Aguinaldo vs Bonifacio: Rightful 1st Philippine President

[stickers]

The Assassination of Andres Bonifacio and Antonio Luna - Pinas (aka Philippines)

Excerpts from Julio Nakpil's 'Apuntes Sobre La Revolucion Filipina' (Notes on the Philippine Revolution)

Page 30 'The Death of Bonifacio'

The Bonifacio brothers were accused of promoting a counter revolution to overthrow the power of Aguinaldo.

Unfortunately this slanderous accusation of Aguinaldo and his partisans was very common in Cavite. Andres Bonifacio challenged to a duel Emilio Aguinaldo to settle their differences, saying to him: "If you are offended by my behavior, name your seconds, hour, and place!"

The only reply of Aguinaldo was to send a company under the command of Colonel Ingtong (Agapito Monzon) which found the Bonifacio brothers breakfasting.

The Bonifacios asked them where they were going and invited them to join them at breakfast, to which they replied that they had just finished the same, and that they were going reconnoitering.

Then the Bonifacio brothers, unaware of what was going to happen to them, continued eating, their firearms being far from the reach of their hands. Aguinaldo's men thereupon began to seize the firearms of the Bonifacio men and when theY became aware of what was happening they were already disarmed.

Nevertheless, there was, a struggle, but very unequal. According to the eyewitnesses, the one who stabbed A. Bonifacio in the neck was Lazaro Makapagal.

The Bonifacios were also accused of drawing away soldiers from the Revolution in Cavite, the plan of Bonifacio being to continue the Revolution by joining his forces to those of Emilio Jacinto and the undersigned (i.e. Julio Nakpil) who were operating in the provinces of Manila, Laguna, and Morong.

It was an act of banditry: The jewels and money of the families of the murdered men were confiscated like war booty.


Chapter VII, page 103 'The Death of General Luna'

(D)riven by his patriotic fervor, he (General Antonio Luna) did not conceal his desire to be the head of the cabinet with the portfolio of war to prevent the autonomists or pacifists from controlling the government of the republic.

They slandered him of wishing to wrest the presidency from Emilio Aguinaldo, and for that purpose they invited him to enter the rattrap of Kabanatuan to enable the very ones whom he had disarmed for cowardice in different war actions to deal him the deathblow. Do not lose sight of the fact that the one who invited him (i.e. Emilio Aguinaldo) to a conference absented himself, which was a cowardly stratagem.

When General A. Luna was dastardly assassinated on the stairs of the Convent of Kabanatuan and already fallen on the ground, the mother of Emilio Aguinaldo looked out the window and asked: "Ano, humihinga pa ba?" (Is he still breathing?)

The Spanish soldier-prisoners who witnessed this iniquitous assassination said: "We admired the valor and intrepidity of General Luna who, tormented with shots and already fallen to the ground, could still shout: "Cowardly Cavitenios !"

History condemns these barbaric acts, He (E, Aguinaldo) also gave orders to assassinate the undersigned to Generals Severino Taino and Pio del Pilar who did not obey the said orders for considering them infamous, unjust, and without any motive, whatever. It was nothing more than a mean and despicable order.

General Pio del Pilar himself told me this in his barracks at San Pedro Makati, when Manila was under blockade.

I remember a gag made by Bubble Gang regarding Andres Bonifacio. Siya daw ang pinaka-aping bayani.. Fort Bonifacio inalis name nya at ang tinawag "The Fort": Bonifacio Station... shinortcut naman Boni Avenue.

Reviews on the recent El Presidente film suggests that they have omitted the portions of Bonifacio's execution.

Kayo, tsikoteers? Sinong 1st Philippine President mo?

[Boy Bastos]

The Assassination of Andres Bonifacio and Antonio Luna - Pinas (aka Philippines)




I remember a gag made by Bubble Gang regarding Andres Bonifacio. Siya daw ang pinaka-aping bayani.. Fort Bonifacio inalis name nya at ang tinawag "The Fort": Bonifacio Station... shinortcut naman Boni Avenue.

Reviews on the recent El Presidente film suggests that they have omitted the portions of Bonifacio's execution.

Kayo, tsikoteers? Sinong 1st Philippine President mo?

I've never liked Aguinaldo. That guy ordered a lot of people to be killed just to save his ass and power. The Americans paid a lot of money to shut him off(proof? his Cavite mansion).

The ultimate makapili boy during the Japanese occupation. People should stop seeing this man as a hero.

[testament11]

More of inggit ang reason ng rift between Bonifacio and Aguinaldo based sa nabasa ko somewhere o napanood ko. Pero we do not know what really happened since alam naman nating lahat na ang history written sa ating mga books are already altered.

[garfield_08]

Bonifacio.

I never saw Aguinaldo as an epitome of a leader, much less a hero.

[fourtheboys96]

Bonifacio.

I never saw Aguinaldo as an epitome of a leader, much less a hero.

Same with me. I cannot recall any mention of his heroic acts when I was in elementary school. he was always mentioned as the first president but not a hero.

[yebo]

Aguinaldo was always jealous of the other leaders of the Katipunan. he had Bonifacio killed because Bonifacio was the founder of the KKK and was more popular than him. he had Antonio Luna killed because Luna, being the only one among the leaders of the revolution with military training, had more victories in battle than him, and therefore rivals him for popularity. most of the riflemen of the Katipunan removed the rear sight of their rifles because it was "istorbo" to their line of sight, but doing so caused them to fire short of their targets. Luna told his men that anyone who does the same will be punished, and he also trained his men the proper use of the rifle sights. thus he had more victories. add to that that he was a good strategist. he did have a temper, which did not bode well to those who opposed him (i think he even challenged Rizal to a duel in spain or france because of a girl he and Rizal were after, fortunately cooler heads prevailed.)

if Bonifacio was not killed and if he was able to wrestle the leadership of the Katipunan he would not last long. he did not have the intellectuals behind him (apolinario mabini for one). he was very intelligent but his lack of schooling made the other leaders of the Katipunan look down on him. he also did not fare well in battle, as most of his men did not have rifles (the 20,000 rifles bought by Aguinaldo in hong kong were of course in the hands of his own men). Bonifacio's men only had what they captured from the spaniards. if he only were not born poor then he would have had the education he needed to lead the revolutionary government and gain the respect of the other KKK leaders. sayang.

the real power behind Aguinaldo was Mabini. he was the tactician, the brains of the Katipunan, and the brains behind Aguinaldo. if he only were not paralyzed, if he were only fit enough to lead the katipuneros in battle, then Mabini would have probably surpassed both Aguinaldo and Bonifacio and become the first president of the first republic. or if he was allied with A. Luna, man what a tandem they would have been. Aguinaldo would never have a chance!
.

[JackFlash]

Apparently Aguinaldo was the better politician. He had the moneyed middle class supporting him, and that meant more arms and allowances. More arms and allowances meant more forces. To my knowledge, there are no records of reprisals or attempted reprisals from Luna's or Bonifacio's men vs. Aguinaldo. Maybe because they knew they would be outgunned, outnumbered, maybe even out-talked. Of course the pro-Aguinaldos will say that the lack of reprisals is proof that Bonifacio and Luna were not very strong leaders. Otherwise their followers would have sought vengeance.

However, there are also historical accounts that Aguinaldo had more war victories vs. Bonifacio, possibly because of his (Aguinaldo's) superior fierpower. So he became a challenger as Supremo, which Bonifacio resisted. There's an old editorial here: Bonifacio vs Aguinaldo.(Opinion/Editorial) - Manila Bulletin | HighBeam Research. Too bad the complete write-up isn't readily available.

[garfield_08]

Apparently Aguinaldo was the better politician. He had the moneyed middle class supporting him, and that meant more arms and allowances. More arms and allowances meant more forces. To my knowledge, there are no records of reprisals or attempted reprisals from Luna's or Bonifacio's men vs. Aguinaldo. Maybe because they knew they would be outgunned, outnumbered, maybe even out-talked.

This is actually true. And this is where politics becomes bad, when the "true, just, and rightful" leader is overruled by the oppressive, self-centered and well-financed solon who rose to the leadership by virtue of popularity or dynasty. Just look at the familiar names in the Philippine Congress/ Senate. Kung mahirap ka, you don't stand a chance of being voted by the masses.

[marg]

Most of the riflemen of the Katipunan removed the rear sight of their rifles because it was "istorbo" to their line of sight, but doing so caused them to fire short of their targets.
.

Filipinos are not very good soldiers.

Against Spain, FAIL,
Against US, FAIL.
Against Japan, FAIL.
Against Communist Rebels, FAIL.
Against Muslim Insurgents, FAIL.
Against Chinese Navy, FAIL.

[Manilablock]

Filipinos are not very good soldiers.

Against Spain, FAIL,
Against US, FAIL.
Against Japan, FAIL.
Against Communist Rebels, FAIL.
Against Muslim Insurgents, FAIL.
Against Chinese Navy, FAIL.

ang lahing pinoy naman ay hindi aggressive, handa din tayong magpasakop, sample na lang ung mga pulitiko natin, sino ba ang kilala mong pulitiko na hindi corrupt, and on election day bakit ibinoto mo pa.