The Katipunan and the Philippine Revolution

The failure of the propaganda led the katipuneros to engage in more violent revolution
since the propaganda beforehand did peaceful means like writing, speaking off and in a form of
education, however it did not work and consequently led to the death of the three greatest
propagandists, Del Pilar, Jaina and Rizal.

This Katipunan group are less educated compared to the propagandists. They are
mostly composed of the poorer class of Filpinos like the farmers, peddlers and others. If the
propaganda prepared reforms and equality, the katipunan promoted separation between the
Filipinos and Spaniards by the means of force and violence.

The Katipunan (Kataastaasan Kagalanggalangan na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan)

began on July 7, 1892 along with its founding members, Teodora Plata, Deodato Arellano,
Ladislao Diwa and Valentin Diaz as well as Andres Bonifacio, acting as the founder or supremo
of the group. The place where the group was founded was in 72 Azcarraga St. (Claro M. Recto
Avenue, Tondo now). The death of Rizal caused Andres Bonifacio to enter into violence against
Spain because he was greatly affected by the injustice on the death of Rizal. In becoming a
member of this group, an individual had to cut himself and used his own blood as ink to sign his
name in the Katipunan Ledger. Triangular System is utilized in recruiting members of the group
wherein one had to recruit two members and these two members had to recruit another two
members who did not know each other. Katipon is the lowest member of the group, wearing a
black hood with a triangle of white ribbons of which were the letters Z, Ll and B, the password is
“Anak ng Bayan” and his monthly dues are either one real fuerte (an old money) or 12.5
centimo or 20 cuartos to keep the organization going. In order for a Katipon to be promoted to
Kawal, he must recruit many members. Kawal (soldier), on the other hand, wore green hood
with a triangle of white lines from which at the three angles were the letters Z, Ll and B,
suspended from the neck was a green ribbon with a medal, with a letter K in the ancient
Tagalog script inscribed in the middle, their password is “Gom-Bur-Za” and his monthly due is
twenty centavos. A Kawal can be promoted to Bayani (the highest level) upon becoming an
officer. In relation, a Bayani (patriot) wore a red mask with white triangle, wherein inside of
which were the letters, K, K, K, Z, Ll and B, along with a red sash with green borders, their
password is “Rizal” and his monthly dues are either two real Fuertes (old money) or 25 centimos
or 40 cuartos.
 One of the notable men in the Katipunan is Emilio Jacinto, the Brains of the Katipunan
and his code name was “Dimasilaw”. He joined the Katipunan at an age of 19 which caused him
not to finish his schooling. He died of Malaria while his wife was still pregnant. Emilio Jacinto
wrote the “Kartilya”, the constitution of the Katipunan. Second of the important writings which
Andres Bonifacio wrote was the “Sampung Utos ng mga Anak ng Bayan”.

The Government System of the Katipunan is consist of Kataastaasang Sanggunian,

Sangguniang Bayan and Sangguniang Balangay.

The third important writing was the “Kalayaan”, the official newspaper of the Katipunan.
Women have roles in the Katipunan in the later part because the wives of the Katipuneros
became suspicious. The women’s important role was to secure important documents when
delivering information from one barangay to another so as the civil guards will not notice.
Furthermore, Gregoria Montoya and Gregoria de Jesus (Lakambini ng Katipunan) wanted to
join the violent part of the Katipunan. Gregoria Montoya joined to avenge her husband’s death.
Gregorio de Jesus was the wife of Andres Bonifacio but joined when she was still a girlfriend of
Andres Bonifacio.

Also, Trinidad Tecson (Mother of Biak-na-Bato) and Teresa Magbanua (Joan of Arc of
the Visayas) also wanted to join the Katipunan. Trinidad Tecson did the Sanggunian role and
wore the outfit of Katipunan. Eventually, she thought that it was not a good idea to be play the
role of Sanggunian, so she organized a group of women in order for her to take care of the sick
and the wound among the Filipino soldiers. As a consequence of her gestures, after the
Philippine-American War, she was then known as the Mother of the Philippine Red Cross.
Teresa Magbanua, on the other hand, is a woman general, although it was not official. She
supported the Katipunan financially by selling her properties.

Moreover, Agueda Kahabagan (Henerala Agueda), was the first and only women who
became an official general in the armed forces of Katipunan. Also, Melchora Aquino (Tandang
Sora), the Grand Woman of the Revolution and the Mother of Balintawak. She had a store and
became a refuge for the sick and the wounded, acting as the mother of the Katipuneros.
Eventually, she was arrested when the Katipunan failed and deported to Guam. In addition,
Josefa Rizal, the sister of Jose Rizal was the President of the Women’s Sector of the KKK.

The Discovery of the Katipunan (August 19, 1896)

 There was a man named Apolinario dela Cruz, a Katipunero had a fight with Teodoro
Patinio. In the middle of their argument, Apolinario dela Cruz then revealed that he was part of a
secret organization, the Katipunan. Teodoro Patinio then was troubled so he told his sister
(Honoria) who was working at an orphanage about what Apolinario dela Cruz said to him in the
middle of their fight. In the orphanage where his sister worked, there was a Spanish nun, the
superior of the orphanage, and she was told by the Honoria about the secret organization
because she felt bothered about what may happen to her brother. The superior nun then told
Mariano Gil, a priest, who was also a staunch Spaniard about the Katipunan and eventually, the
priest told the authorities about it. The Spaniard soldiers then had an investigation and found
where the Katipunan was printing the writing Kalayaan and they were able to discover several
secret documents that were within the Kalayaan place. With this, suspected Katipuneros were
arrested and so the Katipunan was in trouble and started to disperse where Andres Bonifacio
and some were able to escape which is why Bonifacio said that they no longer have choice so
instead of waiting for more weapons, he thought that it is their time to start the war which led to
the Cry of Balintawak or The Cry of Pugadlawin wherein they tore their cedula, as a sign to
prove that they are no longer subjected to Spain and so the war then started to happen.

During the time when Andres Bonifacio said that it is the time to attack the Spaniards,
Gov. Gen. Ramon Blanco then declared Martial Law in eight provinces (Bulacan, Tarlac,
Batangas, Laguna, Manila, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and Cavite) who responded immediately
and joined the war that Andres Bonifacio declared. During the Martial Law, the Gov. Gen.
arrested all Katipuneros whether they are proven as one or just suspected. He said that those
who will surrender will be forgiven but he lied. As the Katipuneros started to step forward and
claimed that they are a Katipunero, they were tortured and killed by the Spaniards and then
brought to Fort Santiago and some of them were exiled to Caroline Islands or even in Africa.
The Spaniards eventually thought that an execution of Jose Rizal could put an end to the
Katipunan. They suspected Jose Rizal that he is a Katipunan and so Rizal said no, however,
suspicions arise when the Spaniards tried to question about the password “Rizal”. In relation,
Antonio Luna was then asked if he thinks that Rizal is part of the Katipunan, he told the
Spaniards that he was not just part but also the heart and soul of the Katipunan. Heart and Soul
was then the statement to convict Rizal as part of the Katipunan and had him exiled in Luneta.

The Imus Convention (December 31, 1896)

 While the Cry of Pugadlawin happened, the Katipunan itself had been divided into two
parts, Magdalo of Emilio Aguinaldo and Magdiwang of Andres Bonifacio. They split because
there are a lot of Filipinos, when the war happened, all of Bonifacio’s battles failed but Emilio
Aguinaldo, one of the Katipuneros, his battles succeeded. So the Filipinos thought that Andres
Bonifacio was lame while Emilio Aguinaldo was a strategist person and they started to side with
Emilio Aguinaldo and wanted him to become the leader. In order to give solution to the conflict,
they had the Imus Convention on Dec. 31, 1896 wherein the Magdalo declared that there
should be a leadership in the Katipunan and said that Andres Bonifacio is no longer qualified to
be in the Katipunan and so the Magdiwang disagreed. As a result, the Imus Convention led to a
disaster due to the arguments that took place.

The Tejeros Convention (March 22, 1897)

As the tension continues to arise during the Imus Convention, the Tejeros Convention
was organized wherein they decided to make a revolutionary government since it is no longer
possible for both Magdalo and Magdiwang to reunite so they elected new officers. As a result,
the revolutionary government is now as follows:

President: Emilio Aguinaldo

Vice President: Mariano Trias

Captain General: Artemio Ricarte

Director of War: Emilio Riego de Dios

Director of the Interiors: Andres Bonifacio

Andres Bonifacio was willing to accept his demotion of position, however, there is a man
named Daniel Tirona, who raised his hand and said that the position of Director of Interior has to
be filled with someone who is a lawyer and Andres Bonifacio did not even reach high school as
his level of educational attainment. This then implies that they do not think that Andres Bonifacio
deserved the position. As a consequence, Andres Bonifacio picked up his gun, aimed at Daniel
Tirona and still, he missed. Then Andres Bonifacio walked out and said that the election was
invalid and stupid but those who remained, said that it was a valid election. As a result, Andres
Bonifacio was now kicked out from the Katipunan.

The Trial and Execution of the Bonifacio Brothers (May 10, 1897)
 Andres Bonifacio went to Cavite and started his own government. As a result, a civil war
arose that time. And so Emilio Aguinaldo thought that it had to be stopped and the Trial and
Execution of the Bonifacio Brothers took place wherein they were declared guilty and were
given a death penalty. They were brought to a mountain where they were executed, however,
nobody knows about the manner of execution and where their bodies were buried because
there are no bones found. This has then been the end of supremo and the beginning of Emilio
Aguinaldo.

The Establishment of the Biak-na-Bato Republic (November 1, 1897)

This republic was established by Emilio Aguinaldo as the elected president. It is the
greatest rivalry in the Philippines.

Gov. Gen. Primo de Rivera wanted to meet Emilio Aguinaldo to discuss, to form an
agreement because of Pedro Paterno, one of the biggest traitor in the Philippine history, who
set up the meeting and convinced Aguinaldo to meet with the Gov. Gen. and stop the
Katipunan. With this, he sided with Emilio Aguinaldo and later, sided with the Americans. Pedro
Paterno was disloyal.

The Biak-na-Bato meeting was then established. The Spaniards and the Filipinos met
and came up with a deal.

The demand for the Filipinos are as follows:

1. Both parties would end the war.

2. Aguinaldo, together with other leaders of the KKK would voluntarily leave for Hongkong.

3. The remaining Katipuneros would surrender themselves and their weapons.

The demand for the Spaniards are as follows:

1. Pay an amount of 800 000 when Aguinaldo will sign the Biak-na-Bato

2. Pay an addition of 900 000 for the families affected by the war

Aguinaldo then agreed to the deal as Peter Paterno convinced him. He received the
amount of 800 000, brought it to Hongkong in order to buy more weapons. When he was in
Hongkong, he met Americans, new allies.