GENERAL EMILIO AGUINALDO

A documentary drama in 2 Acts

by Edmundo Farolan

Copyright 2009

ACT ONE

There are 2 stage levels: the lower stage is thrust towards the audience who sit on 3

sides. The lower stage is raked towards the upstage area which becomes steps that

will be used for the court scene where the judges will sit, or where rallies take place,

etc; the upper stage, like the Shakesperean stage,has a balcony at stage right. This

can can be used for scenes that require balcony scenes, such as Aguinaldo's

declaration of Independence. T

Scene 1

Gregorian music in the background during blackout. As lights fade in, music fades

out. Narrator at centerstage:

NARRATOR: General Emilio Aguinaldo. President of the First Republic of the

Philippines. Blacklisted by Philippine Hisotry after he had Andres

Bonifacio shot to death because Bonifacio refused to accept his

leadership. (Emphatic) General Emilio Aguinaldo. Condemned by

historians, critics and writers as an assassin for condemning the

Katipunan Supremo Andres Bonifacio to a firing squad. (To audience)

You be the jury, ladies and gentlemen.

Scene 2

A court room. Judges forming a tribunal of 5 men at upper center stage. Alfredo

Saulo, historian and Aguinaldo biographer is Aguinaldo's defense attorney. He is

beside Aguinaldo who is in a witness stand, stage left.

JUDGE 1: General Aguinaldo, how do you plead to the charges brought against

you by Philippine hisotirans, critics and writers that you murdered the

Katipunan Supremo, Andres Bonifacio?

AGUINALDO: Not guilty, your honor.

JUDGE 2: You may proceed, Counsellor.

SAULO: Thank you, your honor. General Aguinaldo, would you recount to us

the events that led to Andres Bonifacio's death?

AGUINALDO: Yes, Professor.

As he narrates, the main area of the stage lights up and actors enact the events as

they are narrated by Aguinaldo. Other multi-media effects through film can also be

projected unto the cyclorama.

AGUINALDO: Let me begin with the Tejeros Convention. It was March 22,

1897. The convention took place in the barrio of Tejeros, Cavite.

Its purpose: to establish a revolutionary government for the

purpose of carrying on the revolution against Spain. The

Convention was initiated by the Magdiwang Council headed by

Andres Bonifacio. Earlier, On December 31, 1896, the day after

Jose Rizal's execution, the Imus Assembly was called by the

Magdalo Council. Since there were two factions fighting against

a common enemy, the Tejeros convention was held in response to

public clamor for the union of the two revolutionary councils.

Sometime after the Cry of Cavite on August 31, 1896, and the

beginning of its rule over some 14 liberated towns of Cavite

province, the Magdiwang council or government through

Artemio Ricarte invited Bonifacio, then hiding in the hills of San

Mateo and Montalban, to come to Cavite to see the difficult yet

satisfactory conditions in which the Cavite Katipuneros found

themselves. Bonifacio replied by congratulating the Magdiwang

leaders on their glorious success, but politely declined the

invitation to go to Cavite because in his opinion, it was not

advisable that all the leading Katipunan chiefs whould be in the

same district or province.

SAULO: Doubtless, Bonifacio remembered the saying: "Don't put all your

eggs in one basket."

AGUINALDO: Exactly. Bonifacio rightly foresaw the grave danger to the

revolution if the top revolutionary leaders were concentrated in

one small place and captured by the enemy. But upon the

insistence of the Magdiwang leaders, Bonifacio finally accepted

the third invitation sent by Ricarte. He arrived in Cavite on

December 1, 1896 with his party including his wife Gregoria de

Jesus, his two brothers, Procopio and Ciriaco, General Lucino,

and 20 soldiers.

I recall I was leading insurgent forces against the Spanish troops

and we were fighting a wide front from Zapote, Arumahan and

Las Pinas upto Pintong Bato in Bacoor. I learned at this time of

Bonifacio's arrival in Cavite. Without losing time, I sent

Generals Noriel and Pio del Pilar to welcome the Katipunan

Supremo. I joined them later.

The Supremo and I were very happy to see each other again,

although we had been separated for only a short time. I took

the visitors to Imus, the Magdalo Capital, where they were

welcomed by the people led by the Magdalo Council, including

Baldomero Aguinaldo, Edilberto Evangelista, Vito Belarmino,

Crispulo Aguinaldo, Daniel Tirona, Felix Cuenca, Licerio

Topacio, Cayetano Topacio, Jose Tagle, Sixto Espinosa and

others. (Actors at lower stage shaking hands, welcoming,

interacting, etc.)

The Bonifacio party stayed at the Castañeda residence for the

night. Here, Bonifacio recounted his trials and tribulations after

the Cry of Pugad Lawin, admitting to the virtual break-up of the

Katipunan, whereby some units were openly defying his attack

orders against enemy positions in Balintawak, Masambong,

Baesa, Sta. Mesa, San Juan and other places. (Actor playing

Bonifacio miming all this, while the other actors mime

sympathy by nodding their heads, etc.) He added apolegetically

that he could not keep his agreement to stop the enemy in the

eastern part of Manila, and told us that it was good we were

successful in Cavite. Otherwise, more Filipinos would have

been killed by the cruel friars.

The next morning, the entire Magdiwang Council from San

Frncisco de Malabon arrived in Imus to pay their respects to the

Supremo. They were: (as he narrates the names, the actors

playing the roles individually shake the Supremo's hand in what

might be some sort of protocol lineup) Mariano Alvarez,

President; Ariston Villanueva, Minister of War; Mariano Trias

y Closas, Minister of Justice; Emiliano Riego de Dios, Minister

of Natural Resources; Diego Mojica, Minister of Finance;

Pascual Alvarez, Minister of the Interior; Jacinto Lumbreras,

Minister of the Exterior; Santiago Alvarez, Captain General;

and Artemio Ricarte, Lieutenant General.

The enemy had learned of the Supremo's arrival. It started

bombarding rebel positions (canon and gunfire in the

background), and fighting flared up anew in Zapote (war cries

and slides depicting battle in Zapote). I had to leave

immediately for the front line. Bonifacio and his party left with

the Magdiwang officials for their headquarters.

All along the nine kilometer route from Noveleta to San

Francisco de Malabon, the Magdiwang capital, the houses were

gaily decorated with flags and bamboo arches had been put up

at strategic points. (Actors start decorating lower stage and

enacting the scene as it is being narrated.) A brass band met the

party one kilometer outside the poblacion, and from there, a

caravan of calesas wound up its way to the parish church where

they were met by the priest under a canopy. All the church's

chandeliers were lighted (bright lights come up) and the bells

pealed a clangorous welcome (sound of church bells). With the

choir chanting TE DEUM (choir in background singing TE

DEUM) Bonifacio walked under the canopy accompanied by

Father Manuel Trias, the parish priest. The huge crowd

gathered at the town plaza and greeted Bonifacio with

MABUHAY ANG HARI NG PILIPINAS! (crowd of actors

shouting "Mabuhay!" "Mabuhay si Bonifacio!", "Mabuhay ang

hari!", "Hari, Hari ng Pilipinas!")

With the arrival of their highest official, Bonifacio, the

Magdiwang Council was finally completed. The officials wore

very impressive costumes during their meetings. From the

"king" to the "captain General", they wore big red ribbons

decorated with gold tassles across their shoulders. (actors enact

this) Sometimes they wore these badges of distinction when

they made their rounds so that people would recognize their

positions in the government. Everywhere they went they were

given the customary welcome of bambooarches, music bands,

pealing of church bells and canopied entry in churches amidst

the singing of TE DEUM. Shots of "Mabuhay ang mga

Tagalog!" (Repeat enactment of above, this time without

Bonifacio).

The Magdiwang officials never had it so good because the 14

towns under their control were peaceful, since they were

located far from the battlefronts. On the other hand, the

Magdalo forces had almost daily encounters with the enemy at

Zapote, Almanza, San Nicolas, Arumahan, Pintong Bato, and

Molino in Bacoor, the first Cavite town under attack by enemy

troops coming from Manila (slides and war noises depicting

these encounters).

It's sad to say that on several occasions the enemy succeeded in

penetrating positions on the south bank of the Zapote river

because our soldiers, fatigued from incessant fighting, did not

notice the enemy coming. The enemy would have easily

wedged, expanded and deepened their attacks had it not been

for the timely arrival of the “bolo men” under Generals Mariano

Noriel and Pio del Pilar who pounded relentlessly on the

enemy, driving it back to its original position. Not infrequently,

the waters of Zapote River turned red with human blood as a

result of the daily carnage. (Slides)

SAULO: Let's go back to the Tejeros Convention. Would you describe

to us what happened?

AGUINALDO: I was not present at the Convention at the time because I was

directing insurgent forces defending Pasong Santol, a few

kilometers east of Dasmariñas. Dasmariñas had already fallen

in enemy hands.

From what I gathered, though, the timing of the Tejeros

Convention was bad because not many Magdalo officials

attended due to intensified enemy pressures on their territory.

Furthermore, the notice for the Convention was only given by

the Magdiwang president midnight of March 21st, advising the

Magdalo president of the convention at the Tejeros estate house

the next day, March 22nd.

It was a lopsided convention since 90 percent of the delegates

present were Magdiwang followers. However, the estate house

buzzed with life as more rebels, some of them uninvited, came.

Nine officers were to be elected by popular vote: the President,

Vice-President, Captain General, Director of War, Director of

the Interior, Director of State, Director of Finance, Director of

Fomento, and Director of Justice.

The Convention started after two in the afternoon under the

chairmanship of Jacinto Lumbreras, Magdiwang Minister of the

Interior. Teodoro Gonzales of the Magdiwang camp acted as

secretary.

SCENE 3

Fade out upperstage court scene; fade in lower stage: Tejeron Estate House.

People in auditorium buzzing in and out. Actors mingle with audience as lights in

auditorium come up. There is a presidential table centerstage. Seated at center is

Lumbreras, Gonzales at his side, Bonifacio, and other Magdiwang officials.

Questions raised from the floor should come from actors planted with the audience.

Spotlight focuses on actor who "takes the floor" from the auditorium.

SEVERINO DE LAS ALAS (FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE AUDITORIUM,

standing): Mr. Chairman, I would like first

of all to ask the delegates of this convention to first determine

what kind of government should be set up to administer the

country. Will it be monarchical? Republican? Etcetera.

(laughter, comments, buzzing from audience)

BONIFACIO: (from his chair at the presidential table) I'll answer that. The

letter "K" in the Katipunan flag speaks for itself. It stands for

liberty.

DE LAS ALAS: It still does not identify the kind of government to be

established.

ANTONIO MONTENEGRO (from somewhere in the auditorium): I agree. If we

do not act upon the suggestion of Mr. de las Alas now, we, the

rebels will be likened unto a mere pack of highway robbers, or

worse, like animals.

SANTIAGO ALVAREZ (FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL TABLE, angry, looking

at Montenegro): We, the rebels of Cavite, recognize the

Katipunan government. (Sarcastic, with anger in his tone) If

you want to set up another form of government, you can go

back to your own province and wrest authority from the

Spanaiards, as we have done here. We of Cavite do not need

any adviser of your standing.

Noise, confusion, everyone talking at the same time. Tension.

LUMBRERAS (POUNDING ON THE TABLE with his gave,trying to go above

the noise and confusion): Order Order, please!! (Noise begins

to subdue.) Let us recess for 10 minutes. You are requested to

return to your seats promptly after 10 minutes. (Pounds on his

gavel).

At this juncture, actors in the audience lead spectators outside; some may remain

and continue the debate. When 10 minutes are up, audience returns to their seats

led by actors, ushers, etc. Lumbreras, Bonifacio and others take their seats at the

presidential table.

LUMBRERAS: (pounding on the table with his gavel) Ladies and gentlemen,

the meeting will now come to order. At this juncture, I would

like to yield the chairmanship of this convention to Mr Andres

Bonifacio.

Reaction from audience.

SPECTATOR 1: Very good!

SPECTATOR 2: This is unfair. He is running for president. He can't be the

Chairman.

SPECTATOR 3: Why not? He is the President of the Supreme Council of the

Katipunan. Why can't he be the presiding officer of this

convention?

OTHER SPECTATORS: Yes, yes that's true. Let's proclaim him

chairman. (Applause.)

BONIFACIO: Thank you for your support, my friends. (very confident)

Before we begin with the elections, let us be aware of one very

important principle. Let us all abide and respect the will of the

majority.

Applause. A murmur of "ayes", and "majority wins".etc.

May I ask Mr. Ricarte to be the secretary and to put on record

the following: Let us all respect and abide by the will of the

majority.

Applause, comments from spectators: "That's fair", "Agreed".

Let us now have nominations for President.

SPECTATOR 4: I would like to nominate Mr. Andres Bonifacio for president!

(Applause and seconds )

BONIFACIO: Thank you, my friend.

SPECTATOR 5: I would like to nominate Mariano Trias y Closas for president.

(Slow reaction from audience).

SPECTATOR 8: I second.

SPECTATOR 6: (timidly) I nominate General Emilio Aguinaldo for president.

Rumours of dissent from some delegates. Jealous reaction from Bonifacio.

SPECTATOR 7: (objecting) That can't be. I object! He's not present and cannot

be nominated!

SPECTATOR 9: Why not? He is not here because he is fighting the Spaniards at

Pasong Santol. Why should he not be nominated? (Ayes and

other positive reactions).

SPECTATOR 7: (disgruntled) Oh, all right. I withdraw my objection.

Applause and mixed reaction: boos, and ayes.

SPECTATOR 9: I move that the nominations be closed. Seconds from

delegates.)

BONIFACIO: Now that the nominations are closed, may I ask Mr. Ricarte and

his assistants to distribute the ballot forms for you to write

down your choice. In a few minutes, the ballots will be

collected. (Ricarte and assistants distribute the ballot forms. A

few minutes while this takes place and spectators write out their

choice.

BONIFACIO: (after looking over auditorium and seeing everyone has

finished) Mr. Ricarte, will you now please collect the ballots.

Ricarte and assistants collect ballots through ballot boxes . An actor installs a

blackboard for the tally.

BONIFACIO: Mr. Ricarte, will you now read the results?

RICARTE:

Aguinaldo...Aguinaldo...Aguinaldo.....Trias...Aguinaldo...Bonif

acio...Aguinaldo...(At the end of the enumeration, Aguinaldo

comes out triumphant with the majority of votes).

BONIFACIO: (HURT AND FEIGNING SPORTSMANSHIP) Aguinaldo is

proclaimed President.

Loud applause from audience.

BONIFACIO: Let us go on and elect the Vice-President.

DE LAS ALAS: I suggest that the Supremo be automatically declared Vice

President since he received the second highest number of votes.

Lukewarm reception from the body of delegates.

BONIFACIO: (Trying his best to hide his disappointment) Thank you for

your suggestion, Mr. de las Alas, but I think we should continue

with the nominations.

Elections continue in pantomime as NARRATOR speaks. Spotlight on

NARRATOR.

NARRATOR: It was entirely a Magdiwang affair after that. Mariano

Trias y Closas won handily over Bonifacio, de las Alas, and

Mariano Alvarez, all of the Magdiwang Camp. Bonifacio's

disappoiintment must have deepened. For the position of

Captain General, Artemio Ricarte, probably Bonifacio's most

loyal follower, defeated Santiago Alvarez, who was already

occupying that position in the Magdiwang Council. To the

surprise of everybody, Ricarte stood up and declined his

election. But it was disapproved by the convention.

It was getting late in the afternoon and in order to complete the

election, the secret balloting was abandoned in favor of an open

election. Emiliano Riego de Dios of Maragondon was elected

Director of War over Ariston Villanueva, Daniel Tirona and

Santiago Alvarez. Andres Bonifacio, after two unsuccessful

tries, was finally elected Director of the Interior over Mariano

Alvarez and Pascual Alvarez. But then, Daniel Tirona

protested.

TIRONA: (in the audience, amidst voices of protest and complaints,

spotlight on him) I hear voices and complaints saying that

Bonifacio should not be given the post of Director of the

Interior because such a job requires an educated man. I think

Atty Jose del Rosario of Sta. Cruz de Malabon will fit the

portfolio much better.

Applause, boos, remarks.

I do not mean to belittle the Supremo or insult him. I beg the

Supremo's forgiveness. It's just that I'm merely voicing the

suggestion of the people around me.

BONIFACIO: (firmly and adversely) If educated men were required for all

the positions, point to me who among those elected could be

considered truly educated.

TIRONA: (challenging) Let us elect Atty. Jose del Rosario as Director of

the Interior!

Boos from the audience, and remarks like "You"re out of order!", "Bonifacio has

already been elected!", etc. Tirona insists three more times shouting: "Del Rosario

for Director of the Interior!" There is now chaos, and Bonifacio, unable to control

his emotions says:

BONIFACIO: (ANGRY) This convention is not a convention of gentlemen!

As presiding officer, I declare all elections null and void!

He walks out followed by his close associates. After he exits, the Batangas

delegates protest.

BATANGUEÑO: (from the auditorium, addressing the audience) Everybody

knows our loyalty to the founder of the Katipunan and the

Magdiwang. But if against all reason the result of an election

so thoroughly agreed upon among all is invalidated, we, the

Batangueños, will impose it by force, and we will do it alone if

the sons of Cavite will not respect it.

Applause from audience. Spotlight now on the NARRATOR.

SCENE 4

NARRATOR: It was Col. Vicente Riego de Dios of the Magdiwang

Council who came at the head of a group to notify Aguinaldo of

his election as Presidente. He advised him to take his oath so

that the new revolutionary government could function

immediately. Aguinaldo begged to be excused saying that the

situation at the front was very critical. Then a second team

arrived to summon him. This time it was headed by his older

brother Crispulo. Again, Aguinaldo tried to excuse himself

pointing out that the failure to halt the Spanish advance at

Pasong Santol would mean the fall of Imus and, subsequently,

the fall of Cavite province. He assured his younger brother and

said:

CRISPULO: (in the midst of battle, soldiers fighting around them, to

Aguinaldo) Let me say here and now that the Spaniards can

take this place only by passing over my dead body! (Aguinaldo

embraces his older brother who takes over command of the

troops as Aguinaldo and his aides exit).

NARRATOR: Emilio Aguinaldo, accompanied by his staff, proceeded

to the parish convent of Sta. Cruz de Malabon. (This scene is

enacted in mime on another part of the stage while it is

narrated). There, inside the parish convent, before a huge

crucifix hanging on the wall, President-elect Aguinaldo and

Vice-President-elect Mariano Trias Closas knelt on two

cushions and with their right hands raised, took their oaths

before the parish priest, Fr. Cenon Villafranca.(Fade out.

Spotlight now on NARRATOR.) To General Emilio Aguinaldo,

the newly inducted President of the first Filipino revolutionary

government, it was the costliest oath-taking ever. The strategic

Pasong Santol, gateway to the capital of Imus, was finally taken

by the enemy. True to his word, over the dead body of his older

brother, Lt. General Crispulo Aguinaldo.

Red spotlight fades in slowly on Crispulo's dead body in the battlefield of Pasong

Santol. Fade out, as lights fade in at upperstage. We are back at Aguinaldo's trial

scene. He is at the witness stand. Saulo continues the cross-examination.

SAULO: And then what happened?

AGUINALDO: (as he narrates, he enacts the scene with the other characters)

After the oath-taking that same evening, I called my

companions--Generals Mariano Trias and Riego de Dios--and

also General Ricarte to a meeting. I told them of the need for

the lieutenant of every town not engaged in battle to come to

Sta. Cruz de Malabon and help General Crispulo Aguinaldo in

Pasong Santol. I had barely made the suggestion when General

Ricarte stood up and said he was feeling dizzy. So, he went out

without even bidding the three of us goodbye. I was amazed at

such a behaviour by a general of our army! However, I did not

mind it at all. The other two generals gave me all the support I

needed and followed my suggestion. That night, dispatches

were sent to all the troops of the Magdiwang.

At ten o'clock the next morning, March 24, I was very happy to

see the arrival of a battalion from Naik under the command of

Major Andres Villanueva, son of former Minister of War,

Ariston Villanueva in the Bonifacio cabinet, in response to our

request. So, I sent Villanueva and his men immediately to

General Crispulo Aguinaldo in Pasong Santol. One by one,

more companies and battalions arrived in Sta. Cruz de Malabon

from the Magdiwang towns of Ternate, Maragondon,

Magallanes, and other municipalities. I immediately dispatched

all of them to Pasong Santol.

But what a bitter disappointment and sorrow I had when I

learned that our troops bound for Pasong Santol had all been

intercepted by General Ricarte, upon orders of the Supremo.

They were gathered inside the big yard of Mrs. Estefania

Potente in the poblacion of San Francisco de Malabon where

they were told by the Supremo not to succor the Pasong Santol

defenders but simply wait for the enemy in Magdiwang

territory. In addition, the troops were given an express order to

intercept and kidnap me on my way to Imus after my oath-

taking in Sta. Cruz de Malabon.

When I learned about this evil plot, I just heaved a sigh and said

to myself "Our revolution is bound to fail because of the

selfishness and vindictiveness of one man: Bonifacio".

Angrily reacting to the news of the dastardly plot against me,

General Trias suggested that I order the arrest of the traitors.

SAULO: Go on, General.

AGUINALDO: On the night of March 25th, like a thunderbolt, the horrible

news came that Pasong Santol had been taken by the enemy,

and my dear brother Crispulo had been killed after a bitter and

bloody fight. True to his pledge, General Crispulo Aguinaldo

fought as he had never fought before, but the enemy, vastly

superior in both men and arms, finally captured the strategic

pass--over his dead body. (Pause. Aguinaldo controls his

emotions. A painful look registers in his face.) If the strong

reinforcements that I had dispatched to Pasong Santol had not

been intercepted, perhaps not only the Spanish General Anonio

Zaballa would have been killed and buried in that battleground

but a far greater disaster could have aggravated the sudden

illness of Governor and Captain General Polavieja. (Pause.

Takes a drink of water.)

I set out for my return trip to Imus. I would pass through San

Francisco de Malabon, the Magdiwang capital. Worried about

my safety, General Trias decided to accompany me. As we

were about to board a carretela, the troop reinforcements under

Major Gregorio Jocson arrived. They had just seen action at

Pasong Santol. It was from Jocson that I got first-hand

information about the death of my brother Crispulo. After a late

breakfast Jocson and his troops accompanied me to Imus.

After taking Pasong Santol, the Spanish juggernaut swept past

minor rebel positions, then raced to the northwest in an effort to

take the Magdalo capital of Imus by storm. All that my troops

could offer was delaying action. I did not have enough forces

to stop the enemy offensive. Shortly before the capture of Imus

on March 25, I had a malaria attack. I was forced to leave to

my cousin, Baldomero Aguinaldo and othr Magdalo generals

the defense of the Imus poblacion. I and members of my family

left on a carretela bound for Naik, some 35 kilometers to the

southwest, where I set up my headquarters.

It was a good thing the enemy was busy shouting Viva España

as it climbed over our trenches surrounding Imus, for then we

were able to retreat immediately and avoid being captured. Had

the enemy pursued us, we could have been overtaken, and

surely I would have been placed inside an iron cage, specially

built for me, for public display at the Luneta.

After the fall of Imus, the Spanish troops under General

Lachambre spearheaded on to Bacoor, then to Kawit, Noveleta,

and Rosario. It is interesting to note that it was the Magdalo

troops fighting all the way as they retreated. They put up a

strong defense of the Magdiwang towns of Noveleta, Rosario

and finally San Francisco de Malabon, the Magdiwang capital,

which Bonifacio and Ricarte had abandoned as soon as the

Spaniards entered Imus, some 20 kilometers to the northeast.

When the enemy finally entered San Francisco de Malabon on

April 7, Bonifacio and Ricarte had long transferred their

headquarters to Naik. I asked myself: "When will the Supremo

finally come face to face with the enemy?"

Bonifacio, Ricarte and their followers were the first to arrive in

Naik. They occupied the Recollect estate house, a veritable

fortress, for their headquarters. When I arrived in Naik, shortly

before Holy Week, still weak from my bout with malaria, I

stayed in the residence of Major Jocson. On the night of April

19, as I lay ill in the Jocson residence, Bonifacio gathered his

Magdiwang followers in the Recollect estate house near the

Naik church and prepared a four-paragraph military agreement

establishing a separate army under the command of General Pio

del Pilar. Another associate of mine, General Mariano Noriel,

had been deceived into joining this new army. The trick that

persuaded these two generals of mine to cast their lot with the

Katipunan Supremo was an anonymous letter.

Fade out.

SCENE 5

Fade in on Saulo. Aguinaldo is back at the witness stand.

SAULO: How did you find out about the Bonifacio-Ricarte plot against

you?

AGUINALDO: I felt uneasy at the Jocson residence. I could not understand

why no preparations were being made for the defense of Naik in

the face of the approaching enemy offensive. The Magdiwang

capital of San Francisco de Malabon had fallen, and the capture

of the next town, Sta. Cruz de Malabon, was a foregone

conclusion because the craven mayor, Francisco Valencia, had

already instructed his people to hang out white flags on the

windows of their houses. Between the last and Naik was a

stretch of savanna without any natural obstacle that could delay

the enemy advance.

I sent a 60-man reconnaisance patrol under Major Lazaro

Makapagal on the afternoon of April 19. It was already dark

when Makapagal came back alone and panting. He recounted

to me that he and his men had been invited to drop in and take

some food at the Bonifacio headquarters and, once inside the

big estate house, they were locked up in a room on the ground

floor. Makapagal managed to escape and report the incident to

me.

I was furious. I sent Generals Baldomero Aguinaldo and

Tomas Mascardo to the estate house to investigate. They were

not allowed entry by the guard as Bonifacio and his followers

were then in a secret conference on the second floor. Through

my host, Major Jocson, I sent word to Col. Blas Bustamante to

get his men ready to surround the estate house. I took my gun

and dagger and went straight to the Bonifacio headquarters. I

was surprised to see Baldomero Aguinaldo and Mascardo still

waiting at the entrance.

SCENE 6

Fade into scene of Bonifacio's headquarters. We see 2 guards blocking Baldomero

Aguinaldo and Mascardo. Enter General Aguinaldo.

AGUINALDO: (TO THE TWO) What are you two still doing here?

MASCARDO: They wouldn't let us in, sir.

AGUINALDO: (to guards) Do you know me?

GUARDS: Yessir!

AGUINALDO: Am I your enemy?

GUARDS: No, sir!

AGUINALDO: Why then didn't you let my generals in?

GUARDS: We had strict orders from the Supremo, sir, not to let anyone in.

AGUINALDO: We're not the enemy. Let us in!

GUARDS: (letting them in) Yessir!

Aguinaldo and his generals pass through the gate. Before he goes upstairs to the

meeting room, he admonishes his generals.

AGUINALDO: Wait for me here. I'm going up alone. I'll fire my weapon if I

need help.

MASCARDO: Understood, sir.

Aguinaldo climbs up to upperstage where the Bonifacio's secret meeting is taking

place. Before he enters, he stops at the doorway and listens.

Bonifacio reads the anonymous letter to his followers: Artemio Ricarte, Santiago

Alvarez, Pascual Alvarez, and many others including Generals Pio del Pilar and

Noriel.)

BONIFACIO: I have just received this anonymous letter about Aguinaldo's

surrender to the Spaniards. Let me read it to you: "General

Aguinaldo has surrendered all the arms of the revolutionists in

Cavite to the Spanish government as requested in the letters of

Jesuit Father Pio Pi and Fiscal General Comenge to Aguinaldo.

The surrender was finalized in a letter which was sent to

General Lachambre through Domingo Martinez, a Spanish

prisoner, who was being kept in the house of General Tomas

Mascardo." This is the reason why until now General

Aguinaldo has been malingering. Isn't it our good fortune that

this letter reached me on time? I trust that our new captain

general, Pio del Pilar (pointing to him) will endeavour to form

just one strong army for our government.

Simultaneously, Procopio Bonifacio comes up the stairs, greets Aguinaldo, and

announces his presence as he enters the meeting room.

PROCOPIO: Gentlemen, General Aguinaldo is here.

AGUINALDO: (polite and cool) Good evening to you all!

Everyone is dumbfounded. Reactions. Comments such as "Paano siya

nakapasok?" Pio del Pilar and Noriel try to hide from embarassment.

BONIFACIO: Come in, General and join us.

AGUINALDO: Thank you, but no. I was not invited. Good night to all. (Starts

descent to lower stage)

BONIFACIO: (calling to Procopio) Ask him to come back. I need to talk to

him. (Procopio nods and goes after Aguinaldo.)

The following scene should be orchestrated and timed so that by the time Procopio

reaches Aguinaldo at the lower stage, Aguinaldo will have released his captured

troops.

AGUINALDO: (reaching lowerstage, joining his 2 generals, and noticing a door

leading to a large room. He opens the door and sees Major

Makapagal's troops detained there) You may get out now and

stay in formation close by.

PROCOPIO: (reaching lowerstage; to AGUINALDO) The Supremo

insists in your presence in our meeting, General.

AGUINALDO: (politely) Please tell the Supremo that I was not previously

invited, and I feel it improper to participate. Please thank him

for the invitation. And would you please ask Generals Noriel

and del Pilar that I would like to see them.

PROCOPIO: All right, General.

SCENE 7

Fade out. Fade into Aguinaldo's headquarters. Aguinaldo at his desk. Enter

Generals Noriel and del Pilar. They salute him.

AGUINALDO: (with a tone of rebuke in his voice) I did not expect you two to

be with Don Andres.

DEL PILAR: We were blinded by false promises, sir.

MASCARDO: We admit our mistake, sir.

AGUINALDO: Go back to your soldiers and do your duties as officers.

BOTH: (saluting) Yes sir! (Exit)

Enter Colonel Agapito "Intong" Bonzon, Major Ignacio Pawa and Major Felipe

Topacio. They salute Aguinaldo.

AGUINALDO: I would like the three of you to talk to the Supremo. Try to

convince him that there's no point having two opposing factions

against one common enemy. Tell him that if our armies are

divided, we'll never defeat the Spaniards. Convince him that our

campaign against the common enemy will be more effective if

we fight together.

BONZON: Yes, sir. We'll see him right away. (Salutes from him & the

two Majors.

SCENE 8

Fade out. Fade in Bonifacio's headquarters in Naik. Bonifacio is with his brother,

Ciriaco. Enter Bonzon, Pawa and Topacio.

BONZON: Good evening, Supremo.

BONIFACIO: Good evening. How can I help you?

BONZON: Supremo, we were sent by General Aguinaldo to ask you to join

forces with him.

PAWA: He suggested that thee was no point in having two opposing

factions fighting a common enemy.

TOPACIO: If our armies are divided, we'll never defeat the Spanish forces.

BONZON: Our campaign against a common enemy will be more effective

if we reconcile and fight together.

BONIFACIO: I think he has a point there. Why indeed should we have two

separate armies when we only have one common enemy?

CIRIACO: Brother, I think it would be a bad decision to join forces with

him. (Angry) Why will you let these three convince you?

You're the Supremo. If you join forces with Aguinaldo, you'll

end up being his lackey!

BONIFACIO: Let me think about the General's offer. I'll let you know as soon

as I make a decision.

Exit the three officers.

SCENE 9

Fade in. We're back at the court scene. Saulo continues the cross-examination.

SAULO: Did he finally decide to join you?

AGUINALDO: No, he did not.

SAULO: What happened next?

AGUINALDO: After the Supremo decided against us, he and his followers left

Naik and went to his mountain hideout in Limbon. Upon the

suggestion of my Secretary of War, General Emiliano Riego de

Dios, I dispatched Generals Baldomero Aguinaldo and Tomas

Mascardo, Colonel Bonzon and Majors Pawa and Topacio

together with half a battalion of soldiers to arrest him.

SCENE 10

Fade in: Limbon, mountain hideout of Bonifacio. His hideout is surrounded by

trenches. Bonzon enters with a platoon of soldiers.

BONZON: (calling out) Supremo, we would like to talk to you.

GUARD: (in one of the trenches) Halt to be recognized!

BONZON: I am Colonel Bonzon. I want to speak with the Supremo.

GUARD: Stay where you are. (Leaves trench and enters hideout. Comes

out again.) Okay, you can come in. Alone. Leave your

weapons behind.

Bonzon takes his gun out of his holster and leaves it with one of the members of

his platoon.

BONZON: I'm coming in. I'm unarmed. (He approaches hideout with his

hands up. Guard approaches him and frisks him. Then calls

another guard to escort him into the hideout. They climb up to

upperstage where Bonifacio is sitting with his followers.) Good

day, Supremo.

BONIFACIO: Well, we meet again. (Suspicious) What is it this time?

Another reconciliation?

BONZON: No, Supremo. This time I have orders from General Aguinaldo

to take you back to Naik!

BONIFACIO: Take me back? Who does he think he is? Tell your "Captain"

Aguinaldo that I'm not returning there. There's nothing to eat

there.

BONZON: Nothing to eat? When you left the Recollect estate house, you

left a lot of cooked food that just went to waste.

BONIFACIO: I'm not talking about our group. I'm referring to the families of

our soldiers who died in San Francisco de Malabon because of

lack of food supplies. Tell your leader I'm not going back there.

And that's final!

BONZON: All right, Supremo. I'll convey the message.

Bonzon starts descending to lower stage observing and remembering the set-up of

Bonifacio's hideout. Just as he is about to join his battalion, shots are fired from

the Bonifacio camp. Ciriaco Bonifacio fires at them with his Mauser rifle killing

Bonzon's sergeant, a corporal and 3 other soldiers. Returning the fire, Bonzon's

men joined by the rest of the battalion's officers and soldiers kill Ciriaco and

wounds the Supremo and some of his soldiers. Procopio Bonifacio and the

remaining soldiers are outnumbered and are captured alive. Andres Bonifacio is

put in a hammock and carried away.

SCENE 11

We're back in Aguinaldo's headquarters in Naik. Aguinaldo is surrounded by his

staff: Generals Riego de Dios, Baldomero Aguinaldo, and Mascardo. Cannons and

shots from enemy lines heard in the background.

AGUINALDO: What do we do with the Supremo? Should we try him and his

brother before a Council of War?

RIEGO DE DIOS: I don't think so, General. We're in a state of war, and we're

clashing with the enemy almost every day. I think it would be

untimely to create a Council of War at the present moment.

BALDOMERO: It's obvious that the Bonifacio brothers have committed treason

against the revolutionary government.

MASCARDO: You were right there, General, when he read that

anonymous letter accusing you of an alleged plot to surrender to

the Spaniards.

RIEGO DE DIOS: We also have proof that he plotted to assassinate you.

BALDOMERO: Colonel Bonzon reported that he blatantly refused to cooperate

with us to fight a common enemy.

MASCARDO: Adding insult to injury, he wanted to form his own

counterrevolutionary government.

RIEGO DE DIOS: I conclude, sir, that these crimes and other overt acts aimed at

overthrowing the government warrants immediate execution

without benefit of trial.

AGUINALDO: I understand your concerns. (Stands, paces a few seconds, then

in a deliberate and calm tone) I am very sorry to differ with you

on the matter. I believe that even if we are in a state of war, it

is absolutely necessary that we act like prudent and civilized

human beings. The life of a person, no matter who he is, needs

to be respected. I don't think it right to have anyone, especially

our brothers, shot just like animals. Whatever their crimes are,

they are entitled to a fair trial. While it is true that ordinary

laws are suspended during wartime, it is equally true that we

follow laws during war. We have military courts to render

justice. I will set the investigation and get the trial under way

without delay. I am appointing Colonel Jose Lipana as Judge

Advocate and Colonel Jose Elises as Fiscal.

Fade out.

SCENE 12

Fade in. We're back at the court scene.

SAULO: Then what happened?

AGUINALDO: The court-martial of Bonifacio and his brother Procopio was

held on May 5 with Placido Martinez acting as counsel for the

Supremo, and Teodoro Gonzales for Procopio. The charges

against the accused were: 1) treason and conspiracy to

overthrow the newly established revolutionary government; 2)

attempted assassination on me; 3) bribing government soldiers

to join them in their seditious plot. The Council of War heard

the pleas of the defense counsel and gave Bonifacio a chance to

explain his side. After due deliberation, the Council on May 6

found the Bonifacio brothers guilty as charged and

recommended the death penalty. On the same day, the Council

of War forwarded its decision to me; I referred it to Judge

Advocate General Baldomero Aguinaldo for review. He

recommended approval of the verdict.

I deliberated the matter for two days after which I decided to

commute the death penalty. On May 8th, I wrote out the order

of commutation.

SAULO: Your honors, I have as Exhibit A the order of commutation.

(Gives Exhibit A to one of the judges.)

JUDGE: Would you please read the order, General Aguinaldo? (Passes

exhibit A to him.)

AGUINALDO: Certainly, your honor. (Reads) "Considering the present

situation of this land and the fact that the guilty ones are true

sons of this country; following likewise the merciful policy of

the government never to draw blood uselessly...I hereby pardon

Andres Bonifacio and Procopio Bonifacio from the death

penalty, and instead grant the punishment of exile in an isolated

place, where they will be held in solitary confinement, watched

by prison guards, and will not be allowed to speak to each other

or to the people."

SAULO: Why did the order of commutation not go through?

AGUINALDO: The reaction to my commutation order was immediate and

negative. Within a couple of hours, Generals Pio del Pilar and

Mariano Noriel together with leading representatives of the alsa

balutan refugees, Jose Zulueta, Anastacio Francisco and

Mamerto Natividad came to convince me to withdraw the order.

SCENE 13

Fade in Aguinaldo Headquarters. Aguinaldo surrounded by Generals Pio del Pilar,

Mariano Noriel, Zulueta, Francisco and Natividad.

NORIEL: Sir, to keep Bonifacio alive is to endanger the cause of the

revolution. We cannot afford to be divided at this critical

moment.

DEL PILAR: As you can see, sir, it's either you or he!

ZULUETA: We urge you, sir, to withdraw the commutation order.

FRANCISCO: I represent the manileños, and I believe that Bonifacio alive is

more dangerous than if he were dead.

NATIVIDAD: I represent Nueva Ecija, sir, and I believe with my fellow

revolutionaries there that Bonifacio will do more harm than

good to the revolution if he is kept alive.

SCENE 14

Fade in court scene. Upperstage.

SAULO: And so, you were convinced by the logic of their arguments.

AGUINALDO: That is correct. (As he narrates, actors enact the scene at lower

stage.) I verbally withdrew the commutation order whereupon

General Noriel ordered a squad of soldiers under Major Lazaro

Makapagal on the morning of May 10 to take the Bonifacio

brothers to the foot of Mount Hulog, about four kilometers west

of the poblacion of Maragondon, where they were executed.

(Drumbeats. Sound of gunshots.)

SAULO: Any concluding statements or afterthoughts, General, about the

execution?

AGUINALDO: While I deeply deplored Bonifacio's loss, I could not show

weakness. The times and circumstances demanded of me

firmness and sternness however heavy my heart was. His death

made me the undisputed leader of the revolution, together with

its tremendous responsibilities and sacrifices. I could not afford

to patch up the disunity Bonifacio had created by another form

of disunity I would have created resulting from differences over

his punishment.

Spotlight on NARRATOR, lower stage.

NARRATOR: Before you pass judgment, ladies and gentlemen of the

jury, let us hear what some critics and historians said about

Bonifacio's execution. First, the Bonifacio biographer, Teodoro

Agoncillo.

AGONCILLO: (from somewhere in the auditorium, spotlighted) I maintain that

the trial conducted by the Council of War was a farce and the

members of the court could have been saved the trouble of a

mock trial if the Bonifacio brothers had been shot outright since

the Naik Military Agreement was a concrete proof of

Bonifacio's guilt involving sedition. I might add, however, that

since there were no concrete proofs of the crimes adduced in

the course of the trial, Bonifacio should have merited at least a

less severe punishment.

NARRATOR: Let's hear what Teodoro Kalaw, historian and former

director of the national library had to say.

T. KALAW: (from the balcony section of the auditorium, spotlighted) Unity

had to be maintained. All opposition had to be put down with

an iron hand.

NARRATOR: Maximo, the younger Kalaw, former Dean of the

University of the Philippines, had this to say.

M. KALAW: (from the back of the orchestra section, spotlighted) The

revolutionists could not afford to be divided. One of two

courses had to be taken: either the continuation of the

Katipunan government under Bonifacio or the maintenance of

the new revolutionary government under Aguinaldo which had

the support of the majority. The revolutionary government was

forced to eliminate him.

NARRATOR: And last but not least, the Filipino scholar Epifanio de los

Santos.

DE LOS SANTOS: (from around the middle of the auditorium, spotlighted)

The Bonifacio execution was not only justified but inevitable

because of Bonifacio's plan to head a counterrevolution;

because of pressure of the enemy who was then sweeping

Cavite with a broom of lead and steel; because of pressure of

those outside, among them Clemente Jose Zulieta and Felician

Jocson; and, more than all these, because of the terrible general

panic.

(Drumbeats. Fade in court scene.)

JUDGE: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, how do you find the

defendant: guilty or not guilty?

Spotlight on 12 members of the jury seated in different areas of the auditorium who

stand up one by one to say NOT GUILTY. After the last "not guilty", drumbeats

are heard, followed by Gregorian music. Lights fade out from stage, and

auditorium lights come up to end the Act.

Page 55

GENERAL EMILIO AGUINALDO

ACT TWO

SCENE 1

(Gregorian music during blackout; as music fades out, spotlight focuses on

NARRATOR, centerstage.)

NARRATOR: General Emilio Aguinaldo. Born 1869. Died 1964. He

said: "Truth will triumph over falsity and deceit." During his

lifetime, lies were told about him. Lies about his role in the

Philippine Revolution of 1896. Lies about his role in the

Philippine-American War that followed. But Emilio Aguinaldo,

a humble man, a religious man, refused to confront these critics.

He knew that in time, history would vindicate him. (Fade out.

When spotlight returns, Aguinaldo is at centerstage. He is 30

years old, wearing his general's uniform.)

Page 56

AGUINALDO: When I look back at the history of mankind, it all boils down to

greed, selfishness, avarice, imperialism, expansionism, and the

means to all these: war and violence. Man's cruelty to man.

The strong over the weak.

We Filipinos were puppets of so-called "democratic" nations--

Spain and the United States. We were peons in their war

games; they decided, and we fought their wars. Despite our

idealism, the idealism of democracy taught to us by these

foreigners, we realized when it was too late that we were being

fooled by all their talk of democracy. It was democracy and

freedom for them, not for us, the indios. When they speak of

"freedom for all people of the world", they mean freedom for

the whites, the white people of the world.

I was young. All of us were young idealists--Agoncillo, Basa,

Tolentino, Ferrer, Canon--we trusted the old seadog Dewey

when he said: "The U.S. had come to the Philippines to protect

Page 57

its natives and to free them from the yoke of Spain." He went

on to say: "America is rich in territory and money; it needs no

colonies." We believed the old man because we were young,

only to find out later that we were being used, our expendable

indio blood shed to protect their white skins from being

blemished.

Fade out.

SCENE 2

Lights fade in another part of the stage. The 29-year old Aguinaldo is given the

honors of a general by a section of the US Marine guards aboard the flagship

Olympia . Commodore Dewey, 62 years old, meets him. After the honor guard

ceremonies, the two sit down and talk:

Page 58

AGUINALDO: Commodore Dewey, is it true that you sent all those telegrams

to Consul Pratt in Singapore assuring Philippine Independence

undr an American naval protectorate?

DEWEY: Yes, it's true. We came to the Philippines to protect the Filipino

people from Spain. There is no doubt whatsoever about the

recognition of Philippine Independence by the United States.

All we ask is if you could exhort your soldiers to make a short,

sharp and decisive campaign against the Spaniards.

AGUINALDO: (softspoken and modest) Our battles and skirmishes against the

Spanish forces will speak for themselves. Our main problem

now is the fact that we are running out of arms and ammunition.

I'm expecting the first arms shipment from Consul Wildman.

Unless I receive these supplies, I cannot begin the campaign.

DEWEY: We'll have to do something about that. (Thinking.) This is

what I can do for you. I'll dispatch a steaner to Hong Kong to

carry the arms. In the meantime, you have at your disposal all

Page 59

the guns seized aboard the Spanish warships as well as 62 rifles

and ammunition which the Petrel brought in from Corregidor.

AGUINALDO: Thank you, Commodore. (Pause. Then, with a deliberate but

calm and modest tone.) Before leaving Hong Kong, the

revolutionary junta held a meeting to discuss the possibility

that, after the Spaniards were defeated, the American

government might not recognize our independence. In such a

case, we might have to fight another war against you. If this

happens, we will surely be defeated. we will be battle-weary by

then; we'll be short of arms and ammunition after fighting the

Spaniards, etcetera. I'm sorry for my frankness, but my

question is: Do the doubtsd and misgivings of my countrymen

have any basis?

DEWEY: (laughing politely) I'm glad you're open and frank with me. I

sincerely believe that Filipinos and Americans should be friends

and allies. We must iron out all doubts and misgivings. I

assure you that the United States will recognize the the

Page 60

sovereignty of the Filipino people. The word of honor of

Americans is more binding than any written treaties and

agreements signed by the Spaniards. I say this because I am

aware of what happened between you and the Spaniards in the

Pact of Biak-na-Bato. In fact, I suggest that the Philippine flag

be hoisted jointly with the American flag to inspire the respect

and esteem of all foreign nations.

Fade out from this scene.

SCENE 3

Fade in on NARRATOR.

NARRATOR: "American perfidy", as one Filipino historian would say.

American perfidy and doublecross. What happened next?

Well, the Americans sat down comfortably in their warships in

Manila Bay the next few weeks after giving arms and

ammunition to their "little brown brothers", and let them fight

Page 61

for them their war against the Spaniards. We saw how

Aguinaldo acted in good faith. It never crossed his mind that

Americans were capable of deceit. After meeting with Dewey,

he met with his revolutionary junta in Hong Kong.

SCENE 4

Scene now takes place in a rooming house in Hong Kong where the Filipino exiles

are together discussing plans for Philippine Independece with General Aguinaldo.

Date: May 4, 1898.

AGUINALDO: I have absolute confidence in the history and tradition of the

Americans who fought for their independence against England,

who campaigned against the abolition of slavery, and on the

strength of being a free nation, posed as the champion liberator

of oppressed peoples.

AGONCILLO: I totally agree. I strongly believe that the United States will

Page 62

recognize our independence. The United States declared war

against Spain to free Cuba. I don't foresee that the Americans

would act otherwise in our case.

SANDIKO: I also agree with your thesis. If Washington proposes to carry

out the fundamental principles of the American Constitution, it

is highly improbable that an attempt will be made to colonize or

annex us. I likewise strongly believe that independence will be

guaranteed.

ALEJANDRINO: I know it's a great risk to accept the American invitation to

cooperate with them in the common struggle against the

Spaniards, but it's a risk we must take. We have no choice. We

have no arms nor ammunition, and only the Americans can sell

us arms and ammunition, as well as manpower.

AGUINALDO: Dewey wants us to return to the Philippines and induce the

Filipinos to rise in rebellion against the Spaniards. He assured

me that the American government will furnish us with all the

Page 63

arms and ammunitions we need. He told me that he didn't have

the authority, but there was no doubt in his mind that our

sovereignty will be recognized if we cooperated and assisted

them in defeating the Spaniards, the same way they did to the

Cubans.

Fade out.

SCENE 5

Fade in NARRATOR.

NARRATOR: The Cubans. Yes, the Cubans. Look at them now. Anti-

americans, obviously because of American treachery. That's

what it boils down to: treachery, exploitation, expansionism,

call it white chauvinism, arrogance and add to that,

intimidation. The United States agains the third world

countries. The strong against the weak.

Page 64

Going back to the Philippine scene: the USA took a 180 degree

about face in her policy toward the Philippines, in contrast to

what they did in their Free-Cuba policy. Manifest Destiny.

Claro Mayo Recto had elaborated on this in his speeches and

essays years after McKinley and his advisers Theodore

Roosevelt, Russell Alger and others came up with this

resolution. The resolution simply meant that the United States

would abandon her traditional foreign policy of non-

intervention in the affairs of other nations, and put in its place a

policy of expansionism, or as the American political strategists

would euphemistically refer to as "a policy of destiny".

The naval strategist Captain Alfred T. Mahan commented:

Spotlight on MAHAN in one section of the stage.

MAHAN: Expansion arose through no premeditated contrivance of our

own; our wishes made no difference at all; it was natural,

necessary, irrepressible.

Page 65

NARRATOR: Secretary of State John Hay chorused:

Spotlight on HAY in other section of the stage.

HAY: No man, no party, can fight with any chance of success against

a cosmic tendency.

NARRATOR: Still another influential expansionist, Chauncey Dephew

said the following with certainty and confidence in regard to the

destiny of the United States of America:

Spotlight on Dephew in another section of the stage.

DEPHEW: To crave for colonial possessions is in the blood, and no power

can stop it.

NARRATOR: The young, impetuous Assistant Secretary of the Navy

who would later become President of the United States,

Page 66

Theodore Roosevelt, shaking his fist at a Gridiron Dinner

commented:

Spotlight on Roosevelt sitting somewhere in the audience.

ROOSEVELT: (shaking his fist) McKinley has no more backbone than a

chocolate eclair. We will have this war for the freedom of

Cuba in spite of the timidity of commercial interests.

NARRATOR: Another expansionist cabinet member, Secretary of War

Russell Alger, a former Civil War Army General, said:

Spotlight on Alger.

ALGER: President McKinley must declare war against Spain. He's

making a great mistake. He's in danger of ruining himself and

the Republican Party by standing in the way of the people's

wishes. Congress will declare war in spite of him. He'll get run

over, and the party with him.

Page 67

NARRATOR: The American Congress finally declared war against

Spain over Cuba. What McKinley did not reckon with was that

the Cuban War, with all its too idealistic message of liberating

the Cubans from Spanish tyranny, was used by the scheming

Roosevelt and company as a cover up for colonial expansion in

the Pacific. The flimsy excuse given was to prevent the Spanish

fleet from attacking the west coast of the United States. But

everyone knew how flimsy this reason was. Long before the

Spanish American War, naval experts in Asia knew the

deplorable state of the Spanish fleet in Manila, which was

composed of decrepit warships incapable of crossing the

Pacific. It exerted no threat whatsoever to the American West

Coast or to anything. Commodore Dewey's one-sided victory

over Montojo's ancient armada was a foregone conclusion long

before the start of the Battle of Manila Bay.

Now, the $64,000 question. Why did the United States want

the Philippines? The answer: greed. Back to our original

Page 68

thesis: mankind's greed and avarice. In the case of the USA, it

was American Big Business. The Philippines was an ideal

springboard to the vast Asia mainland market. Professor

George Taylor, in his book America in the New Pacific says:

Spotlight on Taylor.

TAYLOR: China and Japan had to be brought into the world market for

our good, not their own.

NARRATOR: The same idea was articulated by W.H. Seward with

prophetic insight.

Spotlight on Seward.

SEWARD: We are rising to another and more sublime state of national

progress--that of expanding wealth and rapid territorial

aggrandizement. Commerce has brought the ancient continents

near to us, and created necessities for new positions--perhaps

Page 69

connections or colonies there.

NARRATOR: I could go on and on regarding the American dream for

economic expansion, but I think we have enough proof to serve

as background to our story about our victim, General Aguinaldo

who took the blame of Philippine history. He was the president

and naturally, as the saying goes, "the buck stops here".

Furthermore, considering that Philippine history was written by

Filipino historians educated in the United States...well, there

you are, you have the American slant: the Americans now

appear to be the "good guys" in Philippine History, and the

Spaniards, the "bad guys". Cowboys and Indians. Yes,

Aguinaldo, the indio, caught in-between, the scapegoat in all

this political mess of power and greed, the man who had to be

blamed for the mistakes made by Filipinos. Aguinaldo, the

expendable pawn, sacrificed in this game of historical chess.

SCENE 2

Page 70

(The scene takes place in Felipe Agoncillo's home. Agoncillo is writing a letter to

General Aguinaldo. As he writes, we hear his thoughts projected on tape through

loudspeakers.)

VOICE ON TAPE: (while Agoncillo writes) May 27th, 1898. Your

Excellency General Aguinaldo. Sir: You ahould try to find out

the real intentions of the Americans toward our unfortunate

country. We have duly informed them that we will aid them for

the sake of our independence; hence, if they obtain victory

through our assistance, and, as a result of the negotiations, they

refuse to give us independence and they show intentions of

either enslaving us or of selling our country, we have then the

right in the eyes of the world to fight them for the welfare of our

country. We have to send a representative to the United States

to ascertain American intentions regarding the Philippines.

Respectfully, Felipe Agoncillo.

SCENE 3

Page 71

Aguinaldo writing at his desk in Kawit, Cavite.

VOICE ON TAPE: (voice of Aguinaldo as he writes) August 7, 1898.

Distinguished friend, Don Felipe. It is important that you

should go to the United States as soon as possible so that

McKinley's government knows the true situation here. Show

him that our peopel have their own government, civil

organizations in the provinces already exist, and soon the

Congress of Representatives of these provinces will meet.

Emilio Aguinaldo.

SCENE 4

The scene takes place at the Oval Room of the White House in Washington.

October, 1898. Agoncillo & Mckinley are seated. They are surrounded by reporters

and photographers taking flash pictures. Beside McKinley is his interpreter who is

seated beside him. He translates simultaneously as Agoncillo speaks.

Page 72

AGONCILLO: Señor Presidente. El gobierno filipino, igueal que los Estados

Unidos, es un gobierno democrático. Fue sancionado por el

pueblo filipino y nuestro jefe invincible el general Emilio

Aguinaldo fue elegido por sus compatriotas, los ciudadanos

filipinos. Vengo como representante de nuestro gobierno y

nuestro jefe el General Aguinaldo para informarle otra vez a

Vd. y al gobierno estadounidense del hecho de que existimos

como una república tal como la de ustedes, una república

soberana e independiente. Esperamos que esta nación

norteamericana lo reconozca en su total soberanía.

INTERPRETER: (simultaneously) Mr. President. The legal government now in

force in the Philippines has been sanctioned by the only

legitimate source of public power, by the vote of its citizens.

This government under the invincible leader General Emilio

Aguinaldo was elected by Filipino citizens. I represent our

government and our president General Aguinaldo to inform you

and the US government that we do exist as a republic similar to

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yours, a sovereign and independent republic. We hope that the

United States recognizes our total sovereignty.

MCKINLEY: I'll see to it that the American peace commissioners in

Paris will take this matter into serious consideration.

Meantime, I suggest you follow up the matter when you go to

Paris.(Shaking his hand) Welcome to the United States of

America!

INTERPRETER: (translating simultaneously for Agoncillo) Voy a enviar su

mensaje a la delegación norteamericana en París. Le aconsejo

que vaya Vd. allá para confirmarlo. Bienvenido a los Estados

Unidos!

AGONCILLO: Gracias, señor Presidente.(Exits)

MCKINLEY: (to interpreter, patronizingly) If there were more Filipinos

like that chap Agoncillo, there would be no question about their

right to govern themselves.

Page 74

SCENE 5

(American Episcopal Convention, Washington, D.C. October 1898. Hustle-bustle

as delegates take their seats in the auditorium. A big banner across the stage reads

"AMERICAN EPISCOPAL TRIENNIAL CONVENTION")

MODERATOR: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. This morning we have a

special guest, the Ambassador from the Republic of the

Philippine Islands who will say a few words about the present

situation in the Philippines. Mr. Felipe Agoncillo.

(Warm applause)

AGONCILLO: Thank you, Mr. Moderator, and thank you, ladies and

gentlemen for this warm welcome. I am honored to speak

before an august body such as this regarding the political

situation in the Philippine Islands. As you very well know, we

declared our Independence from Spain four months ago. The

Page 75

United States, after Admiral Dewey's Victory in Manila Bay,

helped us obtain our subsequent victories. Prior to this naval

victory, however, our President, General Emilio Aguinaldo had

waged various battles against the Spaniards, and won.

The big problem we are contending with at this time is that

there are factions in American politics that do not recognize our

Independence. Members of both the American and Spanish

governments are meeting in Paris to discuss this matter. The

Treaty of Paris is being drafted at this time and will be ratified

in December. The irony here is that we are a sovereign nation

and we are being left out of the bargaining table. In other

words, we are just not being recognized as a sovereign nation. I

spoke to President McKinley a few days ago and he urged me

to go to Paris and follow-up the matter with the American

Commissioners there.

I therefore appeal to you, on behalf of my government, the

Republic of the Philippines, and in the true sense of the

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Christian spirit with which this country is based upon, to

support our struggle for recognition of our country's

sovereignty. Thank you.

(Polite applause from audience. Lights fade out. Hustle bustle in the auditorium as

participants comment positively on Agoncillo's talk.)

(Still the convention. Participants onstage in groups of twos and threes, some

shaking Agoncillo's hand, others having coffee and cookies. Senator Chandler

approaches Agoncillo, centerstage.)

CHANDLER: Mr. Agoncillo, I'm Senator Chandler. That was a very

moving talk you gave.

AGONCILLO: Thank you, Senator.

CHANDLER: When are you leaving for Paris?

AGONCILLO: Tomorrow.

Page 77

CHANDLER: My colleague, Senator Davis, is one of the members of

the U.S. delegation who are working on the draft for the Treaty

of Paris. I'll write him a letter and if you don't mind hand

carrying it and delivering it to him.

AGONCILLO: No, I don't mind, Senator.

CHANDLER: Basically, what I'll say in the letter is how much I support

your cause and that your government should be recognized as

an independent nation.

AGONCILLO: Thank you, Senator. I appreciate that very much.

Fade out.

SCENE 6

McKinley is on his re-election campaign tour. American flags and banners

Page 78

"VOTE MCKINLEY" , "VOTE REPUBLICAN" are displayed all over the stage

and auditorium. McKinley is now addressing a Methodist convention. A big

banner centerstage "METHODIST CONVENTION". Moderator, on microphone in

podium, centerstage.

MODERATOR: (amidst cheers and shouts "Mckinley for

president!"etc.). Ladies and gentlemen, I'm honored to

present to you the president of the United States. (Cheers and

whistles and jubilant noise accompanied by a band playing the

Presidential March.)

MCKINLEY: (BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE, RAISING BOTH HANDS

WITH THE LETTER "V". SHOUTS AND CHEERS.) Thank

you, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much. (Noise

subsides. A lady from the audience shouts "We love you, Mr.

President!" followed by more applause and cheers.) Thank you,

I love you too! (Applause, cheers.) I'm honored to address the

delegates of this convention in this countrywide speaking tour.

In the true Methodist and Christian spirit, let me just begin by

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relating to all of you a dream I had. For weeks, I was bothered

about the Philippine question of sovereignty. I sought counsel

from all sides. First we would take only Manila; then Luzon;

then other islands, perhaps. I walked the floor of the White

House night after night. And one night, before going to sleep,

after sleepless nights, I went down on my knees and prayed

fervently to the Lord Almighty God (some "Amens" are heard

in the auditorium), I prayed to Him for light and guidance. And

when I went to bed that night, I had a dream. It came to me this

way. I don't know how it was, but it came. The Lord spoke to

me and said: "Thou shalt not give the Philippines back to

Spain. That would be cowardly and dishonorable! Neither shalt

thou turn them over to France or Germany--that would be bad

business and discreditable. Thou shalt not allo them to rule

themselves. They are unfit for self-government and they would

soon have anarchy and misrule over there worse than Spain.

Thou shalt take all of the Philippine Islands and thou shalt

educate the Filipinos, uplift, civilize and Christianize them."

That was the message of the Lord Almighty who spoke to me in

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that dream. Since then, I have been sleeping soundly.

Fade out.

SCENE 7

Fade in another section of the stage. Oval Room, White House. McKinley at his

desk on the phone. Long distance call to Senator Davis in Paris. Another section

of the stage . Davis at this desk in Paris on the phone.

DAVIS: Good evening, Mr. President.

MCKINLEY: You mean good afternoon, Senator.

DAVIS: Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. President. It's 8 p.m.

MCKINLEY: Oh, yes, I forgot. The time difference.

DAVIS: (laughs) Yes, two different times, two different worlds.

Page 81

MCKINLEY: How are the discussions coming along?

DAVIS: Pretty well. The Spaniards need the money. They're pretty

desperate. They're asking $30 million in exchange for Cuba,

Puerto Rico and the Philippines.

MCKINLEY: Offer them $10 million. And if they haggle or refuse,

offer them $20 million and tell them to take it or leave it.

DAVIS: Understood, sir.

MCKINLEY: One other thing. There's this funny-looking chap by the

name of Aguisillo or something, I can't pronounce his name

right. He might be trouble. Just take care of him. He'll want to

sit down with you guys at the bargaining table. Just keep him

out of the picture.

DAVIS: Don't worry, Mr. President. I'll take care of it.

Page 82

MCKINLEY: Good. Just wrap up the whole thing, pay them off and

come home.

DAVIS: Understood, sir.

MCKINLEY: Okay, Senator. See you in the Big Boys' Club

soon.

DAVIS: (laughing) Yes sir. Drinks on you?

MCKINLEY: (laughing) Yup! Drinks on the White House.

(Both laughing as lights fade out.)

SCENE 8

Paris. December 10, 1898. Both Spanish and American delegations are getting

ready to sign the Treaty of Paris. Agoncillo holds Chandler's letter. Davis is about

Page 83

to enter with the other members of the American party.

AGONCILLO: Senator Davis, I'm Felipe Agoncillo representing the

Philippines. I have a letter for you from Senator Chandler.

DAVIS: Oh yes. I'm happy to meet you, Mr. Aguisillo. President

McKinley speaks highly of you.

AGONCILLO: Does he? I'm flattered. Sir, I have a letter from Senator

Chandler. He asked me to hand deliver it to you. (Hands him

letter.)

DAVIS: Oh yes, good ol' Chandler. (Reads letter). Mr Aguisillo, I

understand your concerns. Mr Chandler expresses his

sympathy for your plight. The best I can do is raise the matter

up for discussion. There are other vital matters we have to

discuss with the Spanish delegation. I'm sorry, I have to go.

They're waiting for me.

Page 84

AGONCILLO: One last request, Senator. Would you please allow me to

participate in the discussions, or at least observe the talks?

DAVIS: I'll see what I can do. Goodbye for now.(Exits)

(Lights fade out on a disappointed Agoncillo.)

SCENE 9

(Inside the Conference Room. Spanish and American delegations sit at a

rectangular table.)

DAVIS: (addressing the Spanish commissioners) Well, gentlemen, I

would now like to get your signatures in this treaty. Before I

do, let me just briefly summarize the main points in the treaty

we agreed on. Let it be resolved that Item 1: Spain cedes the

Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States. Item

2: The United States pays Spain the sum of $20.000,000 for

improvements made in the Philippines. Item 3: Spain

Page 85

withdraws her sovereignty from Cuba, and the last, Item 4: The

civil and political status of the inhabitants in the ceded

territories will be determined by the Congress of the United

States.

Davis passes the treaty to the Spanish delegation. He has a smile, almost a smirk

in his face, like someone who just pulled the wool over someone's face. The

Spaniards sign, shrugging their shoulders, as though resigned to a bad deal. After

all members present sign, waiter comes in with champagne and everyone stands for

a toast.

DAVIS: Gentlemen, a toast to the treaty of Paris.

SPANIARD: Salud y pesetas!

All laugh and drink their champagne as lights fade out.

SCENE 10

Page 86

This scene can be conducted in one of three ways, or a combination of all three,

since this is a long tirade, and a variety of approaches should be attempted.

Agoncillo can either read his 'protest letter', standing in front of a podium,as though

delivering it directly to the Spanish-American Commission or he can be seated at a

desk writing, and as he writes, his voice on tape is heard on the speakers,or thirdly,

like a memorized public speaking piece.

AGONCILLO: His excellencies, the Presidents and Delegates of the Spanish-

American Commission. In my capacity as the official

representative of President Emilio Aguinaldo and the Philippine

Republic, I vehemently protest against the resolutions approved

by the joint commission contrary to the Independence of the

Philippines. These resolutions cannot be accepted as obligatory

by my government since the commission has neither heard nor

submitted its deliberations to the Filipino people who have an

unquestionable right to intervene in matters affecting their

future. The signing of the treaty is a clear sign that the

juridical, political, and independent personality of the Filipino

people has been bypassed and I protest any attempts in any

Page 87

form to impose on us resolutions which have not been

sanctioned by us. We, as an independent nation, are the only

ones who can legally decide our future history.

Spain is absolutely devoid of any status and power to decide in

any shape and form the cession of the Philippines to the United

States because the Spanish armed forces have been completely

routed by the Filipino armed forces, and the Spanish

government has ceased to hold any dominion in the Philippines

by deed and by right, since the only authority existing there

now is constituted by the Filipinos, with the solemn sanction of

their votes, the only legal fount of positive modern power.

Under such conditions, the Spanish commissioners in Paris had

no right, within the principles of the law of nations, to give up

or transfer possessions that they did not even own. Spain had

lost her her dominion and possession of the Philippine Islands

in the revolution of 1896-1898. Since she was defeated, it was

incumbent upon the Spanish government to recognize the

Page 88

corporate body of the Filipino people, and consequently, their

rights to decide their own future.

In the case of the American commissioners, what right do they

have to consider themselves arbitrators with regard to the future

of the Philippines? They should have acted honorably and in

good faith. If they did, which they did not, they should have

recognized the politically independent status of the Philippine

Republic. What is disappointing is the fact that the Americans

gave General Aguinaldo and the other Filipino leaders the

impression that they were allies in our struggle for our

independence against Spain. For instance, Captain Wood,

commander of the USS Petrel, right before the outbreak of the

Spanish American War, requested the Filipinos' cooperation.

Again, American Consuls Pratt in Singapore, Wildman in Hong

Kong, and Williams in Cavite offered to recognize the

independence of the Filipino nation as soon as triumph was

attained. On seven occasions, General Aguinaldo was assured

by representatives of the American people of Philippine

Page 89

independence. First: The gunboat McCulloch was placed, by

Dewey's order, at the disposal of Filipino leaders in exile,

returning to the Philippines. Second: Admiral Dewey did not

deny to General Aguinaldo and his companions the promises

made by his colleagues when the Filipino leaders were

presented to him aboard his flagship in Manila Bay. Third:

Admiral Dewey received General Aguinaldo with the honors

due to a commander-in-chief of an allied army and the head of

an independent state. Fourth: He accepted the efficacious

cooperation of the Filipino Army. Fifth: He recognized the

Filipino flag, permitting it to be hoisted on sea and land, and

consenting that Filipino ships should sail with the said flag

within the places which were blockaded. Sixth: He received a

solemn notification of the formal proclamation of Philippine

independence, without protesting against it, nor opposing in any

way its existence. Seventh: He entered into relations with

Filipino generals and national officials of the new Filipino

government, recognizing without question the corporated body

and autonomous sovereignty of the people after liberating

Page 90

themselves from the Spanish yoke by means of their own force.

Let me make one point perfectly clear. The Filipinos did not

fight as paid troops or mercenaries of the United States. Upon

their arrival from Hong Kong, the Filipino leaders received only

a small number of arms which were delivered to them by order

of Admiral Dewey. The arms, ammunition and provisions were

not US handouts; they were sustained from the Spanih-Filipino

war. Some were acquired by gallantry and others bought from

the private funds of Filipino patriots. In other words, the

Filipinos owed the Americans nothing.

It is true that Manila fell to the Americans, but without the

Filipinos' cooperation and the previous siege by Aguinaldo's

troops, would the Americans have been able to so easily gain

possession of the Walled City? Admiral Dewey destroyed the

Spanish fleet in the Battle of Manila Bay, but he had no no

disembarking forces, and under such conditions, the support he

received from the Filipinos was a positive and undeniable

Page 91

advantage.

To summarize: If the Spaniards had not been able to transfer to

the Americans the rights which they did not possess; if the

occupation of Manila was a resultant fact, prepared by the

Filipinos; if the international officials and representatives of the

United States government offered to recognize the

independence and sovereignty of the Philippines, solicited and

accepted their alliance, how can the Americans now consider

themselves as arbiters of the control, administration, and future

government of the Philippine Islands?

One question boggles my mind: Was the solemn declaration

made by President William McKinley that, on going to war, he

was not guided by any intention of territorial expansion the

truth? Was his statement that the war against Spain was waged

in order to respect the principles of humanity the truth? Was

his statement that he had the solemn duty of liberating an

oppressed people the truth? And finally, did he speak the truth

Page 92

when he said that his desire was to proclaim the undeniable

rights of sovereignty of the countries released from the yoke of

Spain?

I rest my case.

(Fade out.)

SCENE 11

McKinley and Davis on the phone, as in Scene 8.

DAVIS: Mr. President, did you read the protest letter of Mr. Agoncillo?

MCKINLEY: Yup, I did. Pretty long-winded letter. What did the Spaniards

think?

DAVIS: They got their money. They don't give a hoot.

Page 93

MCKINLEY: As Shakespeare said, "What's done can't be undone". What it

boils down to is we paid the Spics to get out; they accepted. So now

we're in. It's ours. We bought the Islands with hard-earned American

tax dollars. Besides, as I pointed out to my fellow Methodists, the

Almighty spoke to me to take them all and educate the little monkeys

so they could speak Christian, which means English.

Fade out.

SCENE 12

Fade in NARRATOR.

NARRATOR: Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Two months

after the Treaty of Paris, on February 4, 1899, the first shot of the

Philippine-American War was fired. By an American, obviously.

And we all know what happened. The superior forces of the

Americans routed the battle-weary troops of Aguinaldo. On March

23, 1901 Brigadier General Frederick Funston of the Kansas Regiment

Page 94

captured Aguinaldo and his men in Palanan, Isabela. (Enactment on

another part of the stage) With his capture, the United States put to a

finish the three-year long Philippine-American War that Washington

military experts had expected to last no more than two months. It was

a resounding American victory--but by treachery.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Philippine history. A history of Spanish

and American treachery. The victims? Aguinaldo and company,

which means us, the Filipinos. Small nations manipulated by big and

rich nations. Big business behind it all. Big business--the

multinationals. Charles Denby, member of the First Philippine

Commission, said:

Spotlight on Denby somewhere in the auditorium.

DENBY: (speaking with the authority of an oracle) Commerce, not

politics, is king! The manufacturer and the merchant dictate to

diplomacy and control the elections. I am in favor of holding

the Philippines because I cannot conceive of any alternative to

Page 95

our doing so, except the seizure of territory in China. We are

after markets, the greatest markets in the world.

NARRATOR: Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Money,

money, money. Ever since money was invented, it started

talking and talking loud. The history of mankind. A history of

exploitation, deceit, greed, etcetera. And what we have seen is

a microcosm of man's history as it applied to the history of the

Philippine Revolution and its president, Emilio Aguinaldo. In

his last proclamation on April 19th, a month after his capture,

Aguinaldo addressed the Filipino people.

AGUINALDO: (low-keyed, reading) I believe that I am not in error in

presuming that the unhappy fate to which my adverse fortune

has led me is not a surprise to those who have been familiar day

by day with the progress of the war. The lessons thus taught,

the full meaning of which has recently come to my knowledge,

suggested to me with irresistible force that the complete

termination of hostilities and a lasting peace are not only

Page 96

desirable but absolutely essential to the welfare of the

Philippines.

The Filipinos have never been dismayed by their weakness, nor

have they faltered in following the path pointed out by their

fortitude and courage. The time has come, however, in which

they find their advance along the path impeded by an irresistible

force that the complete termination of hostilities and a lasting

peace are not only desirable but absolutely essential to the

welfare of the Philippines.

The Filipinos have never been dismayed by their weakness, nor

have they faltered in following the path pointed out by their

fortitude and courage. The time, has come, however, in which

they find their advance along the path impeded by an irresistible

force--a force which, while it restrains them, yet enlightens the

mind and opens another course by presenting to them the cause

of peace. This cause has been joyfully embraced around the

glorious and sovereign banner of the United States. In this

Page 97

manner they repose their trust in the belief that under its

protection our people will attain all the promised liberties which

they are even now beginning to enjoy.

The country has declared unmistakably in favor of peace; so be

it. Enough of blood; enough of tears and desolation. This wish

cannot be ignored by the men still in arms if they are animated

by no other desire than to serve this noble people which has

clearly manifested its will.

So also do I respect this will now that it is known to me, and

after mature deliberation resolutely proclaim to the world that I

cannot refuse to heed the voice of a people longing for peace,

nor the lamentations of thousands of families yearning to see

their dear ones in the enjoyment of the liberty promised by the

generosity of the great American nation.

By acknowledging and accepting the sovereignty of the United

States throughout the entire Archipelago, as I now do without

Page 98

any reservations whatsoever, I believe that I am serving you,

my beloved country. May happiness be yours.

Gregorian music fades in. Fade out lights to BLACKOUT.