Jonalyn R.

Bustamante

BSOA 4-1P

1. Research and present both biography and sources on Lazaro Makapagal

As the person who ended Andres Bonifacio to life, Lazaro Macapagal was well
known. He was a distant relative of both Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the 14th president of
the Philippines, and Diosdado Macapagal, the ninth president of the Philippines. About
30 years following the shooting of the Bonifacio brothers in the mountains outside
Maragondon by Macapagal and his men, Macapagal wrote a letter to scholar Jose P.
Santos.

Is Lazaro Makapagal's account reliable and trustworthy? Why? Cite two to three (2-3)
biases from his account.

A. In Lazaro Makapagal’s account, he has some biases on Emilio Aguinaldo. He only

mentioned Gen. Mariano Noriel in his statement as the one who ordered him to kill the
Bonifacio brothers. But in 1948, Emilio Aguinaldo wrote a letter to Jose Santos—
admitting that he was involved in the execution of the Bonifacio brothers but under the
pretenses that he was pressured by Council of War Members General Mariano Noriel and
General Pio del Pillar. But he was still the one who ordered to kill Bonifacio because he
was the commander and the decision-maker.

B. It was detailed in Makapagal’s account that Andres Bonifacio knelt, pleaded for his life,
and even tried to escape. However, Andres Bonifacio had been wounded twice, stabbedin
the neck, and shot in the arm at the time of his arrest some two weeks earlier. He had
been locked without treatment so he would have been too weak to stand, unable to kneel,
or much less walk. So, why would he kneel, beg, and even try to run into the woods to
escape? Besides, it sounds so unlikely that a once-proud Supremo will kneel and beg to
spare his life.
C. Makapagal claimed that Andres was hacked to death by shooting him from behind but
according to the person who found the remains of the Supremo, Gen. Guillermo
Masangkay, one of Makapagal’s men admitted that Andres was stabbed using a bolo
(large Filipino machete). This theory is supported by the evidence of Andres’ fractured
skull and by a farmer who claimed to see five men hacking a man in a hammock. The
“death by bolo” theory has long been supported by several historians as well as the hero’s
great-great-grandnephew himself, Atty. Gary Bonifacio.

2. What style of writing did Makapagal apply? What part of his account catches your
attention the most? (cite or quote it)

Since he details how he and the other four soldiers killed Andres Bonifacio and his brother,
Procopio Bonifacio, Lazaro Makapagal used both the narrative and descriptive writing styles
in his account. The order to accompany them to Maragondong, Cavite, is described as having
come from General Mariano Noriel. In his account, he describes how Andres Bonifacio kept
pleading with him, but he was powerless to intervene because he was only carrying out
orders that had been given to him. Aside from that, he also describes how they carried out
their operation, how Andres tried to run away but ended up being killed when one of the
soldiers caught up with him, and what equipment and weapons they used to kill the brothers.
Along with describing how their grave was dug up, Lazaro Makapagal also describes Andres
Bonifacio's clothing on the day of his passing. In my in-depth analysis of Lazaro Makapagal's
narrative, I can see how he elevates himself by highlighting the fact that he was powerless to
intervene and attempting to imply that he regrets killing Andres Bonifacio and his brother.
Although it is understandable that he felt bad for him, it appeared as though he was trying to
express his sympathy for the Supremo of Katipunan.

3. According to Lazaro's account, Mount Tala was the place of the Bonifacio brother's
execution. Why is the official site Mount Nagpatong (both mountains are in
Maragodon, Cavite)? Research this and cite your sources accordingly.
 Major Lazaro Macapagal received instructions from General Mariano Noriel, a war
council member in charge of Andres Bonifacio's case, on May 10, 1897, to locate the two
prisoners (the Bonifacio brothers) in Ermita and transport them to Mount. Tala. Additionally,
he was told to open and read aloud the sealed letter Noriel gave him when they arrived.
Procorpio and Andres asked Macapagal on the way if they would be shot, but Macapagal had
no idea because he had only received hazy instructions. After arriving at Mt. Buntis (Mt. The
brothers (Nagpatong in another source) requested a break since they had already walked a
long distance and mentioned that Andres had been seriously hurt at the time. In order to find
out what was written in the letter and find out where they would be left at Mount, Andres
asked Macapagal to open it while they were resting. Before reading the letter informing them
that the brothers would be taken to Mount. Spanish attackers will be attacking that day, so
Tala is to remove them from the battleground. Macapagal thought it made sense, so he
opened the letter and read it out loud. The letter's contents shocked them, but Macapagal felt
it was his duty to carry out that duty at that very moment. Consequently, Mount. The location
where the Bonifacio brothers' execution was officially documented was Nagpatong.
Agoncillo, The Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan (Second
Edition with Additional Preface and Foreword), p. 26-266. Philippines University Press,
2017.

4. After reading this account, why do think we celebrate Andre's birthday instead of
his death? Defend your answer.

We cannot dispute the fact that Andress Bonifacio lived to fight for the freedom of
his country, despite the fact that he even had a personal political agenda. He was even
arrested and executed for treason after having the audacity to criticize his fellow countrymen,
who appeared to have already given up the rights of Filipinos. Similarly, we celebrate his
birth rather than his death because it would be pointless and dishonorable for his life to be
taken with his own blood. Unlike other Filipino heroes who perished at the hands of a
conqueror, their demise was marked by the satisfaction that their life had been given in
sacrifice for Filipino sovereignty. In Bonifacio's case, however, things were different because
the people who ought to have been fighting alongside him ended up killing him. We
 commemorate his birth as a result to remember that a hero like him was born and that he was
the one who started the Philippine revolution.

REFERENCES:

Ang Kamatayan Ni Bonifacio. (2014, December 2). Andres Bonifacio.

https://luisezekiel88.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/ang-kamatayan-ni-bonifacio/

The historical trails of Mount buntis and Mount nagpatong. (n.d.)..

https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?
set=a.1968511070084365.1073741945.1426657434269734&type=3 lOMoARcPSD|15442104

Peoplepill.com. (n.d.). Lázaro Macapagal. peoplepill.com.

https://peoplepill.com/people/lazaromacapagal

Agoncillo, Teodoro. 1956.The revolt of the masses: The story of Bonifacio and the
Katipunan,Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Aguinaldo, Emilio. 1967. The plot against Aguinaldo. In My memoirs: General Emilio
F.Aguinaldo, President, first Republic of the Philippines, trans. Luz Colendrino-Bucu.Manila:
Cristina Aguinaldo Suntay.

Alvarez, Santiago V. 1992.The Katipunan and the Revolution: Memoirs of a General, trans.Paula

Carolina S. Malay, Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.Flores, W. (2013). The
untold stories of Andres Bonifacio and his family.
PhilStar.com.https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/sunday-life/2013/08/18/1101741/untold-stories-
andres-bonifacio-and-his-family

Ocampo, A. (2019). Bonifacio's death: An eyewitness account. Inquirer.net.