SIGNIFICANT REBELLIONS

- Moving on to the last part of today’s discussion, which is the significant rebellions
during Spanish Colonial Period.
- So, pinili lang namin, actually, yung mga rebellions or revolts na ididiscuss
namin, which the first one is Silang Revolts.

Diego Silang
 Silang led the Ilocano rebellion against the Spanish.
- So, nung 1762, sumugod yung British military forces sa Philippines para mag-
attempt na ma-control yung ibang parts ng bansa natin. Yung root cause ng
pag-attempt nila ay dahil pumanig yung Spain sa France that time, which is
nung time na yon, may war yung France at Britain.
- So dahil don, nakitang opportunity ni Diego Silang yon para magstart ng
rebellion against Spaniards. Matagal nang nagdurusa ang mga Ilokano that
time due to unreasonable taxes, free labor for the construction of religious
and administrative structures and the suppressive monopolies. Kaya naman
yung umagree yung mga Ilokano sa rebellion na balak ni Diego Silang.
- Actually, ang gusto ni Diego Silang is magkaroon ng Ilocano Nation. Tinry
niya na makipag-usap sa Spaniards regarding that, pero of course, hindi
pumayag yung mga Espanyol. Dun nanggaling yung idea ni Silang na
makipagtulungan sa British forces para matalo yung Spaniards.
- Then, right after that, noong 1972, nagkaron na si Silang ng control sa Vigan.
May pangakong military assistance sa kanya yung British forces para
makatulong sa plano niya, pero yung pangako na yon ay hindi naman
natupad.
 Diego Silang was later killed by Miguel Vicos, a friend who was a mestizo.
- So, therefore, may betrayal na naganap kasi friends sila tapos si Vicos pa
mismo ang pumatay sa kanya.
- Yung pagtatraydor sa kanya ni Vicos, inundyok yon ng Spanish government
and even the church.
- HOWEVER, hindi sa pagkamatay ni Diego natapos yung layunin niyang
revolution dahil itinuloy ito ng kanyang asawa.
Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang
 She continued the rebellion but just like Diego, she was also killed.
- Noong namatay ang kanyang asawa, ipinnagpatuloy niya yung nasimulan
nito na Revolution. Pero dahil nga malakas ang pwersa ng mga Espanyol,
napilitan siya at ang kaniyang mga kasama na umatras sa Abra. Sinubukan
nilang bumalik sa Vigan pero hindi sila nagtagumpay.
 She was captured and put to death publicly by hanging in September 1763.
- Almost a hundred of her followers were also publicly hanged to serve as a
warning to the Ilocanos. Tinakot ng mga Espanyol ang iba pang Filipino para
hindi na magtangkang magrebolusyon.
- Joan of Arc and first female leader for Filipino liberation

Cavite Mutiny
 There are different perspectives on Cavite Mutiny.
 - So, sa Cavite Mutiny, merong iba’t ibang perspective.
 First, in Spanish perspective, the mutiny was an attempt to remove and
overthrow the Spanish colonizers in the Philippines.
- Sa Spanish perspective, nagsimula ito kay Jose Montero y Vidal.
Nagdokumento siya nang kaganapan, which is based sa documentation niya,
nagtangka yung mga Indio na pabagsakin yung Spanish government sa
Pilipinas. So, syemprem yung government sa Spain, nagalit sila don.
- Tapos heto naming si Gov. Gen. Rafael Izquierdo, pinalaki niya yung gulo.
Kumbaga bukod sa documentation ni Vidal, nagdagdag ng details si
Izqueirdo. Idinamay niya ang mga katutubong klero, na noon ay aktibo sa
panawagan para sa sekularisasyon.
- Dinagdag din niya na gusto rind aw ng mga Indio na magkaroon ng so-called-
king katulad nina Padre Burgos at Zamora. Tapos, sinabi rin niya na
mapanlinlang din daw ang mga Indio at magnanakaw.

- Itinuring ng dalawang Kastila na ang kaganapan ng 1872 ay naplano nang

mas maaga at naisip na ito ay isang malaking sabwatan sa mga educated
leaders, mestizos, native lawyers, residents of Manila and Cavite and the
native clergy.
- Sinabi nila na yung mga magsasagawa raw ng revolution ay nagplano na
likidahin ang matataas na opisyal ng Espanyol na susundan ng massacre sa
mga prayle.
- Then, nung January 20, 1872, may celebration ng feast of the Virgin of Loreto
sa District of Sampaloc. Yung pagcecelebrate non is nakasanayan na may
fireworks, which yung 200 men na pinamumunuan ni Fernando La Madrid,
inakala na signal yon para umatake so naglaunch attack sila at syempre ang
target nila ay yung mga Spanish officers.
- Nang makarating ang balita kay Izquierdo, kaagad niyang ipinag-utos ang
pagpapalakas ng mga puwersa ng Espanyol sa Cavite upang sugpuin ang
himagsikan. Madaling nadurog ang “rebolusyon” nang hindi dumating sa
pampang ang inaasahang reinforcement mula sa Maynila. Doon na namatay
si La Madrid.
 Second, in the Filipino perspective, particularly Dr. Tavera, the incident was a
mere mutiny by the native Filipino soldiers and laborers of the Cavite arsenal
who turned out to be dissatisfied with the abolition of their privileges.
- Based naman kay Tavera, yung pinag-ugatan ng Cavite Mutiny ay yung
pagtatanggal ng priviledge.
- Almost the same with the Spanish perspective. However, in Filipino
perspective, the fault is in Spanish government, particularly Izquierdo.

- Connected itong Cavite Mutiny sa Gomburza, which is yung sunod nating

ididiscuss.

Gomburza
 Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora.
  Three priests who were accused by an informant who was likely tortured into
speaking in 1872 of the Cavite mutiny against the Spanish government.
- Ipinaglaban nila ang mga isyu ng sekularisasyon sa Pilipinas na humantong
sa tunggalian ng mga sekular ng relihiyon at simbahan. So kahit na pari sila,
alam naman nating mataas na katungkulan na rin ang maging pari noon, na-
interpret ng Spaniards yung kagustuhan ng tatlong pari as something na
parang kinakalaban sila nung tatlo.
- Dahil doon sa kagustuhan nilang yon, pinatay sila dahil sa mata ng mga
Espanyol, threat yung tatlong friars kasi nagiging against na sila sa
Spaniards.
- So I think, lahat naman aware na pinatay sila using Garrote, di ba? Since,
high school pa lang naman nabanggit na yon.
- And then, ayon, dahil sa pagbitay sa Gomburza, dinedicate ni Jose Rizal
yung nobela niyang “El Filibusterismo”

- Next is the Philippine Revolution. I think, we are all familiar here.

The Philippine Revolution
 Andres Bonifacio was the Supreme of the Katipunan or, as it was also known,
Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan.
- Si Andres Bonifacio yung namuno sa revolution na ‘to
 The organization drew inspiration from Dr. Jose Rizal, whose literary works,
particularly Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
Diego Silang and Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang
The first major revolution waged against the Spaniards was waged by the
Silangs during the time of the British forces’ military incursion in the Philippines which
began in September 1762. It was the period of the Seven Year’s War between the
British and the French, who were aided by Spain. In October 1762, the British
expeditionary forces from India occupied Manila in retaliation to Spain’s alliance with
France, and sought to take control of the other provinces of the Philippines. Diego
Silang saw this as the opportune time to lead an Ilocano revolt against the weakened
Spanish forces. Ilocanos have suffered long the unreasonable taxes, free labor for the
construction of religious and administrative structures and the suppressive monopolies
that the Spaniards imposed upon the populace. That is why they were quick to respond
to the call for revolution.
Diego Silang’s aim was the creation of an Ilocano nation. This vision began when
he personally witnessed the many abuses of the Spanish government and the Roman
Catholic Church not only in Ilocos but wherever he traveled as courier for Vigan’s parish
priest, delivering letters and documents to Manila and back. Having failed in
negotiations with the Spanish authorities to establish a government in Ilocos with
Ilocano functionaries, Diego Silang worked with the British forces to defeat the Spanish
in the North.
He already had control of Vigan in December of 1762. He was promised military
assistance by the British to strengthen his hold and complete his plan, which
unfortunately never came. Diego Silang was later killed by Miguel Vicos, a friend who
was a mestizo (mix blood of Spanish and Ilocano). Vicos carried out his assassination
of Diego during his visit to the latter’s house, accompanied by another of Diego’s friend
Pedro Becbec. The traitorous act was of course instigated by the Spanish church and
government authorities. Diego’s cause did not die with him, however. His wife, Maria
Josefa Gabriela Silang, continued his leadership. Her valiant efforts were overpowered
by massive forces set upon her, forcing her retreat to Abra. She tried to lead her army
back to Vigan but was again repelled. She was captured and put to death publicly by
hanging in September 1763. Almost a hundred of her followers were also publicly
hanged to serve as a warning to the Ilocanos. She is now remembered in Philippine
history as the country’s Joan of Arc and first female leader for Filipino liberation. Her
furious ride towards Vigan is immortalized in many statues all over the country erected
in memory of her courage and sacrifice. She rejoined her husband only four months
after his death.

The Philippine Revolution

The Philippine Revolution began in 1896 as a rebellion against brutal Spanish
rule that spanned over three centuries from the time Ferdinand Magellan led an
expedition to the island in the early 1560s to the establishment of a full Spanish colony.
Spain restricted Filipino religious rights and political participation in their own
governance and enforced harsh trade restrictions. Andrés Bonifacio led the secret
society, Katipunan, whose goal was to create an independent Philippines. The group
was unprepared militarily to take on Spain when it began to revolt in response to the
Spanish execution of key leaders and priests. Katipunan split into factions, one of which
was led by Emilio Aguinaldo who ultimately executed Bonifacio and took over the
revolution. Spain and the Philippine rebels came to a cease-fire in 1898. However,
simultaneously, Spain sank a U.S. warship near Cuba, leading to the U.S. declaring war
on Spain and entering the Philippine rebellion against Spain. Ultimately when Spain and
the US established peace, the U.S. purchased and colonized the Philippines causing
the Filipino rebels to continue fighting against the U.S. The Philippines didn't ultimately
achieve independence until 1946.

---

Andres Bonifacio was the Supreme of the Katipunan or, as it was also known,
Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Highest and Most
Venerated Association of the Sons and Daughters of the Land). The organization drew
inspiration from Dr. Jose Rizal, whose literary works, particularly Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, exposed the cruelties of the Spanish colonisers. Before Katipunan was
established, both Bonifacio and Rizal were part of ‘La Liga Filipina’ – a progressive
organization initiated by Rizal that sought peaceful reforms.

After Rizal’s arrest and deportation to Dapitan, La Liga Filipina dissolved. This
was later replaced by a call for aggressive reforms, put forward and favored by
Bonifacio. Upon hearing of Rizal’s arrest, Bonifacio and his fellows founded the
Katipunan. The anti-colonial secret organization eventually attracted people from lower
and middle classes across the country, enjoining them in an armed revolt against Spain.

Rizal, the country’s national hero, refused to participate. He believed timing

wasn’t on their side and the nation was still unprepared. In spite of his friend’s
reservations, Bonifacio and his fellow Katipuneros continued with their plan. Yet on
August 1896, a Spanish friar found them out.

Bonifacio simultaneously planned an attack on Manila. However they were

caught off guard as, though the revolutionaries were greater in number, the Spanish
authorities were heavily armed.

According to historical accounts, Bonifacio continued with his plan despite the
failure in his first attempt. The revolt flared up in the surrounding provinces, including
Central Luzon, San Juan del Monte and Southern Tagalog (which is why this is also
known as the Tagalog War).

After several unsuccessful revolts, rebels in Cavite finally had a taste of victory.
Under Emilio Aguinaldo (mayor of Cavite El Viejo) and Mariano Alvarez (Bonifacio’s
uncle), the Philippine Revolution was in full swing.
 The revolution dragged down the name of Rizal. He was accused of being
associated with the secret militant society. Charged with sedition, conspiracy and
rebellion, Rizal was sentenced to death by firing squad.