SOC SCI 101 – Readings in Philippine History

Module 2
Part 2
CAVITE MUTINY
Many believed that one of the factors that ignited the Filipino sense of nationhood and eventually led to the
Philippine Revolution in 1896 was the Cavite Mutiny. This event has been remarkable among Filipinos because it
prompted to the martyrdom of GOMBURZA who were executed on February 17, 1872.

The following are the three versions that every Filipino student must read for them to articulate arguments
that would support their stand about the issue on the terms used, causes, effects, and the unraveling truth about the
Cavite Mutiny.

I. SPANIARDS’ VERSION OF THE CAVITE MUTINY OF 1872

Jose Montero y Vidal

o Born on January 28, 1851
o Born in Andalusian Town of Gergal
o Went to Madrid to study law
o Government official residing in Manila in 1872
o Civil Governor in colonial provinces of the Spanish Empire in 1875
o Married Carolina Marin-Baldo Burgueros in Murcia and had 4 children
o a Spanish historian, who wrote the “Historia General de Filipinas”.
o Who also wrote this Spaniards’ version of the Cavite Mutiny of 1872
Call for Secularization
o Filipinos wanted to overthrow the Spanish Government to install new kings in the likes of the
three priests Fr. Mariano Gomez, Fr. Jose Burgos, and Fr. Jacinto Zamora (i.e., GOMBURZA)
o These priests enticed participants by giving them charismatic assurance that their fight will not
fail because God is with them coupled with promises of rewards such as employment, wealth,
and ranks in the army.
Feast of the Virgin of Loreto
o In the evening of January 20, 1872, fireworks were displayed and rockets fired into the air to
celebrate the feast.
o The conspirators in Cavite mistook these for the signal to revolt. Hence, at 9:30 pm of that day
200 native soldiers under the leadership of Sergeant La Madrid rose up in arms, assassinated the
commander of the fort and wounded his wife.
Prisoners pointed out these individuals (and several other Filipinos) as instigators:
o GOMBURZA
o MAXIMO PATERNO
o ANTONIO MARIA REGIDOR
o JOAQUIN PARDO DE TAVARA
Execution of GOMBURZA
o On February 17, 1872, in an attempt of the Spanish government to instill fear among the
Filipinos so that they may never commit such daring act again, the GOMBURZA were executed.
o This event was tragic but served as one of the moving forces that shaped Filipino nationalism.
Dr. T.H. Pardo de Tavera

o Dr. Trinidad Hermenegildo Pardo de Tavera

o He was born in Manila on April 13, 1857, of parents belonging to the Spanish nobility.
o A Filipino scholar, scientist and historical researcher.
o He was known for his writings about different aspects of Philippine culture.
o He served as a member of Taft’s Philippine Commission and founded the Federal Party.
o He died in Manila on March 26, 1925, aged 68. He is the one who stated that “in narrating the
Cavite episode, does not speak as a historian; he speaks as a Spaniard bent on perverting the
facts at his pleasure; he is mischievously partial”.
SOC SCI 101 – Readings in Philippine History
Module 2
Part 2

Polo y Servicio
oThe incident was merely a mutiny by the Filipino soliders and laborers againtst Gen. Izquiedo's
harsh policy.
o The abolition of the privileges enjoyed by the laborers of the Cavite arsenal of exemption from
the tribute was the main cause of the insurrection.
(1871 – 1873) The Arrival of General Izquierdo
o A complete change in the aspect of affairs.
o He made it clear that his views were different from those of La Torre.
o Intended to govern the people "with a crucifix in one hand and a sword in the other."

First Official Act

o To prohibit the founding of a school of arts and trades.
o All of those who had offered their support to ex-Governor La Torre were classed as personas
sospechos (suspects).
o The workmen in the arsenal at Cavite and engineer corps' old-time privileges were abolished by
General Izquierdo and caused them dissatisfacation and discontent.
o Leads to an uprising among the soldiers in the San Felipe fort, and the commanding officer and
the other Spanish officers in charge were assassinated.
Night of January 20, 1872
Central Government
o The Central Government of Madrid announced its intention to deprive the friars in matters of civil
government and of the direction and management of the university.
o The friars feared that their power in the colony would be a thing of the past and took the
advantage that those who favored the a continuation of the colonial modus vivendi presents as a
vast conspiracy with the objective of destroying Spanish sovereignty.
Dared to oppose themselves to the friars
Condemned to death and executed by garrote.
o Antonio M. Regidor
o Joaquin Pardo de Tavara
o P. Mendoza
o Curate of Santa Cruz, Guevarra and Quiapo
o The priests Mariano Sevilla, Feliciano Gomez, Ballesteros, Jose Basa
o Lawyers Carillo, Basa, Enriquez, Crisanto Reyes, Maximo Paterno
o and many others
Sentenced to life imprisonment on the Marianas Islands
Leads to the awakening of Nationalism and outbreak of Philippine Revolution.
Leads to the awakening of Nationalism and outbreak .
Governor General Rafael Izquierdo
o Insurrection was motivated by the native clergy, some local residents and intellectuals.
o To carry out their criminal project, they (instigators) protested against the injuctice of the
government.
o They take advantage of indios' ignorance by making use of superstitions, and made them believe
that the hari will minister.
o Those who will not support will be killed immediately.
o Insurrection was motivated by the native clergy, so...
o They offered the wealth of the Spaniards and jobs to those who revolted.
o Padre Zamora and Padre Burgos were great probabilities to be the head of the government.
o All Spaniards, friars would be executed except for women and foreigners.
o They offered the wealth of the Spaniards and jobs .
SOC SCI 101 – Readings in Philippine History
Module 2
Part 2

Revolution
o Set fire to the district of Tondo
o Fire cannons to inform the rebels of their success
o 500 natives led by Camerino
o Set fire to the district of Tondo
o Fire cannons to inform the rebels of their success
o 500 natives led by Camerino
o Spanish navy had placed gunboat and armed vessels
o Loyalist went to arrest the priest of Bacoor
o Newspapers are solicited
o Spanish navy had placed gunboat and armed vesse...
El Eco Filipino
o Established by Spanish brother-in-law of Jose Basa, with Manuel Regidor as editor.
o "Spain in the Philippines, The Philippines with Spain."
o Their aim was to secure reforms from the Spanish Government.
o Its first issue appeared on September 5, 1871 and died out before the end of 1872.
o Its tragic demise was caused by the restoration of the reactionary regime in Spain and the exile to the
Marianas.
o Izquierdo blamed it for the eruption of the Cavite Mutiny.

1872 Cavite Mutiny: Spanish Perspective

Jose Montero y Vidal, a prolific Spanish historian documented the event and highlighted it as an attempt of
the Indios to overthrow the Spanish government in the Philippines. Meanwhile, Gov. Gen. Rafael Izquierdo’s official
report magnified the event and made use of it to implicate the native clergy, which was then active in the call for
secularization. The two accounts complimented and corroborated with one other, only that the general’s report was
more spiteful. Initially, both Montero and Izquierdo scored out that the abolition of privileges enjoyed by the workers
of Cavite arsenal such as non-payment of tributes and exemption from force labor were the main reasons of the
“revolution” as how they called it, however, other causes were enumerated by them including the Spanish Revolution
which overthrew the secular throne, dirty propagandas proliferated by unrestrained press, democratic, liberal and
republican books and pamphlets reaching the Philippines, and most importantly, the presence of the native clergy
who out of animosity against the Spanish friars, “conspired and supported” the rebels and enemies of Spain. In
particular, Izquierdo blamed the unruly Spanish Press for “stockpiling” malicious propagandas grasped by the Filipinos.
He reported to the King of Spain that the “rebels” wanted to overthrow the Spanish government to install a new “hari”
in the likes of Fathers Burgos and Zamora. The general even added that the native clergy enticed other participants
by giving them charismatic assurance that their fight will not fail because God is with them coupled with handsome
promises of rewards such as employment, wealth, and ranks in the army. Izquierdo, in his report lambasted the Indios
as gullible and possessed an innate propensity for stealing.

The two Spaniards deemed that the event of 1872 was planned earlier and was thought of it as a big conspiracy
among educated leaders, mestizos, abogadillos or native lawyers, residents of Manila and Cavite and the native clergy.
They insinuated that the conspirators of Manila and Cavite planned to liquidate high-ranking Spanish officers to be
followed by the massacre of the friars. The alleged pre-concerted signal among the conspirators of Manila and Cavite
was the firing of rockets from the walls of Intramuros.
SOC SCI 101 – Readings in Philippine History
Module 2
Part 2

According to the accounts of the two, on 20 January 1872, the district of Sampaloc celebrated the feast of the
Virgin of Loreto, unfortunately participants to the feast celebrated the occasion with the usual fireworks displays.
Allegedly, those in Cavite mistook the fireworks as the sign for the attack, and just like what was agreed upon, the 200-
men contingent headed by Sergeant Lamadrid launched an attack targeting Spanish officers at sight and seized the
arsenal.

When the news reached the iron-fisted Gov. Izquierdo, he readily ordered the reinforcement of the Spanish
forces in Cavite to quell the revolt. The “revolution” was easily crushed when the expected reinforcement from Manila
did not come ashore. Major instigators including Sergeant Lamadrid were killed in the skirmish, while the GOMBURZA
were tried by a court-martial and were sentenced to die by strangulation. Patriots like Joaquin Pardo de Tavera,
Antonio Ma. Regidor, Jose and Pio Basa and other abogadillos were suspended by the Audencia (High Court) from the
practice of law, arrested and were sentenced with life imprisonment at the Marianas Island. Furthermore, Gov.
Izquierdo dissolved the native regiments of artillery and ordered the creation of artillery force to be composed
exclusively of the Peninsulares.

On 17 February 1872 in an attempt of the Spanish government and Frailocracia to instill fear among the
Filipinos so that they may never commit such daring act again, the GOMBURZA were executed. This event was tragic
but served as one of the moving forces that shaped Filipino nationalism.

A Response to Injustice: The Filipino Version of the Incident

Dr. Trinidad Hermenigildo Pardo de Tavera, a Filipino scholar and researcher, wrote the Filipino version of
the bloody incident in Cavite. In his point of view, the incident was a mere mutiny by the native Filipino soldiers and
laborers of the Cavite arsenal who turned out to be dissatisfied with the abolition of their privileges. Indirectly, Tavera
blamed Gov. Izquierdo’s cold-blooded policies such as the abolition of privileges of the workers and native army
members of the arsenal and the prohibition of the founding of school of arts and trades for the Filipinos, which the
general believed as a cover-up for the organization of a political club.

On 20 January 1872, about 200 men comprised of soldiers, laborers of the arsenal, and residents of Cavite
headed by Sergeant Lamadrid rose in arms and assassinated the commanding officer and Spanish officers in sight. The
insurgents were expecting support from the bulk of the army unfortunately, that didn’t happen. The news about the
mutiny reached authorities in Manila and Gen. Izquierdo immediately ordered the reinforcement of Spanish troops in
Cavite. After two days, the mutiny was officially declared subdued.

Tavera believed that the Spanish friars and Izquierdo used the Cavite Mutiny as a powerful lever by magnifying
it as a full-blown conspiracy involving not only the native army but also included residents of Cavite and Manila, and
more importantly the native clergy to overthrow the Spanish government in the Philippines. It is noteworthy that
during the time, the Central Government in Madrid announced its intention to deprive the friars of all the powers of
intervention in matters of civil government and the direction and management of educational institutions. This
turnout of events was believed by Tavera, prompted the friars to do something drastic in their dire sedire to maintain
power in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, in the intention of installing reforms, the Central Government of Spain welcomed an educational
decree authored by Segismundo Moret promoted the fusion of sectarian schools run by the friars into a school called
Philippine Institute. The decree proposed to improve the standard of education in the Philippines by requiring teaching
positions in such schools to be filled by competitive examinations. This improvement was warmly received by most
Filipinos in spite of the native clergy’s zest for secularization.
SOC SCI 101 – Readings in Philippine History
Module 2
Part 2

The friars, fearing that their influence in the Philippines would be a thing of the past, took advantage of the
incident and presented it to the Spanish Government as a vast conspiracy organized throughout the archipelago with
the object of destroying Spanish sovereignty. Tavera sadly confirmed that the Madrid government came to believe
that the scheme was true without any attempt to investigate the real facts or extent of the alleged “revolution”
reported by Izquierdo and the friars.

Convicted educated men who participated in the mutiny were sentenced life imprisonment while members
of the native clergy headed by the GOMBURZA were tried and executed by garrote. This episode leads to the
awakening of nationalism and eventually to the outbreak of Philippine Revolution of 1896. The French writer Edmund
Plauchut’s account complimented Tavera’s account by confirming that the event happened due to discontentment of
the arsenal workers and soldiers in Cavite fort. The Frenchman, however, dwelt more on the execution of the three
martyr priests which he actually witnessed.

Unraveling the Truth

Considering the four accounts of the 1872 Mutiny, there were some basic facts that remained to be unvarying:
First, there was dissatisfaction among the workers of the arsenal as well as the members of the native army after their
privileges were drawn back by Gen. Izquierdo; Second, Gen. Izquierdo introduced rigid and strict policies that made
the Filipinos move and turn away from Spanish government out of disgust; Third, the Central Government failed to
conduct an investigation on what truly transpired but relied on reports of Izquierdo and the friars and the opinion of
the public; Fourth, the happy days of the friars were already numbered in 1872 when the Central Government in Spain
decided to deprive them of the power to intervene in government affairs as well as in the direction and management
of schools prompting them to commit frantic moves to extend their stay and power; Fifth, the Filipino clergy members
actively participated in the secularization movement in order to allow Filipino priests to take hold of the parishes in
the country making them prey to the rage of the friars; Sixth, Filipinos during the time were active participants, and
responded to what they deemed as injustices; and Lastly, the execution of GOMBURZA was a blunder on the part of
the Spanish government, for the action severed the ill-feelings of the Filipinos and the event inspired Filipino patriots
to call for reforms and eventually independence. There may be different versions of the event, but one thing is certain,
the 1872 Cavite Mutiny paved way for a momentous 1898.

The road to independence was rough and tough to toddle, many patriots named and unnamed shed their
bloods to attain reforms and achieve independence. 12 June 1898 may be a glorious event for us, but we should not
forget that before we came across to victory, our forefathers suffered enough. As we enjoy our freedom, may we be
more historically aware of our past to have a better future ahead of us. And just like what Elias said in Noli me Tangere,
may we “not forget those who fell during the night.”

References:

Agoncillo, T.A., (2010). Philippine History, “Expanded and Updated edition”, Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.
Apsay, L.C., Espino, L.C.,Ligan, V.O., et.al.,(2018). Readings in Philippine History, Malabon City: Mutya Publishing
House, Inc.
SOC SCI 101 – Readings in Philippine History
Module 2
Part 2