The Malolos Republic

Title

Creator

Gagelonia, Pedro A.

Language

English

Year

1966

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

The first Filipino Republic and the makers of its constitution.

Fulltext

■ The first Filipino Republic and the makers of its constitution. THE MALOLOS REPUBLIC President Emilio Aguinaldo after having been sworn into office at the basilica of the Barasoain Church on January 23, 1899, realized more than ever the tremen dous challenge of his office. With fervor he said: “Great is this day, glorious this date and forever memorable in which our beloved people is raised to the apotheosis of Independence.” This significant event in the annals of our political history was the culmination of a long paipful, most frus trating process lasting more than three hundred years. To commemorate the mo mentous event, people in dif ferent parts of the country rejoiced with jubilation. Those who managed to go to the rustic town of Malolos, the thousands who came from Manila and the surrounding provinces, took part in the parades and rejoicings in their gala attires. The streets of the town lined with beautiful bamboo arches decorated with palm leaves accentuated the festive air. The homes were deco rated with the Filipino flag indicative of the patriotic fervor that prevailed. The brass bands which provided martial music in their multi colored uniforms lent color and life to the festive mood. The countless number of Filipino troops in their bluestriped rayadillo uniforms were also in high spirit, po sitive indications of their high morale and their indif ference to the severe and harsh conditions of the times. The inauguration of the Malolos Republic better known as the First Philippine Republic was indeed the very realization of the aspirations and ideals of our forebears. Two days earlier, an equally significant event came to be ing when the Malolos Cons titution, the precursor of our present constitution was pro mulgated, the enforcement of which was immediately effected and was a fitting expression of the sovereign will of the people. March 1966 21 The constitution of the First Philippine Republic consisted of a Preamble with 101 Articles and an addi tional article. The Preamble clearly worded runs thus: “We, the Representative of the Filipino People, lawfully convened, in order to estab lish justice, provide for com mon defense, promote the general welfare and insure the benefits of liberty, im ploring the aid of the Sove reign Legislator of the Uni verse for the attainment of these ends, have voted, de creed, and sanctioned the following: . . The Malolos Constitution provided a free and sovereign Republic of the Philippines. The Republic was "popular, representative, alternative and responsible.” It contained a Bill of Rights to safeguard the , rights of the citizens as well as the aliens. The exe cutive power was vested in the President of the Republic who was elected by the mem bers of the assembly. He was assisted by his cabinet composed of all the depart ment secretaries. The legis lative power was vested in the Unicameral Assembly of Representatives duly elected by the people for a term of four years. The judicial power was vested in the Su preme Court and in other courts of justice. All department secretaries were presidential appointees but were responsible not to the President but to the As sembly. The appointment of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was left to Assembly with the approval of the Council of Govern ment composed of all the de partment secretaries. The term of office of the chief executive was for four years and may be reelected. In the event that the Chief Executive died in office, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court temporarily took over the prerogatives of his office. When the Assembly is not in session a Permanent Commis sion was created to discharge the legislative functions. The Constitution in the opinion of Justice Malcolm conformed “to many tests of a good written constitution and did faithfully portray the aspirations and political ideas of the people.” The same view was expressed by the late Dr. Joseph R. Hayden as he wrote: “This organic law was a free expression of the type of 22 Panorama state to which the articulate Filipinos aspired at the end of the Spanish regime. The state was democratic and li beral and was pledged to a careful regard for the protec tion and' development of the masses of its citizens. In these important matters there is a remarkable consistency between the Malolos Consti tution and the organic law of the Philippines adopted in Manila thirty-six years later.” President v Aguinaldo did rightfully well when he con sidered it as “the most glo rious token of the noble as piration of the Philippine Revolution and an irrefut able proof before the civiliz ed world of the culture and capacity of the Filipino peo ple for self-government.” The framers of the Consti tution of the First Philip pine' Republic came from all walks of life from the dif ferent parts of the Philippines among whom were the fol lowing: Pedro A. Paterno, President of the Malolos Congress; Gregorio Araneta, Secretary; Pablo Ocampo, Secretary. The members were Mariano Abella y Isaac, a lawyer from Naga City; Gregorio Aglipay, a priest from Batac, Ilocos Norte; Gregorio Aguilera, newspaper publisher from Lipa, Batangas; Sofio Alandi, lawyer from Tayabas or Quezon Province; Jose Albert y Mayoralgo, physician from Manila; Jose Alejandrino, engineer from Arayat, Pampanga; Raymundo Alindada, lawyer from Nueva Viscaya; Leon Apacible, lawyer from Balayan, Batangas; Tomas Arejola, lawyer from Ambos Camarines; Patricio Bailon, lawyer appointed to represent Burias; Santiago Barcelona, phy sician from Pulilan, Bulacan; Ariston Bautista Lim, physi cian from Sta. Cruz, Manila; Alberto Barretto, lawyer from Zambales; and Jose Basa y Enriquez, a lawyer from Ca vite. The group also included: Felix Bautista, a doctor from Malolos, Bulacan; Higinio Benitez, lawyer from Manila; Vito Belarmino, a military officer from Silang, Cavite; Felipe Buencamino, lawyer frdm Bulacan; Felipe Calde ron, a lawyer from Tanza, Cavite; Marcial Calleja, law yer from Malinao, Albay; Fernando Canon, engineer from Binan, Laguna; Tele$foro Antonio Chuidian, a businessman from Manila; Graciano Cordero, a physi MARCH 1966 23 cian from Pagsanjan, Lagu na; Jose Coronel of Indang, Cavite; Mena Crisologo, writer from Vigan, Ilocos Sur; Mariano Crisostomo y Lugo, lawyer from Atlag, Malolos, Bulacan. Sebastian de Castro, physi cian appointed to represent Pangasinan; Arsenio Cruz Herrera, lawyer from Tondo, Manila; Antonio Feliciano, another representative from Pangasinan; Jose Florentino Fernandez of San Miguel, Manila; Felix Ferrer Pascual of Manila; Melencio Figue roa, engraver from Areval, Iloilo; Vicente Foz, lawyer of Vigan, Ilocos Sur; Perfecto Gabriel, lawyer from Mindo ro; Martin Garcia of Ilocos Norte; Ariston Gella, phar macist from Antique; Manuel Gomez Martinez, physician from Manila; Salvador Gon zales of Samar. The Philippine Republic unfortunately did not live long. A few days after its inauguration it faced the grim and cruel reality of sur vival. The so-called Ameri can Friends of General Aguinaldo and the Filipino peo ple finally showed their true color. On February 5, Fili pino soldiers had to fight the Americans in defense of their honor, dignity and freedom. — By Pedro A. Gagelonia, in Variety, January,, 1966. TRAINS 'One time Winston Churchill almost missed a train and Mrs. Churchill was alarmed. Sir Edward Marsh, Churchill’s private secretary, tried to calm her by saying, “Winston is such a sportsman, he always gives the train a chance to get away.” 24 PANORAMA

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