General Apoy's Memoirs: Filipino Revolution PDF

RECALLING THE REVOLUTION: MEMOIRS OF A FILIPINO GENERAL SANTIAGO ALVAREZ ’AKA’ “GENERAL KIDLAT APOY”  BORN IN IMUS (CAVITE, LUZON) ON JULY 25, 1872 AND DIED IN SAN PABLO (PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, LUZON) ON OCTOBER 30, 1930, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS HEROES...

RECALLING THE REVOLUTION: MEMOIRS OF A FILIPINO GENERAL SANTIAGO ALVAREZ ’AKA’ “GENERAL KIDLAT APOY”  BORN IN IMUS (CAVITE, LUZON) ON JULY 25, 1872 AND DIED IN SAN PABLO (PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, LUZON) ON OCTOBER 30, 1930, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS HEROES OF THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE AGAINST SPAIN (1896-1898). SON OF ANOTHER FAMOUS FILIPINO GENERAL, MARIANO ÁLVAREZ (1818-1924) SANTIAGO FOLLOWED IN HIS FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS AS A TEACHER OF THE SCHOOL FORMING IN SEVERAL PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND AT THE COLEGIO SAN JUAN DE LETRAN; IN THIS LAST GRADUATED ALSO IN ARTS, PASSING THEN TO THE LYCEUM OF MANILA TO STUDY LAW. MEMBER OF THE KATIPUNAN SECRET SOCIETY, AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE REVOLUTION OF INDEPENDENCE OF AUGUST GENERAL 1896 WAS APPOINTED DELEGATE FOR THE COUNCIL OF CAVITE - THE PRESIDENCY FELL TO HIS FATHER – AND LATER CAPTAIN GENERAL OF THE SANTIAGO MILITARY REBEL FORCES IN THIS PROVINCE, PARTICIPATING IN SOME OF THE ALVAREZ EARLY SKIRMISHES BROUGHT WITH THE SPANISH TROOPS AS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE GUARDIA CIVIL'S NOVELLA (AUGUST 31, 1896), THE DEFENSE OF THE CITY AGAINST THE REAR ATTACK ENEMY (SEPTEMBER 4, 1896), AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE OF DALAHICAN. ACCORDING TO THE CHRONICLES OF THE TIME, IN ALL OF THESE ACTIONS SANTIAGO ÁLVAREZ STOOD OUT FOR THEIR FEARLESSNESS AND BRAVERY. ”SEATED AT THE HEAD TABLE BALDOMERO AGUINALDO, DANIEL TIRONA, AND CAYETANO TOPACIO.” BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY CONVENED, ARISTON VILLANUEVA(SEC. OF WAR OF THE MAGDIWANG) RECEIVED A CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION THAT DANIEL TIRONA WAS SET TO UNDERMINE THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASSEMBLY TOGETHER WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MAGDIWANG. HE KEPT SILENT BUT ALERTED GENERAL APOY HENCE HIS TROOPS WAS READY FOR ANY SUDDEN EVENTUALITY. THE MAIN TOPIC OF THE DISCUSSION, “HOW TO BOLSTER THE DEFENSES IN THE AREAS STILL CONTROLLED BY THE MAGDIWANG.” DE LAS ALAS PROPOSED TO DISCUSS WHAT KIND OF GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED. HOWEVER CHAIRMAN LUMBRERA REPLIED, “AS INITIATOR OF REVOLUTION THE KATIPUNAN NOW HOLDS AUTHORITY OVER THE ISLANDS. IT HAS GOVERNMENT OF LAWS AND A DEFINITE PROGRAM… THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING IS TO DISCUSS THE BEST MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN THE MAGDIWANG GOVERNMENT VIS-À-VIS THE ENEMY. WE SHOULD AVOID SURRENDERING THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE KATIPUNAN ARMY SHOULD THE MAGDALO EVENTUALLY LOSE OUT.” GENERAL ANTONIO MONTENEGRO SUPPORTED DE LAS ALAS SAYING, “ IF THEY WERE TO LET THE STATUS QUO PREVAIL, THEN THEY WHO WERE IN REVOLUTION WOULD BE NO BETTER THAN PACK OF BANDITS OR OF WILD, MINDLESS ANIMALS.” WHICH DIRECTLY RESPONDED BY GEN. APOY (P.84) GENERAL APOY ORDERED THE ARREST OF MONTENEGRO. HOWEVER, TRINING THE SISTER OF RIZAL AND JOSEPHINE RIZAL’S WIFE PLEADED NOT TO ARREST THE LATTER BUT INSTEAD BE SENT TO THE ESTATE HOUSE WHERE THE TWO WOMEN STAYED TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR Trinidad Rizal and Josephine Bracke MONTENEGRO’S CUSTODY. BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED MR. LUMBRERAS ASKED EVERYONE TO LET BONIFACIO CHAIRED THE ASSEMBLY SAYING, “ THAT THE KATIPUNAN WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SPREAD OF THE REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT THROUGH OUT THE PHILIPPINES AND BECAUSE OF THE DISAFFECTION OF SOME CALLING TO ESTABLISH A NEW OVERALL REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL. THE SUPREMO BEING THE FATHER OF THE KATIPUNAN AND THE REVOLUTION HAS THE RIGHT TO PRESIDE OVER THE ASSEMBLY.” BONIFACIO ACCEPTED THE CHAIRMANSHIP PROVIDED “ALL DECISIONS DULY DISCUSSED AND APPROVED MUST BE RESPECTED AND ABIDED.” SAYING FARTHER THAT “THE CANDIDATE WHO WOULD GET THE MOST NUMBER OF VOTES IS THE WINNER NO MATTER WHAT HIS STATION IN LIFE OR HIS EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT.” ARTEMIO RECARTE AND DANIEL TIRONA DISTRIBUTED PIECES OF PAPER TO SERVE AS BALLOTS. HOWEVER WHEN BALLOTS HAD BEEN COLLECTED AND VOTES READY TO BE CANVASSED DIEGO MOJICA ALERTED THE SUPREMO THAT ”MANY OF THE BALLOTS WERE ALREADY FILLED OUT AND THAT THE VOTERS HAD NOT DONE THIS THEMSELVES.” THE SUPREMO JUST IGNORED THIS REMARK AS IF NOTHING UNUSUAL HAPPENED. PRESIDENT- AGUINALDO WON OVER BONIFACIO AND MARIANO ALVAREZ. VICE PRESIDENT- MARIANO TRIAS CAPTAIN GENERAL- GENERAL RICARTE OR VIBORA WON OVER GENERAL APOY IT WAS ALMOST DARK THAT’S WHY BALDOMERO AGUINALDO SUGGESTED THAT VOTING BE DONE BY STANDING ON EITHER SIDE IF IN FAVOR OR AGAINST. SECRETARY OF WAR- EMILIANO REIGO DE DIOS SECRETARY OF INTERIOR- ANDRES BONIFACIO HOWEVER DANIEL TIRONA OPPOSED THE ELECTION OF THE SUPREMO TELLING,” THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR IS OF SO GREAT A SCOPE AND OF SUCH SENSITIVITY THAT WE SHOULD NOT ENTRUST IT TO ONE WHO IS NOT A LAWYER.” THEN SUGGESTED IN A LOUD SHOUT TO VOTE JOSE DEL ROSARIO. THE SUPREMO WAS GREATLY EMBARRASSED, REMINDED TIRONA ABOUT THE RULES THEY AGREED TO ABIDE HENCE HE DEMANDED HIM TO APOLOGIZE AND HE PULLED HIS REVOLVER. BUT TIRONA IGNORED THE SUPREMO, SLID AWAY AND GOT LOST IN THE CROWD. GENERAL VIBORA WAS QUICK TO DISARM THE SUPREMO WHO HAD THE INTENTION ON SHOOTING TIRONA. THE SUPREMO ADJOURNED THE ASSEMBLY SAYING,” IN MY CAPACITY AS CHAIRMAN OF THIS CONVENTION AND AS PRESIDENT-SUPREMO OF THE MOST VENERABLE KATIPUNAN OF THE SONS OF PEOPLE WHICH ASSOCIATION IS KNOWN AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY ALL, I HEREBY DECLARE NULL AND VOID ALL MATTERS APPROVED IN THE MEETING.” BALDOMERO AGUINALDO ASKED THE LEADERS OF MAGDIWANG TO RECONVENE THE DISRUPTED MEETING. THAT SAME NIGHT RUMORS HAD THAT MARIANO TRIAS, DANIEL TIRONA, EMILIANO REIGO DE DIOS, SANTIAGO RILLOS AND OTHERS WERE IN THE PARISH HOUSE OF TANZA CONFERRING WITH FATHER CENON VILLAFRANCA AS SEEN AND ATTESTED BY MANY. THE FOLLOWING DAY BECAUSE OF THE REQUEST OF BALDOMERO AGUINALDO TO RECONVENE, LEADERS OF THE MAGDIWANG MARIANO ALVAREZ, DIEGO MOJICA, ARISTON VILLANUEVA, PASCUAL ALVAREZ, JACINTO LUMBRERAS, SANTIAGO ALVAREZ, ARTEMIO RICARTE…. AND FATHER MANUEL TRIAS PARISH PRIEST OF SAN FRANCISCO DE MALABON WAITED UNTIL 5 O'CLOCK FOR THE MAGDALO GROUP WHICH NONE CAME. ON MARCH 27, 1897 OR TWO DAYS AFTER THE TEJEROS CONVENTION AT TANZA PARISH HOUSE EMILIO AGUINALDO, MARIANO TRIAS AND ARTEMIO RECRATE KNELT BEFORE A CRUCIFIX AND IN THE NAME OF THE HOLY FATHER, THE HIGHEST PONTIFF OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE PRESENCE OF DANIEL TIRONA AND SEVERINO DE LAS ALAS AS WITNESS TOOK THEIR OATH THROUGH FATHER CENON VILLAFRANCA. THE SUPREMO EVENTHOUGH WON AS SECRETARY OF INTERIOR WAS NOT INVITED.