K. K. K. N. M. A. N. B.
Reading edition
Kataastaasang Kalagayan Katipunan Nang Mang̃a Anak Nang Bayan.
Whilst Rizal, in Manila, was engaged in the organization of the “Liga Filipina” into which only the well-to-do or educated classes could enter (70), an attempt which, for that time, failed on account of his immediate deportation, Marcelo H. del Pilar, from Madrid, in July 1892, advised the creation of another association, which was to be similar thereto, but which was to include the agricultural laborers and persons of little or no education and instruction (71), but who directed in the localities by the caciques and chiefs, were to form an enormous nucleus which should, at the proper time, give forth the cry of rebellion. He (Pilar) provided minute instructions concerning the organization and forwarded a project of regulations.
“Deodato Arellano (brother in-law of Marcelo), Andrés Bonifacio, Ladislao Dina and Teodoro Plata where those commissioned to carry into practice the project of Pilar (72); they discussed the regulations and added to them making them still more terrifying, agreeing that they should all immediately proceed with the preparatory works, and they were not interrupted till the conspiracy was discovered on the 19th of August of this year (1896). Both the said organizers and the others who composed the first Supreme Council, belonged to the «Liga filipina».
“The organization given to the society was analogous to that enjoyed by the «Liga» (73) but amplified to the extent of anarchism, swearing hatred and destruction to everything of a character or nature Spanish (74), and sowing the seed of a race-hatred which has developed to a great extent (75). The Supreme, the Provincial and the popular Councils, the sections and the delegations ruled this horrible association. The first governed the whole Tagalog Katipunan (76); the second, that corresponding to a pueblo and the sections were sub-divisions or fractions into which the popular councils were divided. Those commissioned to form sections were called delegations, and whilst they remained unconstituted, they depended directly upon the Supreme Council. Every associate paid an entrance fee of a medio peso, and a monthly subscription of a real. The collections were made by the respective treasurers and passed into the central treasury of the Supreme Council. The funds so gathered were utilized for the succor of the brethren in their afflictions and sicknesses, for the covering the expenses of the works of propaganda, and for the secret acquisition of fire and other arms (77).
«As in freemasonry, the initiations (78) were performed with a wealth of the ridiculous, and with unending extravagances; but of such a nature, that the ignorant indian was fascinated and became converted into a slave of his oath.
«The initiated were called brethren and had their «sacred words» and their special signs of recognition. They were ruled by a code which established punishments ranging from whipping till death (84) and received no orders from anyone, or had no intercourse with anyone, except with their immediate superiors. The details which might be made mention of are infinite and curious, but it would make this short memorial unending to speak of them all.
“All the matters of importance and organization were dealt with in assemblies (85) constituted by the Supreme Councils and all the presidents of the provincial and popular councils. The accords were taken and discussions decided by a nominal votation and at least by a majority of votes.
“Both the Supreme, the provincial and the popular Councils and the sections held their periodical sessions in the which were discussed a thousand different affairs, and the decisions of the Councils had to be submitted to the approval of the immediate superior. The gatherings were always held in different houses and localities, no day being set aside as fixed, but the days of festivities or those upon which was observed some ecclesiastical feast were chosen for that purpose (86), under the pretext of banquets or dances in which the authorities had no suspicion, and because on the said days these semi-public rejoicings were permitted without the necessity of seeking the license of the governing authorities.
«Both the provincial and the popular councils and the sections were known by special names; the initiated were “baptized” with symbolic appellations; and the documents were drawn up in the Tagalog dialect, the most important being in secret code.
“The first Supreme Council was constituted on the 15th of July 1892, and was as follows:
President Deodato Arellano.
Secretary Andrés Bonifacio.
Treasurer Valentin Diaz.
Councillors Ladislao Dina.
Bricio Pantas.
Teodoro Plata.
Delegates were immediately appointed to establish sections in Tondo, Binondo, Trozo, Sta. Cruz, Nagtajan, Sampaloc, Quiapo, Dilao (Paco) and Intramuros. Commissioners set out with all rapidity to the neighboring pueblos and provinces, and in a few weeks councils were in working order in Caloocan, Malabon, Mandaloyan, San Juan del Monte, Pandacan, Sta. Ana, and Pasay. In the Capital of Cavite was constituted a popular council, and sections in Noveleta, Cavite Viejo and Imus. The same occurred in San Isidro, Gapan and several other pueblos of these provinces.
’Andrés Bonifacio, Secretary of the Supreme Council, displayed a notable audacity and energy, and this united to a clear intelligence, gave him a great predominance over his companions. This predominance he asserted, and in 1893 brought about the destitution from the presidency, of Deodato Arellano, Román Baza (87), chief clerk of the Comandancia General de Marina being elevated to that office. On account of the want of character and initiative on the part of the new president, Bonifacio decided, by a coup-d’état if we may so call it, to depose him also, putting himself in that office and becoming the «dictator» of the Katipunan.
“Under the Presidency of Bonifacio, the society commenced an era of febrile activity; the greater number of the tribunales of the pueblos were converted into centres of propaganda, which were directed by the municipalities. Pamphlets and proclamations against the friars and the whole Spanish element were circulated in profusion (88). Injuries and outrages were invented, and by these and a thousand and one other infamous means, little by little, hatred and revenge were inculcated into the mind of the indian.
“In 1895 Bonifacio took the first decisive steps towards the organizing of an armed rebellion; he sent different delegations to Dapitan to confer with Rizal and receive his advice and instruction (89); he opened negotiations with the Japanese Government (90), but did not succeed therein. But with his immense ascendancy over the popular masses, an ascendancy beyond imagination, he declared himself dictator. The secret aiders of the Katipunan who pertained to the upper classes, offered funds of considerable amount, with the which were acquired a good number of arms which were landed on the coast of Cavite and Batangas with the aid of wealthy persons (91).
«In August of this year (1896) exaltation among the masses reached its full height, and Bonifacio realizing the fact, prepared what was necessary in order that in a short time, the conspiracy which was to take effect on the same day and hour in almost all Luzon, should be in readiness. The plan of the attack and taking of Manila was coarsely conceived but it might have been successful and massacre, sacking and pillage would have crowned the iniquitous work.
“At this time the Supreme Council was was composed as follows.
President Andrés Bonifacio.
Secretary Emilio Jacinto.
Treasurer Enrique Pacheco.
Fiscal Pío Valenzuela (92).
Councillors
Hermenegildo Reyes.
Teodoro Plata.
Balbino Florentino.
Bricio Pantas.
Pantaleón Torres.
José Trinidad.
Francisco Carreón.
Aguedo del Rosario.
Vicente Molina.
Alejandro Santiago.
José T. Santiago.
“In Tondo existed the popular Council Catagalugan presided over by Alejandro Santiago; and the sections Cabuhayan, Catotohanan, Pagtibain, Calingaan and Bagongsilang, presided over by Hilarion Cruz, Braulio Rivera, Cipriano Pacheco, Nicolás Rivera, and Deogracias Fajardo.
“In Binondo the popular Council Ilog Pasig by Faustino Mañalac.
“In Concepción and Dilao (Paco) the popular Council Mahiganti, presided over by Rafael Gutiérrez, and the sections Panday and Ilog with a delegation in Ermita.
“But why continue? It would not be exaggerating to assert that the fourth of the native population pertained to the Katipunan, and the task of consigning more names would be useless, as nothing new would be discovered.
“His proclamations, pamphlets, and circulars although not a model of literature were possessed of a certain amount of culture.
“In Calle Clavel, in the dwelling house of Alejandro Santiago, the Katipunan possessed a secret printing establishment, in which were prepared many most injurious and insulting publications. There also was edited and published the paper Kalayaan (Liberty) (93) which only twice saw the light and which was supposed to have been printed in Yokohama, (it bearing the name of that town as the place of publication) and was published over the signature of Marcelo H. del Pilar. This was all false, all studied out for the purpose of throwing dust in the eyes of the local authorities. The paper was edited by Bonifacio, his brother-in-law Teodoro Plata and the secretary of the Supreme Council, Emilio Jacinto, a young student of law, of no scanty intelligence.
“On the 19th of August last (1896) the conspiracy was denounced and a great number of imprisonments were made by this Corps. Bonifacio and those more closely connected with him in his schemes, fled aghast to the neighboring pueblo of Caloocan and there remained hidden in the house of the Capitan Municipal (a native) and in that of the Capitán Pasado (also a native) Adriano de J, father-in-law to Andrés Bonifacio. On the 23rd Bonifacio set out for the barrio of Balintauac, followed by some 200 inhabitants of Caloocan; on the 24th they were combatted by the Civil Guard in the fields of the said pueblo and fled to their former hiding place.
“The Supreme Council convoked a large assembly to be held on the following day in the said barrio, to which gathered more than 500 members; there a discussion took place concerning the steps which would have to be taken in view of the failure of the conspiracy, and of the imprisonments which were being made. Some, feeling repentant, desired to return to a legal status, submitting to the Spanish authority but the president Bonifacio protested, proposing immediate rebellion. Both propositions were put to the vote, and as a result, that of the president gained by an immense majority; so much for the prestige of Andrés Bonifacio! (94).
Denouncement of the Conspiracy and its Discoverer.
“Teodoro Patiño. A name which all Spaniards should pronounce with pleasure, because, by his repentance, inspired by divine Providence (96), Spain was saved from an unending series of bitter experiences.
“Patiño, a workman in the printing establishment of the Diario de Manila, pertained to the Katipunan of Tondo, as did also the majority of the compositors and book binders of the said establishment.
“Repentant and fearful of the increase of the association, and of the criminal projects it pursued, he decided to denounce it to his sister, a student of the College of Looban, directed by the learned and virtuous Sisters of Mercy (97). His sister made known the denunciation to her Superior who called Patiño into her presence; and realizing the gravity which surrounded the matter, sent him to the Rev. P. Mariano Gil, parish priest of Tondo (98), a suburb of Manila; to this Rev. Father, Patiño repeated all that he had manifested, and all that he could know, he being only a simple initiated member. He affirmed that in the printing establishment of the Diario receipts and proclamations were printed, and daggers were secretly made for the Katipunan, and he offered, moreover, to make known where the lithographic stones used for the printing were hidden.
“Srs. Grund and Cortés, lieutenants of the sub-division of the Veterana of that district, were called to the convent by P. Gil, who expounded to them all that had occurred. These officers made known the facts to their chiefs, and constituted themselves into a “cuartelillo”. That same night there fell into the power of P. Gil the lithographic stones, some receipts and printed regulations of the Katipunan: objects which were placed at the disposition of this Corps. In the “cuartelillo” Patiño was minutely examined, and immediate proceedings were commenced for the arrest of 22 oath bound katipuneros, whose houses were also searched. In this search an abundance of documents and effects which justified the denunciation were encountered. From that time no stone was left unturned by the officers and guards of this Corps, who for 15 days worked unceasingly and untiringly that their labor might be crowned with the greatest success.
“More than 500 prisoners of importance, among those who were convicted and among those who confessed, were handed over to the Courts of Justice together with all the documents, books, pamphlets, seals, attributes and the archives of the Supreme Council. The back of the vast conspiracy was broken; some of the guilty have already expiated their crimes (99), many have suffered deportation, (100) whilst no few still remain in prison awaiting the decision of human justice.
“If with our aid we have contributed to the salvation of this portion of Spanish territory, what better recompense and reward for this Section of the Guardia Civil Veterana?
“Manila, 28th October 1896—Olegario Diaz—Signed—The document bears a seal which reads: Sección de Guardia Civil Veterana.—Manila.
Here ends the document which forms the text. In continuation follow the notes with their corresponding numbers.