RECOCO, FRANCIS TONIE S.

NOVEMBER 14, 2021

BSEE – 1A GE-RIPH

INTRODUCTION

History is vital because it helps us comprehend our past, allowing us to learn about
our future. We must account for explanations if we want to understand how and why our
world is the way it is now. The two significant events that occurred in 1872 will be
discussed in this position paper. The first one was the Cavite Mutiny of 1872, and the
second was the martyrdom of Fathers Mariano Gomes, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto
Zamora, who were three martyr priests (GOMBURZA). Not everyone, however, was
aware that alternative reports of the same incident existed. All Filipinos should be aware
of the many perspectives on the incident. It led to another terrible yet significant chapter
in our history, the assassination of GOMBURZA, which was a vital component in the
emergence of Filipino independence.

SPANISH VERSION OF CAVITE MUTINY

The author who published Historia General de Filipinas was Jose Montero y Vidal,
a Spanish historian who translated the 1872 Cavite Mutiny. The action, according to
Monteros, was an effort to topple the Spanish administration in the Philippines. His
description of the revolt was widely panned as grossly skewed. With a less radical
administration in Spain, Carlos Maria de la Torre was relieved of his duties. Rafael de
Izquierdo took over as president. The insurgency was sparked by the removal of the
benefits of immunity from tribute held by the workers at the Cavite Arsenal. The loss of
advantages enjoyed by the employees of the Cavite Arsenal, such as the exemption from
paying tribute and employment in Polos Y Servicios, was the catalyst for the revolt
(Forced Labor). The majority of native clerics plotted and helped the revolutionaries
against the Spanish friars.

FILIPINO VERSION OF CAVITE MUTINY

The Cavite Mutiny was simply a mutiny of native Filipino soldiers and laborers in
the Cavite arsenal against the despotic Governor and Captain-General Rafael de
Izquierdo's harsh policy of abolishing their old-time privileges of exemption from paying
annual memorial and from performing forced labor, according to Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de
Tavera. Filipinos hoped for a substantial improvement in their country's situation. The
fundamental reason for the revolution was the soldiers' and laborers' loss of privileges.
There was widespread discontent and unhappiness with the regime. Gen. Izquierdo
stated emphatically that the administration would not change and that he intended to rule
the individuals holding a sword in one hand and a crucifix in the other. He also built the
country's first arts and trades school. Those who backed ex-Governor de la Torre were
labeled as person sospechosas (suspects), a phrase used to describe anyone who
refused to obey the authorities' demands and whims. The colony's tranquility was
disrupted, culminating in the rebellion of Spanish rule over the Philippine islands.
Uprisings and murder afflicted the whole garrison in Cavite. The Spanish people and the
friars utilized the insurrection among the troops in Cavite as a tremendous lever.

MY STAND

Based on the facts presented by both sides, I shall support Jose Montero y Vidal's
Spanish account of the Cavite Mutiny, wherein I believe the Cavite Mutiny is a Big
Scheme.

THE POSITIVE STAND

Cavite Mutiny, in my opinion, is a Grand Conspiracy that deals with the Spanish
interpretation or viewpoint. Even if I am aware that the elimination of the rights of
exemption from tribute enjoyed by the employees of the Cavite Arsenal was indeed the
root of the insurgency, if we study or review it thoroughly, we must look at the more
significant viewpoints of the insurgency. We must not focus on just one reason that the
mutiny in Cavite is solely due to a labor dispute; this is a simplistic and poor reason that
leads to a broader Filipino insurrection. As mentioned earlier, the possible cause of the
Cavite Mutiny was the Polos Y Servicios, but is there any evidence that the Polos Y
Servicios were present before the Spaniards came? Finally, the GOMBURZA were
hanged for being the masterminds of the Cavite Mutiny, not because of a labor dispute.
Because the GOMBURZA defendants were found guilty by the fiscal, it constitutes a big
conspiracy. Nevertheless, the prosecution relied on Gov. Izquierdo's conclusions,
claiming that the three priests were the cause of the mass revolt due to the broad
dissemination of information. Which is why GOMBURZA was accused of the Cavite
Mutiny. However, when we examine the situation, the labor problem is not solidifying why
the Cavite Mutiny occurred.
THE NEGATIVE STAND

I disagree with Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera's point of view or version of events
because, as I previously stated, we must look at the reality of the debate rather than
focusing on one argument that the Cavite Mutiny was solely due to Filipino labor issues
that sparked a nationwide uprising.

MY FINAL STAND

Because of the accumulated and displayed shreds of evidence and the satisfactory
effect of the proofs offered in the argument, I am convinced that the Cavite Mutiny, a
historical event, is a Grand Conspiracy and not only a labor issue.