The Katipunan; or, The Rise and Fall of the Filipino Commune. Francis St. Clair

Council Dapitan4 presided over by Francisco Carreón, and the sections Silang̃anan and Alapaap, by Juan de la Cruz and R. Concha.

      “In Binondo the popular Council Ilog Pasig by Faustino Mañalac.

      “In Concepción and Dilao (Paco) the popular Council Mahiganti, presided over by Rafael Gutiérrez, and the sections Panday and Ilog with a delegation in Ermita.

      “But why continue? It would not be exaggerating to assert that the fourth of the native population pertained to the Katipunan, and the task of consigning more names would be useless, as nothing new would be discovered.

“Astounding is the number of the initiated; in Manila and its province alone they exceed 14,000, and in the provinces of Cavite, Batangas, Laguna and Nueva Ecija there are no less than 20,000. Adding to this number those of the remainder of Luzon, the total will ascend to an enormous mass of “illusioned” who bowed in obedience to an inquisitous schemer. It must be recognized, however, that Bonifacio is not a common man; of active character, energetic and bold, gifted with a facility of expression in his language which suggested itself to his countrymen; of a criterion clear but badly cultivated by the reading of books of an elevated style and a pernicious character5 and possessed of an unfathomable ambition—such was the warehouse porter who had charge of the store house of the foreign commercial house of Fressel and Co. in Calle Nueva, Binondo6.

      “His proclamations, pamphlets, and circulars although not a model of literature were possessed of a certain amount of culture.

      “In Calle Clavel, in the dwelling house of Alejandro Santiago, the Katipunan possessed a secret printing establishment, in which were prepared many most injurious and insulting publications. There also was edited and published the paper Kalayaan (Liberty) (93) which only twice saw the light and which was supposed to have been printed in Yokohama, (it bearing the name of that town as the place of publication) and was published over the signature of Marcelo H. del Pilar. This was all false, all studied out for the purpose of throwing dust in the eyes of the local authorities. The paper was edited by Bonifacio, his brother-in-law Teodoro Plata and the secretary of the Supreme Council, Emilio Jacinto, a young student of law, of no scanty intelligence.

      “On the 19th of August last (1896) the conspiracy was denounced and a great number of imprisonments were made by this Corps. Bonifacio and those more closely connected with him in his schemes, fled aghast to the neighboring pueblo of Caloocan and there remained hidden in the house of the Capitan Municipal (a native) and in that of the Capitán Pasado (also a native) Adriano de J, father-in-law to Andrés Bonifacio. On the 23rd Bonifacio set out for the barrio of Balintauac, followed by some 200 inhabitants of Caloocan; on the 24th they were combatted by the Civil Guard in the fields of the said pueblo and fled to their former hiding place.

      “The Supreme Council convoked a large assembly to be held on the following day in the said barrio, to which gathered more than 500 members; there a discussion took place concerning the steps which would have to be taken in view of the failure of the conspiracy, and of the imprisonments which were being made. Some, feeling repentant, desired to return to a legal status, submitting to the Spanish authority but the president Bonifacio protested, proposing immediate rebellion. Both propositions were put to the vote, and as a result, that of the president gained by an immense majority; so much for the prestige of Andrés Bonifacio! (94).

“The orders were circulated with rapidity throughout Manila, Cavite, Nueva Ecija and other provinces, commanding that armed rebellion should commence at day-break of Sunday the 30th. The day and hour assigned finally arrived, and the whole province of Manila broke out; the rebels committing a thousand and one abuses and crimes upon as many Europeans and loyal natives as were encountered. Like wild beasts they attacked the waterworks and the powder station situated at San Juan del Monte from whence they were valiantly driven back by a section of artillery and another of the 70th regiment. Simultaneously they attempted to invade the suburb of Sampaloc by way of Santa Mesa and there also they were combatted and dispersed by 60 Veteran Guards who prevented, by their defence, a day of mourning for the city of Manila. All Cavite, except the capital, arose in insurrection on the afternoon of the 31st., assassinating and disarming the whole of the Civil Guard of the province, after an heroic defence on the part of the latter. They assaulted the convents and estates of the Religious Orders and murdered the defenseless ministers of the Lord (95). On the 3rd of September the capital of Nueva Ecija was attacked by large masses of rebels, and the colony7 and the Civil Guard heroically resisted until the arrival, from Manila, of a column which combatted the enemy and saved that handful of Spaniards from a certain death. But why continue to relate events so well known to all8.

Denouncement of the Conspiracy and its Discoverer.

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      “Teodoro Patiño. A name which all Spaniards should pronounce with pleasure, because, by his repentance, inspired by divine Providence (96), Spain was saved from an unending series of bitter experiences.

      “Patiño, a workman in the printing establishment of the Diario de Manila, pertained to the Katipunan of Tondo, as did also the majority of the compositors and book binders of the said establishment.

      “Repentant and fearful of the increase of the association, and of the criminal projects it pursued, he decided to denounce it to his sister, a student of the College of Looban, directed by the learned and virtuous Sisters of Mercy (97). His sister made known the denunciation to her Superior who called Patiño into her presence; and realizing the gravity which surrounded the matter, sent him to the Rev. P. Mariano Gil, parish priest of Tondo (98), a suburb of Manila; to this Rev. Father, Patiño repeated all that he had manifested, and all that he could know, he being only a simple initiated member. He affirmed that in the printing establishment of the Diario receipts and proclamations were printed, and daggers were secretly made for the Katipunan, and he offered, moreover, to make known where the lithographic stones used for the printing were hidden.

      “Srs. Grund and Cortés, lieutenants of the sub-division of the Veterana of that district, were called to the convent by P. Gil, who expounded to them all that had occurred. These officers made known the facts to their chiefs, and constituted themselves into a “cuartelillo”. That same night there fell into the power of P. Gil the lithographic stones, some receipts and printed regulations of the Katipunan: objects which were placed at the disposition of this Corps. In the “cuartelillo” Patiño was minutely examined, and immediate proceedings were commenced for the arrest of 22 oath bound katipuneros, whose houses were also searched. In this search an abundance of documents and effects which justified the denunciation were encountered. From that time no stone was left unturned by the officers and guards of this Corps, who for 15 days worked unceasingly and untiringly that their labor might be crowned with the greatest success.

      “More than 500 prisoners of importance, among those who were convicted and among those who confessed, were handed over to the Courts of Justice together with all the documents, books, pamphlets, seals, attributes and the archives of the Supreme Council. The back of the vast conspiracy was broken; some of the guilty have already expiated their crimes (99), many have suffered deportation, (100) whilst no few still remain in prison awaiting the decision of human justice.

      “If with our aid we have contributed to the salvation of this portion of Spanish territory, what better recompense and reward for this Section of the Guardia Civil Veterana?

      “Manila, 28th October 1896—Olegario Diaz—Signed—The document bears a seal which reads: Sección de Guardia Civil Veterana.—Manila.

      Here ends the document which forms the