The majority of the said convention agreed to establish a government, but I explained to them that this could not

be done because the representatives of the other towns did not arrive, a condition that was agreed upon in the
Imus Assembly but which was disregarded by the majority because of the dire conditions of the towns; and the
Imus Assembly lacks proof because there were no documents. Nevertheless, the ones who were present promised
that whatever decision was made, the majority will abide by the decision in the assembly and that is what I will
respect. When the elections were held, elected President of the Republic was Don Emilio Aguinaldo; Vice
President, Don Mariano Trias; Auditor General, Don Artemio Ricarte; Director of War, Don Emiliano R. de Dios. The
elections were held through the expressions of those who were present (viva voce) because it was already
nighttime. I was elected Director of the Interior through the same expressions of those present and among the
midst of those who were elected: however, after the decision was made and the election for the Director de
Hacienda was about to start, Don Daniel Tirona stood up and said that there is a cry being raised that Don Jose del
Rosario be chosen Director of the Interior because there is a need that this position should be filled by someone
educated. He announced this after saying that he did not state this with the intention of insulting me. I answered
back that good and educated men are needed for all the positions; I asked him to point out to me who among the
elected ones are already well-versed in their positions but instead, he began to shout: “Let us agree that Jose del
Rosario, a lawyer, be chosen Director of the Interior!” No one responded to his call which he did four times
whereas a few responded by calling out my name. Because of the tumult that occurred, the President of the
Magdiwang announced that this was not an assembly of gentlemen because everything that they did had no
evidence. Also, I discovered that even before the elections were made, some of those who are from Imus had
secretly spread the word that it was not good for them to be under the leadership of someone from another
province. It was for this reason that Captain Emilio Aguinaldo was elected President. When I heard about this, I
told them that this assembly was the idea of those with evil intentions as this was the only thing that they wanted
and that they deceived the people. I even added that if they wished I will point out one by one those who intended
to this if they wanted to. The assembly answered that it was not necessary. I also told them that if the wishes of
the assembly are not to be followed, I will not recognize those who were elected and if I will not recognize them
then my men will also not recognize them. Even General Ricarte—the one elected General—also stated that their
assembly was the result of bad intentions....

Document
Author’s Background  Known For: Leader of the Philippine Revolution
 Also Known As: Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro
 Born: November 30, 1863 in Manila, Philippines
 Parents: Santiago Bonifacio and Catalina de Castro
 Died: May 10, 1897 in Maragondon, Philippines
 Spouse(s): Monica of Palomar (m. 1880-1890),
Gregoria de Jesús (m. 1893-1897)
 Children: Andres de Jesús Bonifacio, Jr.
 In 1892, Bonifacio joined Jose
Rizal's organization La Liga Filipina, which called
for reform of the Spanish colonial regime in the
Philippines.
 After Rizal’s deportation to Mindanao Bonifacio
and other men established the KKK

When was this written This account by Andres Bonifacio is from a letter he
wrote to Emilio Jacinto in Montalban from Indang,
Cavite on April 24, 1897, a month after the Tejeros
Elections. This would be the first time the other
members of the Supreme Council would hear of the
events that happened in Cavite. This was first
published in Jose P. Santos, Si Andres Bonifacio at ang
 Himagsikan (1932).
Sequence of events ( not really according to the Aguinaldo's faction in Cavite was in competition with a
account ) second rebel group headed by an uncle of Bonifacio's
wife Gregoria de Jesus. As a more successful military
leader and a member of a much wealthier, more
influential family, Emilio Aguinaldo felt justified in
forming his own rebel government in opposition to
Bonifacio's. On March 22, 1897, Aguinaldo rigged an
election at the rebels' Tejeros Convention to show
that he was the proper president of the revolutionary
government.

To Bonifacio's shame, he not only lost the presidency

to Aguinaldo but was appointed to the lowly post of
secretary of the interior. When Daniel Tirona
questioned his fitness even for that job based on
Bonifacio's lack of university education, the humiliated
former president pulled out a gun and would have
killed Tirona if a bystander had not stopped him

After Emilio Aguinaldo "won" the rigged election at

Tejeros, Bonifacio refused to recognize the new rebel
government. Aguinaldo sent a group to arrest
Bonifacio; the opposition leader did not realize that
they were there with ill intent, and allowed them into
his camp. They shot down his brother Ciriaco,
seriously beat his brother Procopio, and according to
some reports also raped his young wife Gregoria.
Aguinaldo had Bonifacio and Procopio tried
for treason and sedition. After a one-day sham trial, in
which the defense lawyer averred their guilt rather
than defending them, both Bonifacios were convicted
and sentenced to death.

Aguinaldo commuted the death sentence on May 8

but then reinstated it. On May 10, 1897, both
Procopio and Bonifacio were likely shot dead by a
firing squad on Nagpatong Mountain. Some accounts
say that Bonifacio was too weak to stand, due to
untreated battle wounds, and was actually hacked to
death in his stretcher instead. He was just 34 years
old.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Accounts The account showed us the event that took place
during the “rigged” Tejeros Election showing that
there are Filipinos that show “ill intent” that would do
just about anything for power and authority.
 It was the point of view of Bonifacio.
Author’s bias It was not a detailed narrative and is only a part of the
letter that Bonifacio sent to Jacinto.
Contribution of the document to the grand narrative This piece would give us the idea of the turmoil that
of Philippine History happened during those time, although it is not a
detailed account but it would still boggle our mind.

As the first self-declared president of the independent

Philippines, as well as the first leader of the Philippine
Revolution, Bonifacio is a crucial figure in Filipino
history. However, his exact legacy is the subject of
dispute among Filipino scholars and citizens.
Jose Rizal is the most widely recognized "national hero
of the Philippines," although he advocated a more
pacifist approach to reforming Spanish colonial rule.
Aguinaldo is generally cited as the first president of
the Philippines, even though Bonifacio took on that
title before Aguinaldo did. Some historians feel that
Bonifacio has gotten short shrift and should be set
beside Rizal on the national pedestal.
Bonifacio has been honored with a national holiday on
his birthday, however, just like Rizal. November 30 is
Bonifacio Day in the Philippines.