew of the secret society. Fr. Gíl and the owner of the ''Diario de Manila'' searched the printing shop, discovering the lithographic stone used to print 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 Guardia Civíl, leading to the arrest and conviction on charges of illegal association and treason of some 500 prominent men. In another version, the existence of the Katipunan became known to the authorities through Patiño, who revealed it to the general manager, La Font.Alvarez, S.V., 1992, Recalling the Revolution, Madison: Center for Southeast Asia Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Patiño was engaged in a bitter dispute over pay with de la Cruz and exposed the Katipunan to La Font, in retaliation. La Font led a Spanish police lieutenant to the shop and the desk of de la Cruz, where they "found Katipunan paraphernalia such as a rubber stamp, a little book, ledgers, membership oaths signed in blood, and a membership roster of the Maghiganti chapter of the Katipunan."


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 de Ramos (January 6, 1812 – February 19, 1919) was a Filipino revolutionary. She became known as "Tandang Sora" because of her age during the Philippine Revolution. She was known as the "Grand Woman of the Revolution" an ...
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 The Battle of Pasong Tamo was a series of short skirmishes shortly after the ''Cry of Balintawak'' between the remaining '' Katipuneros'' in Caloocan and the Guardia Civil. Background After the discovery of the Katipunan, the Spanish Governmen ...
. While the ''Katipunan'' initially had the upper hand, the Spanish civil guards turned the fight around. Bonifacio and his men retreated toward
Marikina Marikina (), officially the City of Marikina ( fil, Lungsod ng Marikina), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 456,159 people. It is locat ...
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 San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to: Places Argentina * San Juan Province, Argentina * San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province * San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province * San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...
. On August 30, the ''Katipunan'' attacked the 100 Spanish soldiers defending the powder magazine in the
Battle of San Juan del Monte The Battle of San Juan del Monte also refers as ''"Battle of Pinaglabanan"'' took place on August 30, 1896. It is considered as the first major battle of the Philippine Revolution, which sought Philippine independence from Spain. The first bat ...
or
Battle of Pinaglabanan The Battle of San Juan del Monte also refers as ''"Battle of Pinaglabanan"'' took place on August 30, 1896. It is considered as the first major battle of the Philippine Revolution, which sought Philippine independence from Spain. The first bat ...
. 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 prisoners. At about the same time, Katipuneros in other suburban Manila areas, like
Caloocan Caloocan, officially the City of Caloocan ( fil, Lungsod ng Caloocan; ), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population ...
, San Pedro de Tunasan (now
Makati Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...
),
Pateros Pateros, officially the Municipality of Pateros ( tgl, Bayan ng Pateros), is the lone municipality of Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 63,643 people. This municipality is famous for its duck-rai ...
and
Taguig Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig ( fil, Lungsod ng Taguig), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 886,722 people. Located in the northwestern shores of ...
, rose up in arms. In the afternoon of the same day, the Spanish Gov. Gen.
Camilo de Polavieja Camilo is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Camilo Albornoz (born 2000), Argentine footballer * Camilo Cascolan (born 1964), Filipino law enforcement officer * Camilo Castelo Branco, Portuguese wri ...
declared martial law in Manila and the provinces of
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest o ...
, Laguna,
Batangas Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Its capital is the city of Batangas, and is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and Lag ...
,
Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the ...
, Pampanga, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija. The Philippine Revolution had begun. In Bulacan, the Bulacan Revolutionary Movement was 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.


The Battle of Kakarong de Sili

Pandi, Bulacan played a vital and historical role in the fight for Philippine independence. Pandi is known for the Réal de Kakarong de Sili Shrine – ''Inang Filipina Shrine'', the site of the bloodiest battle in Bulacan, where more than 3,000 Katipunero revolutionaries died. Likewise, it is on this site where the ''Republic of Réal de Kakarong de Sili'' of 1896, one of the first Philippine revolutionary republics, was established. It was in Kakarong de Sili—which about 6,000 Katipuneros from various towns of Bulacan headed by Brigadier General Eusebio Roque, better known as "Maestrong Sebio" or "Dimabungo" (see list of Filipino generals in the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War)—that the "Kakarong Republic" was organized shortly after the
Cry of Pugad Lawin The Cry of Pugad Lawin ( tgl, Sigaw ng Pugad Lawin, es, Grito de Pugad Lawin) was the beginning of the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish Empire. In late August 1896, members of the ''Katipunan'' led by Andrés Bonifacio revolted som ...
, referred to as the "Cry of Balintawak".


Kakarong Republic

History and researchers, as well as records of the
National Historical Commission The National Historical Commission of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Komisyong Pangkasaysayan ng Pilipinas, abbreviated NHCP) is a government agency of the Philippines. Its mission is "the promotion of Philippine history and cultural heritag ...
, tells that the "Kakarong Republic" was the first and truly organized revolutionary government established in the country to overthrow the Spaniards antedating event the famous Malolos Republic and the Biak-na-Bato Republic. In recognition thereof, these three "republics" established in Bulacan have been incorporated in the seal of the province of Bulacan. According to available records including the biography of General
Gregorio del Pilar Gregorio Hilario del Pilar y Sempio (; ; November 14, 1875 – December 2, 1899) was a Filipino general of the Philippine Revolutionary Army during the Philippine–American War. As one of the youngest generals in the Revolutionary Army, he ...
entitled ''Life and Death of a Boy General'' written by Teodoro Kalaw, former director of the National Library of the Philippines, a fort was constructed at "Kakarong de Sili" that was like a miniature city. It had streets, an independent police force, a musical band, a factory of falconets, bolos and repair shops for rifles and cartridges. The 'Kakarong Republic' had a complete set of officials with Canuto Villanueva as Supreme Chief and 'Maestrong Sebio'—Eusebio Roque as Brigadaier General of the Army. The fort was attacked and totally destroyed on January 1, 1897, by a large Spanish force headed by the Commandant Olaguer-Feliu. Del Pilar was only a lieutenant at the time and the Battle of Kakarong de Sili was his "baptism of fire." This was where he was first wounded and escaped to nearby barangay 'Manatal.' The Kakarong Lodge No. 168 of the 'Legionarios del Trabajo', named in memory of the 1,200 Katipuneros who perished in the battle, erected a monument named the ''Inang Filipina'' Shrine – (Mother Philippines Shrine) in 1924 in the barrio of Kakarong of Pandi, Bulacan. The actual site of the Battle of Kakarong de Sili is now a part of the barangay of Réal de Kakarong. No less than one of the greatest generals in the Philippines' history, General Emilio Aguinaldo who became the first Philippine president visited this sacred ground in the late 1950s.


Spanish response

Even before the discovery of the ''Katipunan'', Rizal applied for a position as a doctor in the
Spanish army The Spanish Army ( es, Ejército de Tierra, lit=Land 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 late 15th century. The ...
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 en route to Spain, the ''Katipunan'' was unmasked and a
telegram Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas p ...
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 Rizal Park ( fil, Liwasang Rizal, es, link=no, Parque Rizal), also known as Luneta Park or simply Luneta, is a historic urban park located in Ermita, Manila. It is considered one of the largest urban parks in the Philippines, covering an area ...
). 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 Chuidián and Jacinto Limjáp. While there may be circumstantial evidence pointing to Chuidián and Limjáp 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 y Collantes (March 22, 1863 – May 23, 1918) was a Filipino physician, writer and active member of the Propaganda Movement. In Spain, he was among the founders of ''La Solidaridad'' and ''Asociación Hispano-Filipino''. Among hi ...
, 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 Adriáno, José Dizon, Domíngo Franco, Moisés Salvadór, Luis Enciso Villaréal, Braulio Rivera, Antonio Salazar, Ramón P. Padilla, Faustino Villaruél and Faustino Mañalac. Also executed with the group were Lt. Benedicto Nijaga and Corporal Gerónimo Cristóbal, both of the Spanish army. On February 6, 1897, Apolonio de la Cruz, Román Bása, Teodoro Pláta, Vicente Molina, Hermenegildo de los Reyes, José Trinidad, Pedro Nicodemus, Feliciano del Rosario, Gervasio Samson and Doroteo Domínguez were also executed at Bagumbayan. But the executions, particularly Rizal's, only added fuel to the rebellion, with the ''Katipuneros'' shouting battle cries: "''Mabuhay ang Katagalugan''!" ("Long Live the Tagalog Nation!" – '' Katagalugan'' (Tagalog Nation) being the Katipunan term for the Philippines) and "''Mabuhay si Dr. José Rizal''!" ("Long Live Dr. José Rizal!"). To the Katipuneros, Rizal was the honorary president of the Katipunan.


Schism, transfer of authority and dissolution

In the course of the revolution against Spain, a split developed between the ''Magdiwang'' faction (led by Gen.
Mariano Álvarez Mariano M. Álvarez ( : March 15, 1818 – August 25, 1924) was a Filipino revolutionary and statesman. Pre-war life Álvarez was born in Noveleta, Cavite. He received formal schooling at the San José College in Manila, and obtained a teac ...
) and the ''Magdalo'' faction (led by Gen.
Baldomero Aguinaldo Baldomero Aguinaldo y Baloy (February 27, 1869 – February 4, 1915) 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 ...
, cousin of General Emilio Aguinaldo), both situated in
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest o ...
. At a convention in Tejeros, Cavite, the revolutionaries assembled to form a revolutionary government. There, on March 22, 1897, it was decided to dissolve the Katipunan and establish a republic. Bonifacio lost his bid for the presidency of the revolutionary government to Emilio Aguinaldo, who was in Pasong Santol, fighting the Spanish forces 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. Bonifacio and a few others issued the
Acta de Tejeros The Acta de Tejeros was a document prepared on March 23, 1897 which proclaimed the events at the Tejeros Convention on March 22 to have been "disorderly and tarnished by chicanery." Signatories to this petition rejected the insurgent government ins ...
, proclaiming the events at the Tejeros Convention to have been "disorderly and tarnished by chicanery.", followed by the
Naic Military Agreement The Naic Military Agreement was a document prepared on April 18, 1897 in which a number of participants in the Tejeros Convention repudiated the convention results. This repudiation, which followed the Acta de Tejeros issued on March 23, would late ...
characterizing actions at Tejeros to have been treasonous. This led to Andrés Bonifacio and his brother
Procopio Procopio (c. 1841 – 1882 to early 1890s), also known as Red-Handed bebito and Red Dick, was one of the best-known bandits in California history. His nickname was reportedly given due either to his red hair or his violent nature and bloodthirst ...
being arrested due to alleged incidents in
Indang Indang, officially the Municipality of Indang ( tgl, Bayan ng Indang), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 68,699 people. The municipality is situated in the c ...
and, upon the orders of the Council of War and approved by Gen. Aguinaldo, they were both executed on May 10, 1897, at Mount Buntis in Maragondon, Cavite. He and his brother were buried in an unmarked grave. The Katipunan revolution led to the eventual establishment of the First Philippine Republic. The Philippine Republic, more commonly known as the First Philippine Republic or the Malolos Republic was a short-lived nascent revolutionary government in the Philippines. It was formally established with the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution on January 23, 1899, in
Malolos Malolos, officially the City of Malolos ( fil, Lungsod ng Malolos), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 261,189 people. It is the capital city ...
,
Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the ...
, and endured until the capture of Emilio Aguinaldo by the American forces on March 23, 1901, in
Palanan Palanan, officially the Municipality of Palanan ( ilo, Ili ti Palanan; tl, Bayan ng Palanan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Isabela, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 17,684 people. It was in Pal ...
, Isabela, which effectively dissolved the First Republic. The United States eventually destroyed the First Philippine Republic in the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. Afterwards, the Americans exterminated any remaining vestige of the Katipunan.


See also

*
Philippine Revolutionary Army The Philippine Revolutionary Army, later renamed Philippine Republican Army (Spanish: ''Ejército Revolucionario Filipino''; Tagalog: ''Panghimagsikang Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''), was the official armed forces of the First Philippine Repu ...
*
Battle of Imus The Battle of Imus ( fil, Labanan sa Imus, es, Batalla de Imus), or the siege of Imus ( fil, Pagkubkob sa Imus, es, El Cerco de Imus), was the first major battle of the Philippine revolution against the Spanish colonial government in the provi ...
*
Battle of Binakayan-Dalahican A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
*
Battle of Zapote Bridge (1897) The Battle of Zapote Bridge was fought on February 17, 1897, as part of the Philippine Revolution. Filipino revolutionary forces led by General Emilio Aguinaldo defeated Spanish forces under the command of Governor-General Camilo de Polavieja ...
*
Battle of Perez Dasmariñas The Battle of Perez Dasmariñas ( fil, Labanan sa Perez Dasmariñas, es, Batalla de Perez Dasmariñas) was a battle of the Philippine Revolution. It occurred during the Cavite Offensive of 1897, commanded by Maj. Gen. Jose de Lachambre under ...
* Spanish–American War * Malolos Congress * Philippine Declaration of Independence * First Philippine Republic *
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
*
Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The ...
* Military History of the Philippines *
Philippine Commonwealth Army The Philippine Army was established on December 21, 1935, as the Army of the Philippines, with a general headquarters in Manila, and units and formations based throughout the provinces of the Philippines. The Philippine Army was initially o ...
* Philippine Army *
Luna sharpshooters The Luna Sharpshooters, also known as the "Marksmen of Death" ( Spanish: ''Tiradores de la Muerte''), was an elite unit formed by General Antonio Luna to serve under the Philippine Revolutionary Army. They became famous for fighting fiercer than ...


Notes


References


Notes and citations


Published works

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
National Historical Institute The National Historical Commission of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Komisyong Pangkasaysayan ng Pilipinas, abbreviated NHCP) is a government agency of the Philippines. Its mission is "the promotion of Philippine history and cultural heritag ...
. ''Filipinos in History'' 5 vols. (Manila: National Historical Institute, 1989)
* * * A
Internet Archive
* Retana, Wenceslao. ''Vida y Escritorios de Dr. José Rizal''. Madrid: 1907. * This book was published by Ricarte himself, includes his memoirs on the Philippine Revolution. A copy resides in the library of University of the Philippines Diliman (see ) * * * * * * * * * * * 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.

*

(The site of
Baler A baler or hay baler is a piece of farm machinery used to compress a cut and raked crop (such as hay, cotton, flax straw, salt marsh hay, or silage) into compact bales that are easy to handle, transport, and store. Often, bales are configure ...
: Final locations in the Philippines)
Information about Katipunan
{{Authority control Philippine Revolution Philippine–American War Secret societies Defunct organizations based in the Philippines Anti-Spanish sentiment