Events Leading to the Downfall of Andres Bonifacio

(This write-up is identical to the article with the same title found on pages 81-86 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.)

The death of Andres Bonifacio, the Supremo of the Katipunan, is a subject of controversy that has not settled down.  Emilio Aguinaldo, the elected President of the newly established revolutionary government in Cavite, is accused to this day of having eliminated Bonifacio because he was allegedly a rival in the revolution's leadership. 

This accusation reverberated during the intense political campaign of the 1930s when the camp of Manuel L. Quezon deliberately linked Aguinaldo to the killing of General Antonio Luna and Bonifacio.  The alleged bones of Bonifacio that were dug in Cavite were paraded in the streets of Manila, drawing away public sympathy from Aguinaldo and resulting in his lopsided defeat in the 1935 elections.

The events from the Tejeros elections on March 22, 1897, to the two Actas (Acta de Tejeros and Acta de Naic) and to the execution of the Bonifacio brothers on May 10, 1897, would show that Bonifacio had placed himself in a situation that his role in the revolutionary movement had become untenable.   The Acta de Tejeros was his unheeded demand for the elected officials to step down, while the Acta de Naic was a military agreement whose objective was to wrest power from the newly established revolutionary government of which Aguinaldo was the duly elected president.

Andres Bonifacio was arrested, charged with the crime of sedition, tried by a Court Martial, found guilty, and sentenced to die. President Aguinaldo commuted the sentence to banishment, but the plea of several generals of the revolution made him recall the order, leading to the execution of the two brothers. 

General Santiago “Apoy” Alvarez describes the situation of Bonifacio in Limbon where he sought sanctuary after his attempted coup (Acta de Naic) failed, viz:

“In his peregrination to Limbon, the Supremo was accompanied not only by his troops but also by followers, men and women, old and young alike.  In this new site, they built fortifications and established a head government and its army.  But all those in the community wanted to go back to their homes.  Food was scarce in the village, and their appeal for food donation was largely unheeded.  To solve the problem of rations, the Supremo ordered that all those not in active duty should fend for themselves and look for their own sustenance.  He had hoped to procure food for the troops from the townspeople, but he was disappointed when the men he sent for the purpose to the Indang municipal government office were turned away.  Mr. Severino de las Alas refused to extend any help to the Supremo for whom he had a low regard.  He threatened the Supremo’s men with harm should they ask for aid again. When the Supremo heard this report, he was furious that he could hardly speak or breathe.  He sighed heavily several times before he finally found words so bitter they were like thorns being plucked from his breast: ‘Treacherous brethren!  They won’t recognize nor aid us!  And here we are ready to offer our blood and life itself for the cause of freedom, and what do we get in return?  Threats!  Tell me,  what do we do in the face of such behavior? Burn the town!  Spare no one!  Begin with the parish house and church, so that they will know the just deserts of those who deny sympathy and succor to the needs of the Motherland!’” (Alvarez, 95)

On April 27, 1897, Aguinaldo issued an order to arrest Bonifacio. The order was issued based on a letter from the presidente (mayor) of the town of Indang, Severino Delas Alas, complaining that the troops of Andres Bonifacio had attacked the town. (Ronquillo, 109).

Bonifacio's disassociation with the newly established government came into the open after he had refused to accept his defeat in the election held at the Tejeros Convention on March 22, 1897. On the day of the election, he walked out. He declared that the elections were null and void because, according to him, the majority's will was not followed, citing Tirona's actuation questioning his qualification for the position of Director of Interior.

The following day, Bonifacio made a different declaration. This time, he said he was cheated. He and 40 or so members of the Magdiwang Council issued a document known as the "Acta de Tejeros," demanding that those elected must resign their positions on the basis that their election was invalid due to irregularities committed during the election.

The Magdalos did not accept his demand and contended there was no cheating. The majority of the delegates who stayed behind and continued the proceedings overturned the null and void declaration of Bonifacio and ratified the results of of the elections under the chairmanship of Santiago Rillo of the Batangas delegation.

Failing in this demand, he and the same Magdiwang officials and two Magdalo generals signed a document on April 19, 1897, known as the "Acta de Naic," which was, in essence, a coup d'etat against the newly-established Philippine government of President Emilio Aguinaldo. But Aguinaldo thwarted the coup.  Bonifacio, with a few remaining followers, left Naic and encamped in Limbon. President Aguinaldo allowed Bonifacio and his co-plotters to go scot-free and even forgave his two generals who participated in the coup.  (Ronquillo 106-109; Saulo[Aguinaldo], 142-144).

When the government soldiers sent to carry out the arrest order arrived at Limbon, the 35 followers of Bonifacio did not put up a fight and surrendered their weapons voluntarily. However, Ciriaco, the brother of Andres, fired at the arresting officers, killing two of them. On the return fire, Ciriaco was killed, and Bonifacio was hit in the arm by a rifle shot while aiming his revolver (Kalaw-Teodoro[Court-Martial], 5,17,20,22 and 23; Ronquillo, 144; Corpuz, 124). He was also stabbed near the neck by General Paua.

The two brothers were brought to Maragondon where a Council of War was convened to try them for the crime of sedition. The brothers were found guilty and sentenced to die by shooting. The full details of the trial can be read in Teodoro M. Kalaw's book, "The Court-Martial of Andres Bonifacio."

Here is the report of the Judge Advocate General on the court-martial of Bonifacio:

“To the Court-Martial:

 

“From the reading of the foregoing examination and findings of the Court-Martial, it appears that Andres Bonifacio and his brother Procopio were, without authority or warrant whatever from this government, at their camp at Limbong, jurisdiction of the pueblo of Indang, recruiting troops, and with their brother Ciriaco conspiring against the Government, for which purpose they were holding meetings with Diego Mojica, Silvestre Domingo and Santos Nocon.  They were planning the overthrow of this government and the assassination of its President Emilio Aguinaldo. 

 

“Troops were sent to their camp to have them surrender their arms and submit to the authority of the Government, but they offered resistance to our forces, and ordered their men to fire at our troops.  The first shot was fired by Ciriaco Bonifacio, who with his two brothers, Andres and Procopio, was doing much harm to our troops, which firing resulted in the death of two of our soldiers.  Procopio Bonifacio resisted for a long time until he and his two brothers disarmed – Ciriaco having been killed and Bonifacio wounded. 

 

“The truth of the above quoted facts are vouched by their own men, Pedro Giron, Bibiano Roxas, Bento Torres and others.  In order to carry out their plans, they were sending seditious letters to the officers and soldiers of this Government to induce them to join and follow them.  It is known that Diego Mojica and Ariston Villanueva were distributing money for the purpose, and it should not be conceded that said distribution of money was to reward those soldiers and officers who fought in Noveleta. 

 

“The meetings which they frequently held with Mojica at their house at Limbong, and the resistance they offered to our troops, confirm the fact that the distribution of the money was to influence those officers and soldiers to give them their support.  In other words, the three brothers, Andres, Ciriaco and Procopio Bonifacio, were planning the overthrow of the Government, the assassination of its President, Emilio Aguinaldo, and the resistance to his authority, and therefore the findings of the Court-Martial should be approved and its decision, affirmed.

 

“Moreover, I recommend the examination of Diego Mojica and Ariston Villanueva in order to investigate the part which they had in the conspiracy, and their complicity in Bonifacio’s plans.  I also ask the Court-Martial to open an inquiry on the conduct observed by Col. Agapito Bonson in connection with the reported maltreatment and assault of Andres Bonifacio’s wife.

 

“Maragondon, May 7^th, 1897

“(Signed) Baldomero Aguinaldo”

 (Source: Taylor[I], 328)  

President Aguinaldo commuted the sentence to indefinite exile (Kalaw-Teodoro[Court-Martial], 39), but despite the commutation order, the brothers were nonetheless executed. 

On March 22, 1948, Aguinaldo revealed in a handwritten note that as soon as he issued the commutation order he was approached by Generals Mariano Noriel and Pio del Pilar and other officials of the revolutionary government to recall the commutation order.  They pleaded with him to proceed with the execution of the Procopio and Andres Bonifacio  for the sake of the revolution and peace to reign, which he did.   

Here is a quote containing the opinion of retired justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Abraham Sarmiento (Ronquillo, 150), on the legality of the Bonifacio trial:

 

1)    As to the trial of Andres and Procopio Bonifacio, that the trial was null and void, the Council of War having deprived both accused of due process;

 

2)    As to the evidence against the accused, that although the verdict of the War Council was based on no competent evidence, it is nonetheless a historical fact that Andres Bonifacio had sought to set up a rival government in defiance of the Tejeros Government; and

 

3) As to the execution of the accused, that the execution of Bonifacio was Aguinaldo's discretion (in view of the Acta de Tejeros and the Naik Military Agreement).

The trial of Bonifacio was the first and only act of court proceedings ever conducted by the revolutionaries. In this regard, they looked up to the Spanish military system of justice (Codigo de Enjuiciamento Militar Espanol) as a model. It would be a mistake to judge the system of justice of the Spanish colonial administration that was adopted by the inexperienced revolutionary officers of Aguinaldo who composed the Council of War that tried the Supremo Bonifacio with the system of jurisprudence of the independent Republic of the Philippines. The two are poles apart regarding objectives, substance, and methodologies. 

On the other hand, the effort to try Bonifacio instead of just simply shooting him as Bonifacio himself would have done to those who opposed his Acta de Naic was humane. In addition, the fact that the trial proceeded despite the dangers occasioned by the Spanish offensive was highly commendable.

It is also noteworthy to mention what Apolinario Mabini said to Aguinaldo after he was named secretary of the revolutionary government on June 11, 1898.  Mabini decried the cold treatment accorded to Bonifacio because if it happened to him, said Mabini, he would have applied juicio sumaresimo or summary judgment, meaning, to shoot without the benefit of trial,  on Bonifacio and his companions. (Ronquillo, 27)

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