The Truce of Biyaknabato

Title

Creator

Agoncillo, Teodoro A.

Language

English

Year

1961

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

THE TRUCE OF BIYAKNABATO Teodoro A. Agoncillo When, in the early months of 1897, Governor-General Camilo de Polavieja began his offensives against the Filipi no revolutionists, he thought that he could cripple the re volutionary movement by short, swift strokes. He was hopeful that in a few months he could bring peace to the strife-torn archipelago and impose anew the powers of the Spanish monarch. But Polavieja underestimated the capacity of the Filipino mas ses to undergo hardships and privations. They fought with everything they could lay hands on. Polavieja, realizing at last that he could not put down the rebellion, feigned illness and asked his Queen Regent to relieve him of his difficult job. On March 22, General Primo de Rivera, for mer governor of the Philip pines, was appointed to suc ceed Polavieja. Primo de Rivera arrived in Manila on April 23. He was optimistic regarding his abi lity to put down the rebellion, for on his way to Manila he had received cables both from the acting governor and from the authorities in Spain that the revolutionary movement was losing momentum. A first look at the situation, however, convinced Primo de Rivera that all was not well. He tried to woo the Filipinos to his side by adopting the policy of attraction,, promising, in substance, that he would par don all those who, up to May 17, would give themselves dp. The revolutionists, however, were wary of Spanish promis es; they continued their arm ed resistance against their sworn enemy. It was then that Primo de Rivera serious ly thought of launching a se ries of military campaigns to humble the Filipinos. He December 1961 83 succeeded in re-capturing Ca vite, but Aguinaldo escaped, first, to Batangas, then to La guna, and finally, to Bulakan. At Biyaknabato, San Miguel de Mayumo, he holed up and harassed the Spanish forces in Central Luzon by means of a hit-and-run tactic. In bet ween engagements, Aguinaldo and his men prepared a cons titution, later called the Bi yaknabato Constitution. Owing to the military im passe, Pedro A. Patemo. a Fi lipino who had studied in Spain, approached Primo de Rivera with the proposition that he wanted to mediate bet ween the two warring sides. He would confer with the re volutionary leaders in order to persuade them to come to terms with the Spanish au thorities. The governor ac cepted Paterno’s proposition on condition that he would not compromise the honor of Spain. With this reminder he gave Paterno a pass so the mediator could pass through the Spanish lines. Paterno 'reached Biyakna bato on August 9, 1897. He presented himself to Aguinal do. He pointed out to Agui naldo that he had the explicit promise of the governor-gen eral that the revolutionists would be pardoned and given a certain sum of money in ex change for their surrender. At first Aguinaldo was luke warm to the proposals; but later on he changed his mind. He- demanded, as the price of pfeace, the expulsion of the re ligious orders, representation in the Spanish Cortes, free dom, “true justice” for Filipi nos and Spaniards. With these proposals, Paterno went to Malakanyang and Appraised Primo de Rivera of the rebels’ demands. The governor, how ever, said that he could not promise reforms, nor the ex pulsion of the religious or ders, because he had no au thority to do so. Only the Spanish Cortes could grant the reforms demanded, hje added. The minimuip require ments that Primo de Rivera approved were -pardon for all and the security in the depar ture of the rebel chieftains from the Philippines. As to money, he believed that the ^Spanish Government in the Philippines could pay as much as Pl,700,000 to be paid in three installments. With these counter-proposals in his head, Paterno returned to Biyaknabato. Some of the military leaders wanted to continue the struggle against the Spaniards, but Paterno succeeded, through bribery and cajolery, in neutralizing them by winning over to his 84 Panorama BURGLARY A young couple that had received many valu able wedding presents established their home in a suburb. One morning they received in the mail two tickets for a popular show in the city, with a single line: “Guess who sent them,” The pair had much amusement in trying to identify the donor, but failed in the effort. They duly attended the theater, and had a delightful time. On their return home late at night, still trying to guess the identity of the unknown host, they found the house stripped of every article of value. And on the bare table in the dining room was a piece of paper on which was written in the same hand as the enclosure with the tickets: “Now you know!” * * * side the prominent men in the field. On November 5, Aguinaldo authorized Paterno “to enter into harmonious relations with the Spanish Government, giving him full powers to de termine, fix and receive the total sum of the funds or va lues which the Spanish Gov ernment grants us....” Pa terno once more returned to Malakanyang and conferred with Primo de Rivera. The obstacles to the conclusion of peace had been hurdled. The resulting Truce of Biyakna bato, in which Aguinaldo was represented by Paterno, had three separate documents. They were dated November 18, December 14 and Decem ber 15, 1897. The November 18 document provided: (1) Aguinaldo and his lead ers would surrender their arms and submit themselves to the proper authorities; (2) the surrendered arms shall be delivered to the pro per authorities according to a date to be specified and ag reed upon by both parties to the truce: (3) armed parties who did not recognize Aguinaldo’s au thority may surrender to the Spanish officials; they would December 1961 85 receive the same treatment as those men of Aguinaldo who likewise surrendered to the government; (4) the governor-general shall provide the surrendered rebels with necessary means of subsistencce. With the signing of this do cument Paterno reported to Aguinaldo his success in deal ing with the governor-gene ral. Some minor points were threshed out in the next meet ing of . Paterno and Primo de Rivera. On December 14, the second document of the truce, known as the “Programme,” was signed. The “programme” follows: December 25. — Departure of Aguinaldo and his compa nions including the Spanish hostages, for Lingayen, and from here to Hongkong. Upon departure, the Spanish Gov ernment would hand to Baldomero Aguinaldo a draft in the amount of P400,000 pay able at Hongkong. December 27. — Aguinaldo and his men, having left for Hongkong, and having arriv ed at the latter place, will telegraph Artemio Ricarte “in order that he may carry out the following:” 1. surrender of all arms and ammunitions; 2. the surrender of arms not yet turned in at the departure of Aguinaldo for Hongkong; 3. the freeing of General Tejeiro and another compa nion who were left at Biyak nabato as hostages; 4. the cashing of the check in the amount of P400,000 given to Aguinaldo upon cer tification that 225 firearms, 2382 cartridges, and twenty pieces of machinery belong ing to the Spanish Govern ment had been turned over to the authorities; 5. payment by the Spanish Government of the sum of P200,000 as soon as the Fili pinos had turned over 700 arms, and another check for P200,000 as soon as the Te Deum had been sung and the general amnesty had been proclaimed. The third document, signed on December 15, dealt with the distribution of the total indemnity of Pl,700,000, as follows: 1. payment by the Spanish government of the sum of Me xican $400,000 to the rebels in arms and two checks in the amount of Mexican $200,000 each “payable on condi tion of th; agreement being fulfilled” by the Filipino re bels; 2. payment by the Spanish Government of the balance to those who suffered the ef fects of war, the payment to be made in three installments, 86 Panorama the last one to be paid six months after the Te Deum had been sung. In explaining his acceptance of the truce, Aguinaldo, on Christmas Day, said: “I lay down my arms because con tinuing the war will produce turmoil and evil, in place of happiness, x x x. I lay down my arms in accordance with the patriotic advice of the Ar bitrator, the Maguinoo, Ped ro A. Paterno, lover of the well-being of our native land.” On December 27, Aguinal do, his companions, Pedro A. Paterno, and two Spanish hostages, boarded the steam er Uranus for Hongkong. Peace, a temporary peace, had at long last settled on the Philippines. ❖ * * “I lost my wife in the sea” “My poor friend! Was she taken away by a wave?” “No—by a life guard.” * * * “How do you control your husband while you are away?” “I leave the baby with him” December 1961 37

Media