ANDRES BONIFACIO
(1863-1897)
In one of the houses located opposite the
present Tutuban Station lived a young couple, Santiago Bonifacio, a tailor and Catalina
de Castro from Zambales. On November 30, 1863, a boy was born to them and was
christened Andres. As devout Catholics, Andres' parents took him to the parish
of Father Gregorio Prieto i-i Tondo where he was baptized by Fr. Saturnine
Buntan with Vicente Molina as godfather. Andres was the oldest of four
brothers, the other three being Ciriaco, Procopio and Troadio and two sisters,
Esperidiona andMaximina.
His first teacher was his aunt Remigia
Castro de Sanchez, who taught him his prayers and the alphabet. Later, he
attended the school of Don Guillermo Osmeņa from Cebu.
Orphaned at an early age, Andres and his
brothers and sisters made canes and paper fans which he sold to meet their bare
necessities. He also made posters for commercial firms as he had a fine
penmanship and a keen interest in the calligraphic arts. Subsequently, he was
employed as clerk-messenger in the British commercial firm of Fleming and
Company. His industry and honesty earned him promotion; as agent of the firm,
he was authorized to sell rattan and other articles of trade. It was while
working for this firm that he learned the rudiments of the English language.
Later, Andres transferred to work again
as an agent at Fresell and Company, a German commercial firm located at 450
Nueva Street. To augment his income, he continued to make canes and paper fans
with his brothers and sisters until 1896.
To educate himself, he bought a few good
books and read them avidly deep into the night under the flicker of the lamp.
Among these books were Robiespiere's The French Revolution, Eugene Sue's The Wandering
Jew, Hugo's Les Miserables, Rizal's Noli and Fill, The Ruins of Palmyras, The
Holy Bible, International Law, Penal and Civil Code, Lives of the Presidents of
the United States, and the novels of Alexander Dumas and his son.
To improve his Tagalog, he joined the
dramatic society in Palomar, Tondo. Ha would memorize his lines patient:y and
take part in the moro-moro to learn more of the nuances of the language. In
1887 he and his friends founded the El Teatro Porvenir. Inspired by his profound
knowledge of the Tagalog tongue, he gradually changed to Tagalog the names of
things, places and scenes in the Spanish plays staged in the vernacular.
Andres married Monica, a comely and
beautifulneighbor. A year later, however, she contracted leprosy and died. Fond
of fiestas and dancing, widower Andres came across Gregoria de Jesus of
Kalookan and fell in love with her. Gregoria's father objected to the match because
Andres was a Mason, having affiliated himself with the Masonic lodge Taliba.
But the old man finally acceded to the entreaties of the young lovers. In 1893,
less than a year after Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, Andres and Gregoria
were wed at the Binondo Church. Restituto Javier and his wife, Benita Rodriguez
were the sponsors.
As a katipunero, he later took his bride
to Oroquieta Street, the home of his sponsors where they were married again in
accordance with the rites of the Katipunan. Present in the affair were Dr. Pio Valenzuela,
Josefa and Trinidad Rizal, Jose Turiano Santiago, Marina Dizon, (Turiano
Santiago's fiancee), Roman Basa and other members of the Katipunan. Gregoria de
Jesus-Bonifacio was initiated into the organization as Lakambini (muse) and was
made custodian of the Katipunarr,seal and of the society's valuable papers.
The founding of the Katipunan took place
on July 7, 1892 in a house on Calle Ilaya with Ladislao Diwa, Teodoro Plata,
and Deodato Arellano. Its full name was Kataastaasang Kagalang-galang na Katipunan
ng mga Anak ng Bayan (K.K.K.N.MA.N.B.), Bonifacio adopted the name Maypagasa .
It was at this time that Bonifacio became
closely acquainted with Emilio Jacinto then a law student at the University of
Santo Tomas. Bonifacio chose Jacinto to be the Secretary of the Supreme
Council. He later became the "Brains of the Katipunan." Taking
extreme precaution and foresight for the safety of their
documents in the event that the authorities
would discover the society, Andres, togetherwith Emilio Jacinto, Guillermo
Masangkay, Aurelio Tolentino, Faustino Maiialac, Pedro Zabala and a Pew other
katipuneros reconnoitered the mountains east of Manila on April 12, 1895.
In San Mateo and the Montalban mountains,
they came upon the caves of Makarok and Pamitinan. Deep inside the cave of
Pamitinan was an ideal place. It was selected for an initiation site as well as
for a hiding place. Rebels from Morong joined them. With a piece of charcoal,
Andres wrote on its walls: "Long Live Philippine Independence."
Because of the dangerousand heavy
responsibilities imposed upon him as head of the Katipunan, he returned to
Manila. He expanded the society's activities; removed members who were less
active in the performance of their duties: imposed discipline on its members:
and embarked on espionage missions to keep them well-informed of the movements
of the Spanish civil and ecclesiastical officials. With cunning persuasion,
Andres was able to secure a recommendation from the parish priest of Santa
C'ruz for the employment of Julio Navarro, a katipunero, in the Spanish secret
service Likewise, Jacinto succeeded in getting a recommendation from his
professor in the University of Santo Tomasl for the employment of secret
katipuneros in the branches of government.
Andres was a calm and composed
individual, yet alert and prudent in avoiding leakages of the activities of the
Katidunan. In one instance, a coded message of the Katipunan fell into the
hands of a certain Professor Arias of the University of Santo Tomas. This
professor was a close friend of a Spaniard, the husband of Felicula Javier who
was a half-sister of Jose Turiano Santiagol then, the Secretary of the Supreme
Council. Although Santiago's complicity in the leakage of information was not
clearly established, he was expelled in accordance- with the meeting of the
Katipunan under Bonifacio at Kalookan in 1895.
In 1896 Andres, together with Dr. Pio
Valenzuela, Procopio Bonifacio, Candido Tirona and EmilioJacinto, toured Cavite
to recruit more members to the Katipunan. Upon his return, the house where he left
Gregoria de Jesus was burned. They moved to Lavezares Street then to Magdalena.
Two months later, their only son died.
By this time, alarming reports about the
Katipunan reached
Governor-General Bianco. But Bianco, in
his disdainful attitude and tired of the complaints of the friars, dismissed
the information as mere imagination of the overzealous clergy.
On
May 1. 1896, a meeting was held by Bonifacio at Ugong. Morong Province (now Rizal) where they
decided to consult or enlist the support of Rizal the moment the armed clash
would start. Dr. Valenzuela was chosen to carry out the mission. With a blind man,
Raymundo Mata and a boy named Rufino Magos, Dr. Valenzuela boarded the S.S.
Venus for Dapitan under the ruse of seeking medical consultation with Dr.
Rizal.
Upon reaching Dapitan, Dr. Valenzuela
told Rizal of his mission. The latter, however, advised the group that the
Filipinos must be financially and militarily prepared before staging an armed
revolution.
After the discovery of the Katipunan by
the Spanish authorities, Bonifacio and his men prepared for the eventual armed
struggle.Bonifacio ordered his men to assemble in Balintawak. In a place called
Kangkong, on the 21st of August in the house of Apolonio Samson they discussed
the start of the armed rebellion but they were unable to come to an agreement.
On August 23 in the yard of Juan Ramos, son of the famous Tandang Sera,
Bonifacio and his men decided to start the armed uprising on the 29th. There,
they tore their cedulas to symbolize their final determination to rise in arms
and to free the country from Spanish sovereignty.
The pursumg Spanish soldiers however,
dispersed them. On the 24th, Boaifacio and his men lodged in the house of
Tandang Sera. The next morning, the civil guards and infantrymen overtook them
but they fought back under the commaind of Bonifacio. The battle swung back and
the Katipuneros had to retreat, under the cover of darkness and thick cogon
grass to Balara. They reached Marikina, then Halang Bate where Bonifacio
proclaimed the general uprising against Spain on Saturday, August 29, 1896.
The plan to lay siege on Manila did not
materialize. Instead,
Bonifacio and Jacinto's men attacked the
powder magazine at San
Juan. From Marikina, they seized the
powder magazine and encircled the Spanish garrison. On the 30th however, a
relief column of Spanish soldiers arrived and completely routedthe rebels. But
the flame of armed resistance had already engulfed Pasig. Noveleta, Tagig,
Kalookan, Kawit, San Francisco de Malabon and Makat;. Bonifacio's men assaulted
and captured San Slateo only to yield the town to the enemy three days after.
On August 30, 1896, Governor-General
Bianco declared martial law in the provinces of Manila, Cavite, Laguna,
Batangas, Bulakan, Pampanga, Tarlak and Nueva Ecija.
Meanwhile, in Cavite, Aguinaldo, a young
revolutionary leader, proposed the establishment of a revolutionary government.
The issue as to who should head the new government began to divide the Katipunan.
The Magdalo faction maintained that the victories were attributed to
Aguinaldo's leadership while the Magdiwang faction held on to the idea that
since they were the instigators of the rebellion in Cavite, they were- entitled
to higher recognition as leaders of the armed organization. Magdiwang leaders,
however, believed that the question of leadership could only be resolved by
Bonifacio. An invitation was sent to the Supreme who was then in the mountains
of Montalban. On December 31, 1896, the revolutionaries convened the Imus Assembly.
Unfortunately no agreement was reached to transform the Katipunan into an
organized government, much, less was there an agreement on the leadership
question. They agreed, finally, to hold another meeting in Tejeros on March 22,
1897.
Before the assembly started, they decided
to respect the majority. In the election for president, Aguinaldo was elected
in absentia. Bonifacio placed second. Severino de las Alas, suggested that
Bonifacio be the vice-president but his plea was not heeded. Instead, Mariano
Trias was elected vice-president and Bonifacio was chosen minister of the interior.
But his qualifications were questioned by Daniel Tirona who said a lawyer was
more fit to occupy that office. Feeling gravely insulted, Bonifacio threatened
to shoot Tirona but cooler heads intervened.
Bonifacio and his followers believed that
as Bonifacio was the founder of the Katipunan and initiator of the armed
rebellion, he should have been president. Embittered, Bonifacio and his
followers determined to ignore and to nullify the results of the elections.
Even General Ricarte affirmed the irregularity of the elections by refusing to
take his oath as Captain-General. He was, however, prevailed upon by those
present to accept the position. On March 24, Bonifacio and his men drew up a
document repudiating the validity of the Tejeros electoral results.
Misleadingly called the Acta de Teieros, it showed the repugnant character of
the new government and expressed the threat that should other parties impose
its sovereignty over them they would resist.
Bonifacio, with his wife, brothers and a
few followers left Tejeres for Limbon, a barrio of Indang, Cavite. The Magdalo
faction overtook them, fought the men of Bonifacio, killing Ciriaco and
wounding Bonifacio. Gregoria de Jesus, Procopio and the Supreme were taken to
Maragondon where they were tried by a military court presided over by General
Mariano Noriel. The prosecuting fiscal was Jose Elises. Teodoro Gonzales was
the defense lawyer of Procopio and Placido Martinez for Andres Bonifacio. The
military court, allegedly found them guilty of sedition and condemned them to
death. On May 7, 1897, the papers were forwarded to President Aguinaldo, who
after a study of the case, commuted the death sentence to exile in a distant place.
Upon learning of this decision, General Mariano Noriel and
General Pio del Pilar rushed to Aguinaldo
and prevailed on him to confirm the original sentence in order to safeguard the
interests of the revolution and prevent the demoralization of the officers and
men. Cautious of the position of the President in those times of emergency, Aguinaldo
acceded to the entreaties of the two military officers.
On May 10, 1897 Bonifacio and his brother
Procopio were taken by Major Lazaro Makapagal from the prison at Maragondon and
brought them to Mt. Buntis where they were shot to death.
In his memory and honor, November 30th of
every year was declared a legal holiday by virtue of Act No. 2946, approved on January
16, 1921. To perpetuate his greatness further, the cornerstone of his monument
in Grace Park, Caloocan was laid on November 30, 1929.