Pacto De Sangre: Why We Were Conquered

In 1565, a compact was sealed in blood-Pacto de Sangre-between the datu of

Bohol, Datu Sikatuna, and the Spanish Captain General Miguel Lopez de Legazpi to
ensure peace and friendship between the two nations that they represented. Each made
a small cut on his arm and let two or three drops of blood drip onto a cup of wine, and
they both drank from it.
The blood compact between Legazpi and Sikatuna has often been among the
starting points in discussing the history of Spanish colonization in the Philippines.
However, minimal interpretations and significance have been attributed to it. According
to Aguilar (2010), the blood compact served as a solemn ritual and agreement between
two equals, constituting a pledge of eternal fraternity and alliance. It is a symbolic
transfusion that wedded Filipinos to Spanish culture and civilization.
Moreover, the blood compact also became the reason the Philippines was
conquered. As an ancient tradition in the Philippine archipelago, it was usually done by
parties who were former enemies and wished to reconcile or those who wanted to avoid
being enemies. In the case of Legazpi and Sikatuna, the blood compact was initiated for
the second reason.
In an article that appeared in La Solidaridad on September 30 1889, Marcelo H.
del Pilar stated that the blood compact was a political treaty the Philippines and Spain
engaged in good faith through their representatives. The treaty, according to del Pilar,
was valid but subject to the fulfillment of its terms, that that Spain would annex the
Philippines and in return the Philippines could be assimilated. The Philippines
satisfactorily complied with such terms but Spain reduced the Filipino race to an inherent
position of inferiority.
It was the same point that Andres Bonifacio insisted-the blood compact was a valid
agreement but Sikatuna was misled by the Spaniards in their promise of enlightenment
and prosperity. Bonifacio, in Ang Dapat Mabatid ng mga Tagalog (1896), emphasized
that before the Spaniards came, the Filipinos were living in complete abundance and were
able to trade with other countries. However, the Spaniards deceived Sikatuna and made
him believe that they would treat Filipinos as equals. It was recognizing this deceit that
stirred nationalism among the Filipinos towards the end of the Spanish rule in the
Philippines.
Historically, the Pacto de Sangre between Sikatuna and Legazpi was integrated in
the founding of Filipino nationhood. It was also the same Pacto de Sangre that the
ilustrados used in demanding reforms from the Spanish colonial government, a desire for
change fueled by what has been called nationalism.