Was Aguinaldo really hungry for power?

(This write-up is identical to the article with the same title found on pages 233-236 of the book entitled "The Filipino Tragedy and Other Historical Facts Every Filipino Should Know," published by the author.  The sources and references indicated here are contained on pages 402-415 of the book.)

President Emilio Aguinaldo is accused of being power-hungry.  His detractors are using this accusation to reinforce his alleged involvement in the death of General Antonio Luna and Supremo Andres Bonifacio as proof that he could not tolerate a potential rival. 

This accusation is baseless and has no iota of truth in it.  The fact is Aguinaldo had exhibited humility and preferred the position of being the head of the military rather than occupying the highest position in the organizations he was involved.  Here are some key events of Aguinaldo's career that relate to this issue:  

First: Aguinaldo did not seek the presidency when the Katipunan Magdalo council of the province of Cavite was established in April 1896.  His cousin, Baldomero Aguinaldo, took the position of president of the council.  Aguinaldo chose the position of "Teniente Abanderado" (Lieutenant Flag Officer), or the head of the military arm. (Corpuz, 68 and 103; Alvarez, 9; Ronquillo, 137)

Second: In December 1896, a meeting was called between the Magdalo and the Magdiwang councils to establish a revolutionary government. (Magdiwang was the other Katipunan council in Cavite, there was a third, Mapagtiis, which merged with the Magdiwang). Aguinaldo suggested that Edilberto Evangelista, the engineer who graduated from the University of Ghent in Belgium and builder of the trenches and fortifications in Magdalo-occupied towns of Cavite, run for the presidency. However, nothing was accomplished during that meeting due to the disruption occasioned by the arrival of Josephine Bracken and Rizal's siblings, Trining and Paciano. (Ronquillo, 31)

 Third: In the Tejeros convention on March 22, 1897, held at San Francisco de Malabon, Aguinaldo did not attend because, in the first place, he was not informed of the meeting, and secondly, the Spaniards were already poised to attack, and he had to prepare his men to defend their position at the battlefield in Pasong Santol, Dasmarinas.  And this is the reason why Baldomero Aguinaldo was able to send only eight delegates to the convention (Ronquillo, 29). Messengers only informed him that he won the elections as President of the newly established revolutionary government.  When told that he was supposed to go with them so he could take his oath of office, he declined, saying it was already late in coming, regretfully adding that if only the forces of Magdiwang and Magdalo were combined, which he repeatedly asked Bonifacio, the assault of the Spaniards would have been stalled.  However, he was finally convinced to take his oath of office after a second group came to fetch him, led by no less than his elder brother, Crispulo, who offered to take his (Emilio’s) place.  Unfortunately, Crispulo was killed in the battle, a realization of his promise that the enemy would only succeed after they were able to pass over his lifeless body.  (Saulo[Aguinaldo], 132; Ronquilo, 80)

Fourth: When Bonifacio refused to recognize the newly established revolutionary government and even committed acts considered treasonous, some generals recommended to Aguinaldo that Bonifacio should be executed without trial for (1) falsely accusing Aguinaldo of surrendering the revolution, (2) signing an agreement to establish another government, (3) plotting to liquidate Aguinaldo, (4) Bonifacio brothers and Ricarte evading responsibility for their crimes against the state, and (5) refusing to help the government in fighting the enemy.  However, Aguinaldo refused to follow their recommendation and told his generals that they should act with sobriety and caution because the life of a person, whoever he is, must be respected. It was improper to shoot that person to death like a wild animal. (Saulo[Aguinaldo, 147)

Fifth: Aguinaldo did not want the presidency.  The September 15, 1898 issue of the Singapore Free Press reported that Aguinaldo asked Cayetano Arellano, through an emissary, to be the President of the revolutionary government. (Singapore[disinterestedness], 11)

Sixth:  In mid-December 1898, Aguinaldo resigned as president of the First Philippine Republic, saying he was not worthy of the lofty executive office because of his limited education. His resignation was couched in the form of a request addressed to the Filipino people to give him a unique Christmas gift, and that gift was to allow him to retire and let someone else take over his position. He had this resignation printed in a pamphlet of 5,000 copies, which he asked the cabinet secretary to distribute in all towns. Apolinario Mabini secretly ordered the seizure and burning of all copies, and Felipe Buencamino implored Aguinaldo not to let anyone read it because it would cause the revolution's death. (Saulo[Aguinaldo], 285; Ronquillo, 71)

Seventh: During the Filipino-American War, while the fighting was raging, the Schurman Peace Commission offered Aguinaldo a yearly bonus of $5,000  and leadership of the Tagalogs and authority to select from his men those who would occupy minor municipal positions in exchange for the restoration of peace under American administration.  Aguinaldo rejected the offer with all the inducements and insisted upon immediate self-government. (Van Meter, 151-152)

In contrast, Bonifacio was the opposite. 

 

The following events reveal Bonifacio's inclination to gain power, keep it and impose his authority:

(1) Bonifacio maneuvered the expulsion of the first two presidents of the Katipunan - Deodato Arellano and Roman Basa.  He accused Deodato Arellano, the first president of the Katipunan, of being a coward and did not want to attend meetings and was replaced by Roman Basa. In turn, Basa was similarly expelled and replaced by Bonifacio after the former inquired about the condition of the funds of the Katipunan under the custody of Bonifacio, who was then the Fiscal or Treasurer. (St Clair, 44)

(2) As soon as he arrived in Cavite in December 1896,  he accepted the conferment by the Magdiwang Council of the title "Haring Bayan", or King, with Mariano Alvarez, as "Pangalawang Haring Bayan", or Virrey, or second in command. (Ronquillo, 140; Corpuz, 103)  Bonifacio was already Supremo of the Katipunan.  Why did he accept this new title of "Haring Bayan"?

(3) When he learned of the intention of the Magdalo Council to merge the Magdalo and Magdiwang and replace the Katipunan with a new government, Bonifacio immediately appointed a new set of officers for the merged councils of Cavite with Mariano Alvarez as president and Baldomero Aguinaldo as Vice President.  Aguinaldo was appointed Lieutenant-General reporting to the General-in-Chief, Santiago Alvarez. Aguinaldo asked if the new set of officers is the will of the people and Bonifacio replied that it is not, but it is only his own and added that being Supremo he alone has the authority and he alone must be followed. (Ronquillo, 552)

(4) A day after he lost the March 22, 1897 elections in Tejeros, he claimed the election was marred with irregularities. He used this accusation to convince the Magdiwang to sign a document called the “Acta de Tejeros” to demand that the elected officials vacate their offices (Ronquillo, 93; Richardson, 320-336). His demand was flatly rejected on the basis that the election was conducted according to “procedemiento” (proceedings) and later confirmed and validated by the delegates after Bonifacio left (Ronquillo, 66). 236 

(5) Failing in his demand, he convinced the Magdiwang and two Magdalo generals that President Aguinaldo would surrender the revolution to the Spaniards. Together, they launched a coup d’etat on April 19, 1897, to unseat President Emilio Aguinaldo, which was formalized in a document called the “Acta de Naic” (Delos Santos, 47; Richardson, 355-377; Ronquillo, 106109). Unfortunately for Bonifacio, the coup was nipped in the bud by Aguinaldo himself.) 

In the final analysis, neither of the two is the hero or the villain. Both are great heroes in their unique patriotic achievements. 

Aguinaldo took over the leadership of the revolution against Spain that was started by Bonifacio and succeeded in establishing a republic and self-government after declaring Filipino independence. He defended the first Filipino republic against American annexation and occupation which caused America to spend $400 million, deploy 75,000 troops, suffer 4,000 war casualties, and three years of fighting a brutal war that also exacted 20,000 deaths of Filipino soldiers and over 200,000 civilian casualties. Aguinaldo's undying contribution consisted of two significant legacies – the national anthem and national flag.

Bonifacio, on the other hand, while he had shown to be too protective of his position as Supremo of the Katipunan, yet he was truly a great hero, not because he led the rebellion against Spain (similar acts of rebellion were led by such men as Francisco Dagohoy, Diego Silang, Leon Kilat, etc. decades before) but rather he was instrumental in awakening the patriotism of the Filipino people using his tremendous organizing talent and mastery of grass-root literary expression. The men who went through the tutelage of Bonifacio (with the help of Emilio Jacinto) – e.g., Licerio Geronimo, Luciano San Miguel, Macario Sakay and several others - were the ones who formed the backbone of the revolution that spilled all the way through the war against the Americans. They dedicated themselves to the hope of delivering the Filipino people from foreign domination and to the aspiration to be free and independent, unmindful of the catastrophe that could befall them and their loved ones.