Chapter 8
Iloilo Nationalism
* highlighted in violet is the approximate timeline or date
There was an increase in the number of wealthy and educated Ilonggos. The new industries had brought wealth. Their means enabled them to build spacious and splendid homes of the fine class. This emerging class is called the " Ilustrado" or educated mestizo and the sangley. They were rapidly gaining education in Manila or in abroad so far from their ancestor of one hundred years ago. They were conscious about the aggressive revolutionary spirit that successively stirred Europe and North America .
In the Spanish countries of the New World and between 1810 and 1825. They fought themselves free of Spain. Fueled by nationalism, they begun to conceive the intellectual framework for Filipino liberty challenging the colonial and religious authority. Literary and journalistic exposés were printed aimed to attack the social, political and economic abuses directed against the friars. The most famous indictment is Rizal's novel, Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) in which priests are represented as greedy, arrogant, and authoritarian. The Ilonggo Graciano Lopez-Jaena work “ Fray Botod” also have the same motiff . Along with Marcelo del Pilar, the three Ilustrado set up a propaganda movement in Spain.
"I, as a patriot, a Spaniard first of all, because I love Spain"
Graciano Lopez Jaena oration on February 25, 1889 at the Ateneo de Barcelona, Spain: "I, as a patriot, a Spaniard first of all, because I love Spain I ought to rouse here so that it may be revealed the mysterious veil of letters and obstruction that explain why the Philippines does not advance and progress".
1898 - March Comite Conspirador was organized
March 18, 1898. Learning that the Spanish garrison in the city was captured and withdrawn to Zamboanga, members of the Ilonggo elite organized the “ Comite Conspirador” in Molo with good perspective to win. It is a revolutionary movement in within Iloilo City that systematically plan how to overthrow Spain by maintaining contacts with surrounding provinces .
In a short span of two months by May of the same year the Comite was expanded and changed into “ Comite de Central Revolucionario Visayas“ initated by Francisco Villanueva of Molo. Several joined the group such as Patrocinio Gamboa of Jaro.
Gen. Roque Lopez was elected as President of the Assembly.
Other leaders of the committee secretly maintained liaison with their relatives and friends in Negros and nearby provinces to start the armed uprising in their area . It also sent secret emissaries to the other provinces of Panay and the rest of the Visayas, and tried to establish contact with the Malolos government under Aguinaldo such as Cols. Emilio and Eduardo Esteban who were sent on mission sent by General Pablo Araneta.
Source: Page 30-West Visayan Real Audiencia member- Raymundo Melliza/Book 12 Interesting Facts about West Visayas by Rex S. Salvilla of the West Visayas Historical Research Foundation, Inc
Araneta Brothers of Molo - and their monuments
Gen. Pablo Soriano Araneta of Molo, doctor of surgery, Panay Island Commanding General and Chief Expeditionary Forces for the Visayas (Photo Above) was immediately sent to secure funds for the purchase of arms and ammunitions. (with monument in Molo)
Marciano Soriano Araneta run the vast hacienda in Mangkas ( La Carlota). Led the revolucionarios fought and captured the "Cuartel General" of the Spanish forces. (with monument in La Carlota Municipal Hall). Anastacio Soriano Araneta who served under his elder brother Marciano was killed by remnants of the "guardia civil" who became roving bandits in the hinterlands of Negros.
Jose Soriano Araneta was appointed "Capitan" assigned at the office of the Panay Revolutionary Forces "Cuartel General" in Pavia, Iloilo together with Capitan Ramon Lopez. He fought in the battle of Tacas, Catmon and Balantang in Jaro in 1899. (with monument in Pavia municipal building)
Dr. Vicente Armada Locsin of Janiuay, Iloilo acted as Confidential Intelligence Emissary Officer of the Central Revolutionary Committe based in Molo, Iloilo and coordinated with the Panay and Negros revolutionary councils.
Don Gregorio Soriano Araneta (photo above), a lawyer who served as secretary-general of the Malolos Congress under Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo upon advised of Apolinario Mabini (with monument in Manila). His descendants brought about founding of Araneta University, Araneta Center of Malls, Araneta Coleseum, Senator Mar Roxas. His grandchild Greggy Araneta married Irene Marcos, the daughter of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos.
Magistrate in Supreme Court of Cuba, an Ilonggo
Raymundo Melliza, a magistrate in the Spanish Cortes in Cuba convinced Jose Rizal to serve as a military doctor in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. He later became the second governor of Iloilo under the civil government.
Ilustrado attorney, Don Raymundo Melliza son of a rich trader Don Cornelio Melliza. He gained bachelor of arts degree from the University of Sto. Tomas in 1873. He enrolled at the University of Barcelona and then University of Sevilla where he got licenciate in law and finally the doctorate (doctorada en leyes y canones ecclesiasticus) in 1879 when he was 25 years old and sent to Cuba as Spain territory to become magistrate of their Supreme Court. He went home in Iloilo due to an increasing tension of independence in Cuba. A classmate and good friend of Rizal.
Don Benito and Brothers - Comite de conspirador
Eugenio Lopez (photo above as head of his family) who once supported Spain initially have changed positions. Manila public turmoil prompted his 3 sons who are studying there to go home in Iloilo. Don Benito Lopez, (above) a third year law student of Santo Tomas sobresaliente of San Juan de Letran joined the comite led by his uncle on the mother side Francisco Villanueva and a relative Don Roque Lopez. Vicente Lopez 19 years old, Ramon Lopez 17 years old. They joined the comite through instigation of their relatives. They were young but because they were college students they were given officers rank in the revolutionary army becoming captains in the brigade of General Pablo Araneta.
Martin Delgado
On April 25, 1898, America declared war on Spain. Theodore
Roosevelt, the Secretary of the Navy ordered Commodore George Dewey, commander of the U.S. Asiatic fleet to attack the Spanish fleet in the Philippines. Dewey fought an undefeated the Spanish fleet under General Patrocinio Montojo in the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898.
1898 - Shortly after Commodore George Dewey had smashed the Spanish fleet at Manila Bay on May 1, 1898 and blockaded the capital, the hard-pressed Spanish colonial government organized Filipino volunteer militia in the different regions of the Philippines. General Ricardo Monet, the politico-military governor of Iloilo province appointed Martin Delgado as captain and commander of the 125-strong Voluntarios in Sta. Barbara. Martin Teofilo Delgado (Photo above)
Gen. Pablo Araneta appointed Martin Delgado as "General en Jefe de los Tropas del Ejercito Libertador de Visayas y Governador Politico-Militar."
On 28 October 1898, Delgado marched into Santa Barbara and took control of the municipal building.
He was born on Nov. 11, 1858 in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo the second child of a rich and aristocratic Spanish mestizo family. He finished his early schooling at Sta. Barbara Parochial School. Later, he enrolled at the Seminario de San Vicente Ferrer in Jaro. For further studies, he enrolled at the Ateneo Municipal in Manila and obtained his diploma as a school teacher. After finishing his studies in Manila he returned to his hometown and taught in a public school for some time.
Spain sold Philippines and Spare Iloilo as its Spanish Kingdom but...
Stage Play in Manila Bay for Tagalog Audience herald Spain wish to settle in Iloilo
1898- August 13 - America had already bought Manila, Philippines and agreed to spare Iloilo to Spain. Negotiations between America and Spain was finished. They made a scripted drama that American vessel will fire Spain on Manila Bay then they will surrender to America not to loose-platoon of Aguinaldo in Intramuros. Americans occupied Manila and raised their flag in Intramuros. Spain's dream is to establish a Spanish kingdom in Iloilo its loyal and devoted province and totally relinquish its right in the entire Philippines.
Iloilo City became Spanish Capital
Spain Restructuring of Government in Iloilo
Meanwhile, Spanish governor-general Diego de los Ríos left Manila and sailed to Iloilo and established the last Spanish capital in the Orient in Iloilo City. General de los Rios asked Spain to grant some reforms demanded by the representative citizens of Iloilo. He issued in Iloilo a proclamation to the people of the Visayas calling on them to establish a "Council of Reforms" to be
made up of 24 leading citizens, 12 of whom would be selected by popular vote, another 12 to be appointed by the general himself. (The San Francisco Call, 3 October 1898)
General de los Rios was obviously sincere in bringing about the reforms people asked for. The granted reforms, however, satisfied only a few ilustrado leaders. Things did not turn out the way it should be . There was widespread oppositions of their offer. The flame of rebellion was already swept Iloilo towns, Panay and Negros under Comite Conspirador. Their swift decision is to forego more battle and to peacefully grant sovereignty to Iloilo to vacate the place and let Americans finished the job. If Ilonggos would have remained loyal to Spain it would have not encountered the canons of the Americans.
Iloilo Towns were captured and liberated
1898 - October 28, 1898. With a glimpse of hope that Iloilo will acquire independence due to weakening Spanish infantry, Martin Delgado had joined patriotic Ilonggos and publicly declared himself a revolutionario. He joined the "comite." Pablo Araneta who was the general of the Panay Revolutionary Forces and engaged several fierce battles in Santa Barbara, San Miguel, Pavia and in the outskirt of Jaro more notably the battle from Oton to Arevalo. Municipal buildings were seized. Along with General Angel Corteza and General Leandro Locsin Fullon of Antique who fired the first shot they crushed the Spanish garrisons. On this day onward the interior towns of the province were liberated from Spanish control.
Plan to attack the last Spanish Colonial capital - Iloilo City
1898 - November 17 – The comite convened in Sta. Barbara and organized the Revolutionary Government of the Visayas.
The following were the elected officials of the Visayas Revolutionary Government:
Roque Lopez, president;
Vicente Franco, vice president and secretary of the interior; Venancio Concepcion, secretary of finance;
Ramon Avanceňa, secretary of state;
Jovito Yusay, secretary of justice;
Julio Hernandez, secretary of war;
Fernando Salas, secretary general.
General Martin T. Delgado was chosen General–in-Chief of the Revolutionary Forces. He has been leader in defeating Aguinaldo troops in Cavite in 1896 and recent battle in Manila in May 1898 as the Ejercito Libertador of the Visayas and Mindanao. They finally made a plan to conquer Iloilo City.
1898- November 17 - Flag was raised in Santa Barbara
Patrocinio Gamboa, a 33 year-old woman of Jaro (a masculine name of) decided to do the risky task of transporting the flag bravely from courier in Iloilo City. Acquiring the flag replica sent by Emilio Aguinaldo was difficult because it has to pass the guardia civil (Spanish Army). Along with Lt. Honorio Solinap they smuggled the flag all the way to Santa Barbara rode in carriage full of hay. The flag was hidden under her waist. Successfully outwitting the many Spanish outposts.
A large crowd gathered in plaza of Santa Barbara for inauguration of “Comite de Central Revolucionario Visayas “. When the flag was raised, the band played the ''Marcha Ejercito Libertador (Liberation Army March). The eight rays represent the first 8 provinces that revolted that was under martial law of Spanish government. The declaration narrates the three stars represents the three principal islands at the time – Luzon, Mindanao, and Panay
"the white triangle signifying the distinctive emblem of the famous Society of the Katipunan, which by means of its blood-compact inspired the masses to rise in revolution; the three stars, signifying the three principal islands of this Archipelago -Luzon, Mindanao and Panay where this revolutionary movement started."
A newly designed Philippine flag was raised for the first time outside of Luzon (above photo is a replica of the original flag of Aguinaldo).
Treaty of Paris of Spain and America crushed Iloilo Morale
1898 - By the first week of November only Jaro, Molo and Iloilo City remained in the hands of the Spaniards. On November 21, Jaro and Lapaz was delivered by the Spanish government to the Ilonggo revolucionarios of the Federal Republic of the Visayas since they did not want to recognize the supremacy of Aguinaldo and the Tagalogs. By the end of November the revolucionarios had taken over Jaro and La Paz. Spanish smell defeat.
On December 10, 1898, the Treaty of Paris was signed between American Peace Commission and the Spanish Diplomats who was been in Paris, France since October 1 for discussion. The Spanish-American War have ended then. Spain ceded the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico (Cuba was granted its independence); in return the US paid Spain the sum of US$20 million for the Philippines.
A historian Leon Wolff said "it was . . . a gift. Spain accepted it. Quite irrelevantly she handed us the Philippines. No question of honor or conquest was involved. The Filipino people had nothing to say about it, although their rebellion was thrown in (so to speak) free of charge."
La Independencia (Independence), a newspaper published in Manila by a revolutionary, General Antonio Luna, stated that "people are not to be bought and sold like horses and houses. If the aim has been to abolish the traffic in Negroes because it meant the sale of persons, why is there still maintained the sale of countries with inhabitants?"
Tension and ill feelings were growing in Manila and Iloilo .The treaty is confirmation in the U.S. Senate, which required a two-thirds majority vote. When the U.S. Congress the pro-annexationist faction held a clear majority, but were one or two votes shy of the 2/3 majority requirement. Voting was scheduled for February 6, 1899. To observers the McKinley Administration did not have enough votes which placed the American retention of the Philippines in jeopardy.
Source: U.S. Library of Congress
Merchants & Bankers seeks help for protection
December 13, 1898
General Rios plan was to leave Iloilo and go to Zamboanga. Merchants and bankers mostly foreigners learning that the treaty have already been signed seek security amidst the uprising Ilonggos by asking help from American soldiers in Manila for protection through a petition in December 13, 1898. General Otis forwarded the message to the Secretary of War in United States to approve Admiral Dewey war vessel convoy troops to Iloilo. After 10 days, action was taken.
December 23 , 1898
General E. S. Otis's cablegram received from Washington DC, a response to request of businessmen in Iloilo
" Appreciating the great desirability of securing possession of this city , the second of the Philippines in importance ......" the President directs that you send troops to Iloilo ".
Source: Philippine Information Society, Boston, Mass., February 8, 1901.
Soon, American warships sailed toward the direction of Iloilo.
Spanish Total Defeat – Christmas Eve
December 24, 1898
Ilonggo troops in marching formation under the command of Gen. Martin Delgado of Santa Barbara entered the City of Iloilo. While the revolucionarios under Gen. Roque Lopez of Jaro, Gen. Quintin Salas of Dumangas, Gen. Teresa Magbanua (Photo Above) of Pototan, Gen. Adriano Hernandez of Dingle, Gen. Angel Corteza of Molo and others had already encircled the whole city of Iloilo.
Teresa Magbanua joined her two brothers in the revolutionary movement under General Emilio Aguinaldo’s army.
Troops march into vicinity Ciudad de Iloilo
A large contingent of bolomen after defeating the Spanish garrison in Molo and then paraded through Calle Real. On the way, people were shouting, "Viva la libertad!", "Viva Filipinas!"
Christmas day of 1898- Victorious Ilongo
1898- December 25 - the revolucionarios staged a victory
parade from across what is now Forbes Bridge down what is now Bonifacio Drive. They stopped in front of the old capitol or the Casa Real where they hauled down the Spanish flag and raised the Filipino flag up the flagpole standing at what is now the Arroyo
Fountain. After the flag raising the parade went on down Calle Real to Plaza Alfonso XII where they again raised the Philippine flag in front of the Ayuntamiento of Iloilo. Plaza Alfonso XII is now Plaza Libertad Don Diego de los Ríos learning that the Queen is already aware that the Treaty of Paris was signed on December 10, he opened up negotiations. The Spaniards, through Mayor Vicente Gay and Governor Jose Maria Romero surrendered Iloilo City to the Ilongo troops. The surrender pact was witnessed by Ramon Avanceña, Jovito Yusay, Francisco de Leon, and Juan de Leon, Brig. General and Military Provincial Governor Ricardo Monet, together with Lt. Col. Agustín Solís.
The Ilonggos reorganized the local government of Iloilo City and Juan de Leon was chosen the local president or city mayor Raymundo Melliza was named local president of Molo.
New Problem is coming ahead
Americans and their ferocious weapons.
A new nation was born in Iloilo and in Negros Occidental both led by Ilonggo affluent families in support of many others unsung Ilonggo heroes.
Yet a new problem is coming. A more powerful than Spain is coming ahead with their ships and heavily armed infantry that can annihilate effectively against the crude weapon of Martin Delgado and his troops .
Photo Source: The San Francisco Call, 25 January 1899
American Question " To colonize or not to colonize"
How American view Filipinos in early 1900's
Many Americans did not even know where the Philippines is located including President McKinley but all-American notion is that the Philippines is composed of "primitive savages" and needs to be educated and civilized. American society have long arguments about extending territory to South Pacific. The politician Carl Schurz warned the expense of maintaining an American Empire outweighs its benefits. Mark Twain have similar view saying " Shall we go conferring our civilization upon the people that sit in darkness or shall we give those poor things a rest? ( To the person sitting in darkness). William Bryan " It is not necessary to own people to trade with them".
Top 3 Reasons why Americans proceed to colonize Philippines
1. Trade Relation
William McKinley favored imperialism policy with great achievement on US exports. Among Great Britain, Cuba, China and the Philippines, Philippines saw the dramatic export so far a thriving market and strong economic purchasing power. Obviously, Philippines is 2nd in Asian economy.
US Exports 1895 1900
Philippines 98 Million 195 Million
Cuba 8 Million 13 Million
China 5 Million 10 Million
2. The Filipinos were weren't ready to govern themselves which is prelude to disaster.
3. If the United States will not take control of the islands, another power (such as Germany or Japan) seemed likely would annex the country. In particular, the US was afraid Germany might invade especially after the German fleet's ominous attempts to intimidate Dewey.
Americans Proceeded to Iloilo
Americans have set eye on Iloilo, their plan is to prevent Iloilo to turn into a troublesome in coming years that is why it needs to be pacified once and for all. Moreover, Iloilo being the second in shipping industry in Philippines as being circulated in newspapers in America advantageous to America's demand for sugar.
No comments:
Post a Comment