On March 20, 1998, the Gancayco

The Controversy of Commission submitted its findings to Dr.

Samuel K. Tan, chair and executive director
the Site of the First of NHI. The finding reaffirmed Limasawa as
the site of the first mass. However, the
Mass in the debate rages on until now
Philippines It's Masao, not Limasawa!
The historic First Catholic Mass in the
The account of Antonio Pigafetta, the
Philippines held on March 31, 1521 at the
chronicler of the expedition of Magellan,
Island of Limasawa became a subject of
was the undisputed primary source of this
controversy. In 1872, a monument was
great historical event. However, under
erected by the people of Butuan, to be the
various readings and interpretations, there
site of the first mass. Collectively, they even
came one history, several controversies.
asked the Philippine Historical Committee of
Here is the claim of historian Gregorio
the Philippines to rehabilitate the monument
Zaide, who is a pro-Limasawa before, but
or place a marker on the site. It is obvious
changed his mind later. He, together with
that they did all these things without the
her daughter, Sonia Zaide presented the
approval of the PHI because the
following arguments in favor of Masao (in
government is inclined that the site is in
Butuan):
Limasawa Island, which is part of Leyte.
Since Republic Act No. 2733 had lapsed • First, in all primary sources including the
into law on June 19, 1960, as then- diary of Antonio Pigafetta, the chronicler
President Carlos P. Garcia refused to sign of Magellan's voyage, the name of the
nor veto the bill, numerous attempts were place was Mazzava. "Limasawa" has
made to contest the findings and decision of four syllables and begins with another
the National Historical Institute of the letter "L", not "M."
Philippines (now National Historical • Second, according to primary records,
Commission of the Philippines or NHCP). the expedition traveled 20 to 25 leagues
from Homonhon, the first landing point.
In 1995, then Congresswoman Charito If they had been to Limasawa Island, the
Plaza of Agusan del Norte-Butuan City filed distance is only 14.6 leagues or one-half
a bill in Congress contesting the Limasawa of that length.
hypothesis and asserting the "site of the first • Third, the distance to Cebu from
mass" was in Masao, a part of Butuan. Mazaua according to Pigafetta, was 35
Citing "historical" pieces of evidence, this leagues [140 miles]. The distance from
move triggered a series of debates among Limasawa to Cebu is only 80 miles.
historians, educators, students, and • Fourth, it was mentioned that the "king"
laypeople. The Philippine Congress referred came to their ship in a "balanghai"
the matter to the National Historical Institute (balangay). Butuan is now the site of at
for it to study the issue and recommend a least nine excavated balanghai relics; by
historical finding. contrast, Limasawa has no significant
archeological relics or balanghai
In May 1996, the Gancayco Commission,
tradition.
composed of Retired Supreme Court
• Fifth, the Western explorers got excited
Justice Emilio A. Gancayco as chair, and
at the abundance of gold in Mazaua, for
Atty. Bartolome C. Fernandez, and Dr.
that was the main currency at that time.
Maria Luisa T. Camagay as members, were
Both archeological relics and the gold
tasked "to resolve a very sensitive historical
mines today attested to the abundance
issue facing our country and our people."
of gold in (Butuan) Agusan Valley.
It is indeed Limasawa! The Gancayco Commission
Historian and Sociologist Jaime De Veyra, Findings
countered that the first mass was indeed
The commission concluded that the First
celebrated in Limasawa Island and not in
Mass was held in Limasawa after it found
Butuan, which is not an island. Priest and
out that:
historian Pablo Pastells, stating by the
footnote to Francisco Collin's "Labor
Evangelica" that Pigafetta's account never 1. the most complete and reliable account
mentioned Magellan went to Butuan, but of the Magellan expedition into the
Philippine shore in 1521 is that of
from Limasawa, he went to Zzubu Cebu).
Antonio Pigafetta which is deemed as
Historian and translator James Robertson the only credible primary source of
agreed with Pastells in a footnote that reports on the celebration of the first
“Mazaua” was actually Christian Mass on Philippine soil.
Limasawa. Francisco Albo (pilot of 2. James Robertson's English Translation
Magellan’s flagship Trinidad) does not of the original Italian manuscript of
mention the first mass but he writes that Pigafetta's account is most reliable for
they erected a cross on a mountain that being "faithful" to the original text as
overlooked three islands the west and the duly certified by the University of the
southwest. Philippines' Department of European
Languages.
The argument in favor of Limasawa is 3. Pigafetta's Mazzava, the site of the first
summarized as follows: Christian mass held on Philippine soil, is
an island lying off the southwestern tip
• In the authentic account of Pigafetta, the of Leyte, while Masao in Butuan is not
port was not in Butuan but an island an island but a barangay of Butuan City
named Mazzaua (Masawa). located in a delta of the Agusan River
• Father Miguel Bernad, S.J. of along the coast of Northern Mindanao.
Ateneo studied all the Pigafetta’s maps, The location and position of Mazzava,
which place in Mazzaua off the as plotted by Pigafetta, matches that of
southern tip of the larger island of Limasawa.
Leyte., a check with the modern maps 4. The measurement of the distances
will show that this jives with Limasawa between Homonhon and Limasawa,
and not Masao or Butuan. between Limasawa and Cebu, as
• The native kings (Rajah Kulambu and computed by the pro-Limasawa group,
his brother, Rajah Siagu) frequent the matches or approximates the
island as a hunting place and not as delineations made by Pigafetta of the
their dwelling place. distances between Homonhon and
• The crew of Magellan stayed there for Mazzaua and between Mazzaua and
seven days and throughout, they did not Cebu.
transfer to any other place except going 5. Magellan's fleet took a route from
to Zzubu (Cebu) to gather provisions Homonhon to Mazzava and from
(victuals). Mazzaua to Cebu that did not at any
• Confirmatory evidence from the time touch Butuan or any other part of
succeeding Legazpi expedition further Mindanao. The docking facilities at
confirmed the site which is Limasawa Limasawa did not pose any problem for
and not Masao (in Butuan). Magellan's fleet which anchored near or
at some safe distance from the island of
the eastern shore.
To the Gancayco Commission, "History is What comes to your mind when you hear the
both a useful and fascinating subject. As words "mutiny"? How about the word
one travels through time, one is bound to "revolution"? Are they similar or different? Do
find it rich in stories. Every kind of testimony you wonder why historians are using the former
prior to the outbreak of the Philippine revolution
is drawn upon from eyewitness accounts to
and used the latter in the narration of events
statistical tables. Personal records, such as during the height of the revolution for
diaries, can certainly tell more than the Independence?
official documents."
In this topic, we will uncover another
In writing an end to the controversy, the controversial event in Philippine History. The
commission said it proceeded with utmost historic Cavite "Mutiny" of 1872. We will discover
care. It is said that the conclusion was made why the word mutiny was used by the Filipinos
to enlighten the current generation and to describe the event and the
remove all confusion about where the First word revolution was used by the Spanish
Mass was held in the Philippines. authorities to refer to the incident. Here, it is
important, as always, to put the Cavite Mutiny
event around its historical circumstances,
its context, to better understand why there is a
controversy about this event.

The Cavite Mutiny

Controversy
You have learned about the famous Cavite
Mutiny of 1872 in your basic history lessons. It
was part of the significant events that helped
awakened the "spirit of nationalism" among
the Indios, whom, the Spaniards like to call us
back in the day. The term "Filipinos" is used to
call the Spaniards who are born in the
Philippines which are also
termed "Insulares" opposite to
the "Peninsulares," who are the Spaniards
born in Spain, which is a "peninsula" in
continental Europe.

The Cavite Mutiny marker by the National Historical Institute.

Image courtesy of Ramon Velasquez at Wikimedia
Commons

The Background of the Cavite

Mutiny
Prior to the Cavite Mutiny, there had been
sporadic revolts and uprisings staged throughout
the archipelago by different personalities within
their own places. Admittedly, the Indios do not
yet have a sense of national unity and national
consciousness. What they have is a sense
of tribalism/ethnic identity. This was taken
advantage of by the Spanish authorities who
utilized the "divide and rule" strategy of
keeping the Indios divided and used them
against the other. This may prove effective in tried to petition and seek peaceful means to
preserving their rule for 333 years. settle the controversy but the friars are
determined to evict the seculars from their
However, the Indios were finally awakened. parishes.
Here are the series of events in Philippine 5. Cavite Mutiny. This mutiny staged by
history that led to the awakening of the disgruntled Filipino soldiers serving in the
Spanish army when Governor-General Rafael
nationalism of the Indios as agreed upon by the
Izquierdo, using his iron-fisted rule policy,
historians: revoked their benefit of being exempted from
paying taxes and rendering forced labor (Polo Y
1. Opening of the Philippines to World Servicios) which was part of their longstanding
Trade. The opening of the port of Manila and benefits. Headed by Sgt. Fernando La Madrid,
other ports in the country ushered the arrival of they seized Fort San Felipe in Cavite and killed
not only foreign goods and services but also some Spanish officers. The uprising was quelled
technologies, knowledge, and ideas. Nationalistic the next day but it was blown up as a full-
ideas from the West found their way to the blown revolution instigated by the secular
Philippine shores which led the Indios to look at priests. This event led to the execution of many
their situation and compare it with other more people including the priest martyrs, GomBurZa.
progressive nations in the world. 6. The Execution of GomBurZa. The Cavite
2. The Rise of Mutiny, in the report of Izquierdo to Madrid
the Ilustrado class. The principalia class of the authorities, was the start of a full-scale revolution
old gave way to the learned and educated middle meant to dislodge the Spanish colonial officials
class who are called Ilustrados and stage a separatist government headed by
or "Illustrious" because they were able to seek Jose Burgos. After a brief and controversial
education from here and abroad. They, later on, court-martial, the authorities sentenced Fr.
became professionals, priests, lawyers, and Mariano Gomez, Fr. Jose Burgos, and Fr.
members of the jury who became the core Jacinto Zamora of death by garrote as they are
of the Propaganda Movement, La Liga Filipina, found guilty of treason and sedition on February
and ultimately, The Katipunan which are all 17, 1872, at Bagumbayan (now Luneta) in front
instrumental in crystallizing the spirit of Filipino of a multitude of Indios. This event was used by
Nationalism. the Spanish colonial administration to set a
3. The Coming of Liberal Governor Carlos Ma. warning to the Indios not to commit similar acts in
De La Torre. The Spanish Civil War, as an effect the future but in truth, it became the catalyst to
of the Revolutionary tide in Europe ignited by the hasten the awakening of the flame of Filipino
French Revolution during that time against the nationalism.
abuses and excesses of the monarchy, led to
the exile of Queen Isabella and the founding of
the Liberal Spanish Republic. This led to the
appointment of Liberal Governor-General
Carlos Ma. De La Torre, who immediately
instituted reforms in the Spanish government. As Have you noticed the way words mutiny,
a result, the Indios got a taste of how it feels like
revolution were utilized by both sides? Note
in very liberal policies compared to the autocratic
rule of previous regimes. However, De La Torre's how the Spanish authorities exaggerated the
reign is short-lived due to the conspiring friars small incident and chose the word revolution to
and disgruntled colonial officials who wanted to justify their bloody actions. How about the Indios'
retain their stopped-privileges by fabricating use of mutiny, which is a minor skirmish
controversies incriminating De La Torre until he compared to that of a revolution? Do you
was recalled back to Spain. understand now why our Philippine history
4. The Secularization Controversy. This event is books maintain that what happened in Cavite is
a direct catalyst to the next two where but only a mutiny?
the regular priest, Spanish friars who are
members of the religious orders such as After learning about the two sides of the
Augustinians, Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits,
controversy, it's now time for you to come up
and Recollects, wanted to take over the parishes
who are under the care of the secular with your views on this incident.
priests, who are composed of Indios who
became priests after studying theology. The
move by the regular priests threatened the
secular priests and as a result, they sought to air
grievances. They are lead by Fr. Emmanuel
Pelaez and his protege, Fr. Jose Burgos. They
 plain unadorned fact of
Welcome to this module on another controversy history." Guzmán attributes the denial of
that persists until now, the so-called "retraction" retraction to "the blatant disbelief and
of Rizal. Academics and laypeople are bitterly stubbornness" of some Masons.
divided on this issue and both sides are not
giving up primarily due to the fact that their belief Reasons for Retraction
or disagreement may drastically affect their
views on how they see Rizal as a hero. So, Why would Jose Rizal write the retraction
without much ado, let's begin. documents? What possible reasons could have
pushed Jose Rizal to write his retraction
The Controversy of document, assuming that he truly wrote the said
document? The following four reasons would
Rizal's Retraction have been worthy of his character and mentality.

For decades, the authenticity of Jose Rizal’s 1. To save his family and town from further
retraction documents has raised issues, persecution. Rizal may have been told that he
skepticism, and heated debates among those faced the dilemma of signing the retraction or of
who seek to know the truth regarding this having his relatives pursued by further
persecutions. Since he hoped his death would
controversy. However, the lack of evidence and stop the persecution of his relatives, the
different statements by significant people retraction may have seemed to him to be the only
involved have only contributed to the way of achieving that purpose.
complications and uncertainty which envelope 2. To give Josephine a legal status as his wife.
this fiery argument. Rizal, even though he for a time suspected
Josephine as a spy, seems to have become
convinced that she now loved him, and he may
have desired to give her legal status in the eyes
"I retract with all my heart whatever in my of the church, and so provide for her future.
words, writings, publications and conduct 3. To secure reforms from the Spanish
have been contrary to my character as a son government.
of the Catholic Church." This was the 4. To help the church cut away from the disease
statement in the document which made the which harmed her. Rizal did not desire to injure
the Roman Catholic Church but to remove the
historians believed that Rizal had retracted.
cancer which ruined both church and state in the
However, there have been claims that the Philippines -- friar control of land and domination
document, as compared to the original file which by the government. He was also struggling for
was discovered by Fr. Manuel Garcia, an the freedom of thought and of conscience to the
archdiocesan archivist in 1935, was a forgery. individual. He may have felt that much of his
Regardless of these claims, there are several propaganda had produced the insurrection, and
people who believe that the retraction have repented of that. His letter to Paciano,
documents are authentic. These people include written the night before his execution, supports
eleven eyewitnesses who were present when that theory. It also had been suggested that Rizal
may have written the word "Catholic" in the broad
Rizal wrote his retraction, signed a Catholic
sense of the "Church Universal" as it is used by
prayer book Imitation of Christ by Thomas all branches of the Christian Church excepting
Kempis, recited Catholic prayers, and the the Roman Catholics. All churches repeat, "I
multitude who saw him kiss the crucifix before believe in the Holy Catholic Church," in this broad
his execution. Fr. Marciano Guzman, a great- sense.
grandnephew of Rizal, cites that Rizal's 4
confessions were certified by 5 eyewitnesses, 10
qualified witnesses, 7 newspapers, and 12
historians and writers including Aglipayan The alleged Retraction of Jose Rizal. Image courtesy
bishops, Masons, and anti-clericals. of Jesus Cavanna, Rizal’s Unfading Glory: A Documentary
History of the Conversion of Dr. José Rizal (Manila: 1983)
Because of what he sees as the strength these
direct pieces of evidence have in the light of the
historical method, in contrast with merely
circumstantial evidence, UP professor emeritus
of history Nicolas Zafra called the retraction "a
 5. His “Roman Catholic Marriage” to Josephine
Major Arguments for the Bracken as attested to by “witnesses.” There
Retraction could be no marriage without a retraction.

The argument between the original document

and the released retraction documents brought Major Arguments Against the
more controversy because this differs Retraction
significantly from the text found in the
possession of the Jesuits. Which is really On the other side are those who reject the
the “original”? Some of the significant retraction and the way Rizal's retraction is
differences between the copies of the established. Here are their major arguments:
Archbishop and the Jesuits are the following:
1. The Retraction Document is said to be
1. the Jesuits’ copies have “mi calidad” instead of a forgery. There are four points against the
“mi cualidad” from the Archbishop’s copies, retraction document itself, these are:
2. the word “Catolica” was omitted after the o First of all, there is the matter of
first “Iglesias" in the Jesuits’ copies, the handwriting. To date, the only scientific
3. the word “misma” was added before the third study criticizing the authenticity of the
“Iglesias” in the Jesuit’s copies, document was made by Dr. Ricardo R.
4. the second paragraph from the archbishop’s Pascual of the University of the Philippines
copies started with the second sentence, shortly after the document was found.
however, from the Jesuits’ copies it started until Having some of Rizal’s writings dating from
the fifth sentences, the last half of December 1896 as his
5. the Jesuits’ copies had 11 commas, the other “standard”, he notes a number of variations
had 4 only, and with the handwriting of the document, he
6. the Jesuits’ copies did not have the names of the further concluded that it was a “one-man
witnesses. document” because of the similarities in
several respects between the body of the
Retraction and the writing of all three
These arguments are further discussed by Dr. signatories: Rizal and the two
Eugene A. Hessel in his lecture given at Siliman witnesses. The only scholarly answer and
University, summarizes the major points of criticism to Pascual is that given by Dr. José
argument for the Retraction of Rizal as follows: I. Del Rosario. Rosario’s main criticism may
be said to be that Pascual does not include
1. The Retraction Document discovered in 1935 is enough of Rizal’s writings by way of
considered the chief witness to the reality of the comparison and concluded that the hand-
retraction. writing is genuine.
2. The testimony of the press at the time of the o Secondly, the argument directed against
event, of “eye-witnesses,” and other “qualified the authenticity of the document itself is
witnesses,” i.e. those closely associated with the based on the principles of textual criticism.
events such as the head of the Jesuit order, the Several critics have noted
archbishop, etc., differences between the text of the
3. “Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity” reportedly document found in 1935 and other versions
recited and signed by Dr. Rizal as attested by of the Retraction including the one issued by
“witnesses” and a signed Prayer Book which Father Vicente Balaguer. To date, from the
were amongst the documents discovered by morning of December 30, 1896, there have
Father Garcia along with the Retraction: been, discounting numerous minor
o If true, Rizal would not only accept the variations, two distinct forms of the text with
general Roman Catholic teachings but would significant differences with regards to the
agree to a number of beliefs that he had use of certain phrases within the document.
previously disclaimed. The usual explanation of these differences is
o According to the testimony of Father Vicente that either Father Balaguer or his Jesuit
Balaguer, following the signing of the superior Father Pio Pi made errors in
Retraction a prayer book was offered to preparing a copy of the original and these
Rizal: “He took the prayer book, read slowly have been transmitted from this earliest
those acts, accepted them, and took the pen copy to others. Some have wondered if the
and sad ‘Credo’ (I believe) he signed the Retraction Document was fabricated from
acts with his name in the book itself.” the “wrong” version of a retraction statement
4. Acts of Piety performed by Rizal during his last issued by the religious authorities.
hours as testified to by “witnesses,” o A third argument applies to the Retraction
itself is that its content is in part strangely
 worded, e.g. in the Catholic Religion “I wish prove to his enemies that we Filipinos deserve
to live and die,” yet there was little time to better than what they did to the nation, so, why
live, and also Rizal’s claim that his retraction spoil it with a retraction? or, perhaps it may be
was “spontaneous: true that he retracted and reverted to his faith,
o Finally, there is the “confession” of “the
forger.” Antonio K. Abad tells how on
but this does not diminish Rizal’s stature as a
August 13, 1901 at a party at his ancestral great hero with such greatness.
home in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija a
certain Roman Roque told how he was
employed by the Friars earlier that same
year to make several copies of a retraction
document.
2. The second main line of argument against the
Now, after, knowing the two contending sides on
Retraction is the claim that other acts and facts Rizal's retraction, what is your stand?
do not fit well with the story of the Retraction.
Those most often referred to by writers as
follows:
o The document of Retraction was not made
public until 1935. Even members of the
family did not see it. It was said to be “lost.”
o There was no effort was made to save Rizal
from the death penalty even after his
signing of the Retraction.
▪ The usual rebuttal is that Rizal’s death
was due to political factors and with
this, the religious authorities could not
interfere.
o Rizal’s burial was kept secret; he was buried
outside the inner wall of the Paco
Cemetery; and the record of his burial was
not placed on the page for entries of
December 30, 1986.
o There is no marriage certificate or public
record of the marriage of Rizal with
Josephine Bracken.
o Rizal’s behavior as a whole during his last
days at Fort Santiago and during the last 24
hours, in particular, does not point to
conversion.
3. The third chief line of argument against the
Retraction is that it is out of character.
o Senator Rafael Palma, a former President
of the University of the Philippines and a
prominent Mason, also argued that if Rizal
retracted, it would have been a very drastic
change of character in Rizal which is very
hard to believe knowing how mature and
strong in his beliefs Rizal was.
o He called the retraction story a "pious fraud.”

Where do we go from here?

Now, whether or not Jose Rizal retracted, those
who believe that the retraction indeed happened
maintained it was more of Rizal taking an act of
moral courage to recognize his mistakes. Those
who don't subscribe to the retraction maintain
the steadfastness of Rizal's resolve to die for his
country and countrymen. They see that Rizal's
last hours may be the greatest hour of his life to
This very significant event in Philippine history is Person Place Date
also a source of controversy and conflicting
views. This is perhaps attributed to the fact that Lt. Olegario Diaz August
Balintawak
the historic the event was, the more scholarship (Spanish Army) 25, 1896
undertaking are conducted to unearth possible
sources to study the veracity of such event. As Teodoro Kalaw Kangkong, Last week
students of Philippine history, it is a must that we (historian) Balintawak of August
should take this by heart. So, here we go!
Santiago Alvarez Bahay Toro, August
(Katipunero) Quezon City 24, 1896
The Cry of Pugadlawin
Pio Valenzuela August
In our history, the Cry of Pugad Lawin, was the Pugad Lawin
(Katipunero) 23, 1896
beginning of the Philippine Revolution against
the Spanish Empire. At the close of August
Gregorio Zaide August
1896, members of the Katipunan secret society Balintawak
(Historian) 26, 1896
(Katipuneros) led by Andrés Bonifacio rose up
in revolt somewhere in an area referred to
Teodoro Agoncillo -
as Caloocan, wider than the jurisdiction of according to
present-day Caloocan City which may have August
statements of Pio Pugad Lawin
overlapped into present-day Quezon City. 23, 1896
Valenzuela
(Historian)
The Cry is commemorated as National Heroes'
Day, a public holiday observed and celebrated in
Milagros Guerrero,
the Philippines. The first annual commemoration
Emmanuel Tandang Sora's
of the Cry occurred in Balintawak in 1908 after
Encarnacion, barn in Gulod, August
the American colonial government repealed the
Ramon Villegas Barangay Banlat, 24, 1896
Sedition Law. In 1911 a monument to the Cry (a (Historian- Quezon City
lone Katipunero popularly identified with researchers)
Bonifacio) was erected at Balintawak; it was
later transferred to Vinzons Hall in the University
of the Philippines-Diliman, Quezon City. Here is the summary of some different claims:
In 1984, the National Historical Institute of the
Philippines installed a commemorative Claim of Guillermo Masangkay
plaque in Pugad Lawin.
On August 26th, a big meeting was held in
Balintawak, at the house of Apolonio Samson,
The commemorative marker of the Cry of Pugad Lawin by then cabeza of that barrio of Caloocan. Among
the National Historical Institute (now National Historical those who attended, I remember, were
Commission of the Philippines). Image courtesy of NHCP Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Aguedo del Rosario,
website. Tomas Remigio, Briccio Pantas, Teodoro Plata,
Pio Valenzuela, Enrique Pacheco, and
Cry of Pugad Lawin or Francisco Carreon. They were all leaders of the
Katipunan and composed the board of directors
Balintawak? of the organization. Delegates from
Bulacan, Cabanatuan, Cavite, and Morong were
Because of competing accounts and ambiguity also present.
of the place where this event took place, the
exact date and place of the Cry is in contention. At about nine o'clock in the morning of August
From 1908 until 1963, the official stance was 26, the meeting was opened with Andres
that the cry occurred on August 26 in Bonifacio presiding and Emilio Jacinto acting as
Balintawak. In 1963, the Philippine government secretary. The purpose was to discuss when the
declared a shift to August 23 in Pugad Lawin, uprising was to take place. Teodoro Plata,
Quezon City. Here are some of the prominent Briccio Pantas, and Pio Valenzuela were all
view in conflict: opposed to starting the revolution too
early...Andres Bonifacio, sensing that he would
lose the discussion then, left the session hall
and talked to the people, who were waiting against the Spanish government should be
outside for the result of the meeting of the started on August 29, 1896... After the
leaders. He told the people that the leaders were tumultuous meeting, many of those present tore
arguing against starting the revolution early, and their cedula certificates and shouted "Long live
appealed to them in a fiery speech in which he the Philippines! Long live the Philippines!"
said:"You remember the fate of our countrymen
who were shot in Bagumbayan. Should we Claim of Santiago Alvarez
return now to the towns, the Spaniards will only
shoot us. Our organization has been discovered We started our trek to Kangkong at about eleven
and we are all marked men. If we don't start the that night. We walked through the rain over dark
uprising, the Spaniards will get us anyway. What expanses of muddy meadows and fields. Our
then, do you say?" clothes drenched and our bodies numbed by the
cold wind, we plodded wordlessly. It was nearly
"Revolt!" the people shouted as one. two in the morning when we reached the house
of Brother Apolonio Samson in Kangkong. We
Bonifacio then asked the people to give a pledge crowded into the house to rest and warm
that they were to revolt. He told them that the ourselves. We were so tired that, after hanging
sign of slavery of the Filipinos were (sic) the our clothes out to dry, we soon feel asleep. The
cedula tax charged each citizen. "If it is true that Supremo began assigning guards at five o'clock
you are ready to revolt... I want to see you the following morning, Saturday 22 August 1896.
destroy your cedulas. It will be a sign that all of He placed a detachment at the Balintawak
us have declared our severance from the boundary and another at the backyard to the
Spaniards." north of the house where we were gathered. No
less than three hundred men assembled at the
Claim of Pio Valenzuela bidding of the Supremo Andres Bonifacio.
Altogether, they carried assorted weapons,
In 1935, Pio Valenzuela, along with Briccio
bolos, spears, daggers, a dozen small revolvers
Pantas and Enrique Pacheco said (in English
and a rifle used by its owner, one Lieutenant
translation) "The first Cry of the revolution did
Manuel, for hunting birds. The Supremo
not happen in Balintawak where the monument Bonifacio was restless because of fear of
is, but in a place called Pugad Lawin." In 1940, a sudden attack by the enemy. He was worried
research team of a forerunner of the National
over the thought that any of the couriers carrying
Historical Institute (NHI) which included
the letter sent by Emilio Jacinto could have been
Valenzuela, identified the location as part of sitio
intercepted; and in that eventuality, the enemy
Gulod, Banlat, Kalookan City. IN 1964, the NHI
would surely know their whereabouts and attack
described this location as the house of Tandang them on the sly. He decided that it was better to
Sora. move to a site called Bahay Toro. At ten o'clock
The first place of refuge of Andres Bonifacio, that Sunday morning, 23 August 1896 we
Emilio Jacinto, Procopio, Bonifacio, Teodoro arrived at Bahay Toro. Our member had grown
Plata, Aguedo del Rosario, and myself was to more than 500 and the house, yard, and
Balintawak, the first five arriving there on August warehouse of Cabesang Melchora was getting
19, and I on August 20, 1896. The first place crowded with us Katipuneros. The generous
where some 500 members of the Katipunan met hospitality of Cabesang Melchora was no less
on August 22, 1896, was the house and yard of than that of Apolonio Samson. Like him, she
Apolonio Samson at Kangkong. Aside from the also opened her granary and had plenty of rice
persons mentioned above, among those who pounded and animals slaughtered to feed us.
were there were Briccio Pantas, Alejandro The following day, Monday, 24 August, more
Santiago, Ramon Bernardo, Apolonio Samson, Katipuneros came and increased our number to
and others. Here, views were only exchanged, more than a thousand. The Supremo called a
and no resolution was debated or adopted. It meeting at ten o'clock that morning inside
was at Pugad Lawin, the house, store-house, Cabesang Melchora's barn. Flanking him on
and yard of Juan Ramos, son of Melchora both sides at the head of the table were Dr. Pio
Aquino, where over 1,000 members of the Valenzuela, Emilio Jacinto, Briccio Pantas,
Katipunan met and carried out considerable Enrique Pacheco, Ramon Bernardo, Pantelaon
debate and discussion on August 23, 1896. The Torres, Francisco Carreon, Vicente Fernandez,
discussion was on whether or not the revolution Teodoro Plata, and others. We were so crowded
that some stood outside the barn. The following through Agoncillo's influence, became the basis
matters were approved at the meeting: of the current stance of the Philippine
government. In 1963, President Diosdado
1. An uprising to defend the people's freedom was Macapagal ordered the official commemorations
to be started at midnight of Saturday, 29 August shifted to Pugad ng Uwak, (Pugad
1896; Lawin) Quezon City on August 23.
2. To be on a state of alert so that
the Katipunan forces could strike should the Not all accounts relate to the tearing of cédulas
situation arise where the enemy was at a in the last days of August. Of the accounts that
disadvantage. Thus, the uprising could be started do, older ones identify the place where this
earlier than the agreed time of midnight of 29 occurred as Kangkong in Balintawak/Kalookan.
August 1896 should a favorable opportunity arise
Most also give the date of the cédula-tearing as
at that date. Everyone should steel himself and
be resolute in the struggle that was imminent; August 26, in close proximity to the first
and encounter. One Katipunero, Guillermo
3. The immediate objective was the capture of Masangkay, claimed cédulas were torn more
Manila. than once – on the 24th as well as the 26th.

An alternative definition of the Cry as the "birth

After the adjournment of the meeting at twelve
of the Filipino nation-state" involves the setting
noon, there were tumultuous shouts of "Long
up of a national insurgent government through
live the Sons of the People!"
the Katipunan with Bonifacio as President in
Banlat, Pasong Tamo on August 24, 1896 –
The Biak-na-Bato Constitution after the tearing of cedulas but before the first
Claim skirmish.

Ang paghiwalay ng Filipinas sa kahariang

España sa patatag ng isang bayang may sariling
pamamahala’t kapangyarihan na pangangalang The Controversy: Cry of Pugad
“Republika ng Filipinas” ay siyang layong
inadhika niyaring Paghihimagsik na
Lawin or Balintawak?
kasalukuyan, simula pa ng ika- 24 ng Agosto ng The Cry of Rebellion in the Philippines
taong 1896… (English: The separation of the happened in August 1896. There are a lot of
Philippines from the Spanish empire by the controversies puzzling the minds of the readers
establishment of a self-governing nation called regarding the real place and date of this
the "Republic of the Philippines" has been the event. Some accounts pointing directly to
aim of the current Revolution, starting on August Balintawak are associated with 'The Cry’. Lt.
24, 1896.) Olegario Diaz of the Spanish Civil Guards wrote
in 1896 that the event happened in
Balintawak, which corroborates the accounts of
the historian Gregorio Zaide and Teodoro Kalaw.
The Cry: Actual Skirmish or On the other hand, Teodoro Agoncillo based his
Tearing of Cedulas? account from that of Pio Valenzuela that
emphasized Pugad Lawin as the place where
Other claims equate the Cry as the start of the ‘cry’ happened.
actual armed skirmish similar to other "cries" that
happened in other places such as The Cry of Here are some reasons why Pugad Lawin
Candon, in Ilocos Sur, and in other countries is not considered as the place of the ‘cry’:
such as Mexico and Cuba. For his 1956
book The Revolt of the Masses Teodoro 1. People of Balintawak initiated the revolution
Agoncillo defined "the Cry" as the tearing of against the Spaniards that is why it is not
cedulas, departing from precedent which had appropriate to call it ‘Cry of Pugad Lawin’.
then defined it as the first skirmish of the 2. The place Pugad Lawin only existed in 1935 after
revolution. His version was based on the later the rebellion happened in 1896.
3. Lastly, the term ‘Pugad Lawin’ was only made up
testimonies of Pío Valenzuela and others who
because of the hawk’s nest at the top of a tall
claimed the cry took place in Pugad Lawin tree at the backyard of Tandang Sora in Banlat,
instead of Balintawak. Valenzuela's version, Gulod, Kaloocan where it is said to be one of the
 hiding places of the revolutionary group led by
Andres Bonifacio

Now, there are at least three structures erected

by the government to commemorate this fateful
event in history. Whichever view/stand you
subscribe to may depend on whom you are
reading and the primary source you have read
and consulted.