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Content and Contextual Analysis of Selected Primary Sources in Philippine History

Topic 4: Case Study 4 - Where did the Cry of Rebellion Happen?
Overview:
In this chapter, we will analyze four historiographical problems in Philippine history in an attempt
to apply what we have learned thus far in the work of a historian and the process of historical inquiry.
Earlier we have been introduced to history as a discipline, the historical method, and the content and
context analysis of primary sources. Two key concepts that need to be defined before proceeding to the
historical analysis of problems in history are interpretation and multiperspectivity.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
1. To interpret historical events using primary sources
2. To recognize multiplicity of interpretation that can be read from a historical text
3. To identify the different accounts written as to where the First Cry of Rebellion happened
4. To demonstrate ability to argue for or against a particular issue using primary sources.
Introduction
Momentous events swept the Spanish colonies in the late nineteenth century, including the Philippines.
Journalists of the time referred to the phrase "El Grito de Rebellion" or "Cry of Rebellion" to mark the
start of these revolutionary events, identifying the places where it happened.
• In the Philippines, this happened in August 1896, northeast of Manila, where they declared rebellion
against the Spanish colonial government. These events are important markers in the history of
colonies that struggled for their independence against their colonizers.

The controversy regarding this event stems from the identification of the date and place where the Cry
happened. Prominent Filipino historian Teodoro Agoncilo emphasizes the event when Bonifacio
tore the cedula or tax receipt before the Katipuneros who also did the same. Some writers identified
the first military event with the Spaniards as the moment of the Cry, for which, Emilio Aguinaldo
commissioned a "Himno de Balintawak" to inspire the renewed struggle after the Pact of the Biak-na-Bato
failed.
A monument to the Heroes of 1896 was erected in what is now the intersection of Epifanio de los Santos
(EDSA) Avenue and Andres Bonifacio Drive-North Diversion road, and from then on until 1962, the Cry of
Balintawak was celebrated every 26th of August. The site of the monument was chosen for an unknown
reason.

Different Dates and Places of the Cry

Various accounts of the Cry give different dates and places.
1. A guardia civil, Lt. Olegario Diaz, identified the Cry to have happened in Balintawak on 25 August
1896.
2. Teodoro Kalaw, Filipino historian, marks the place to be in Kangkong, Balintawak, on the last
week of August 1896.
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3. Santiago Alvarez, a Katipunero and son of Mariano Alvarez, leader of the Magdiwang faction in
Cavite, put the Cry in Bahay Toro in Quezon City on 24 August 1896.
4. Pio Valenzuela, known Katipunero and privy to many events concerning the Katipunan stated that
the Cry happened in Pugad Lawin on 23 August 1896.
5. Filipino historian Gregorio Zaide identified the Cry to have happened in Balintawak on 26 August
1896.
6. Another Filipino historian, Teodoro Agoncillo put it at Pugad Lawin on 23 August 1896, following
the statements of Pio Valenzuela.
7. Research by historians Milagros Guerrero, Emmanuel Encarnacion, and Ramon Villegas claimed
that the event took place in Tandang Sora's barn in Gulod, Barangay Banlat, Quezon City, on 24
August 1896.

Primary Source: Accounts of the Cry by Guillermo Masangkay

Source: Guillermo Masangkay, "Cry of Balintawak" in Gregorio Zaide and Zonia Zaide, Documentary Sources
of Philippine History, Volume 8 (Manila: National Book Store, 1990), 307-309.

In 1932, Guillermo Masangkay, a friend and fellow Katipunero of Andres Bonifacio, recounted his
experiences as a member of the revolutionary movement. In an interview with the Sunday Tribune
magazine, Masangkay said that the First Cry happened in Balintawak on August 26, 1896. In the first
decade of American rule, it was his account that was used by the government and civic officials to fix date
and place of the First Cry which was capped with the erection of the “Monument to the Heroes of 1896” in
that place.

• However, in an interview published in the newspaper Bagong Buhay on August 26, 1957,
Masangkay changed his narrative stating that the revolution began on August 23, 1896,
similar to the assertion of Dr. Pio Valenzuela. But Masangkay’s date was later changed again
when his granddaughter, Soledad Buehler- Borromeo, cited sources, including the Masangkay
papers, that the original date was August 26.

The Account
“On August 26th, a big meeting was held in Balintawak, at the house of Apolonio Samson, then cabeza
of that barrio of Caloocan. Among those who attended, I remember, were Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Aguedo
del Rosario, Tomas Remegio, Briccio Pantas, Teodoro Plata, Pio Valenzuela, Enrique Pacheco, and Francisco
Carreon. They were all leaders of the Katipunan and composed the board of directors of the organization.
Delegates from Bulacan, Cabanatuan, Cavite and Morong were also present.
At about nine o'clock in the morning of August 26, the meeting was opened with Andres Bonifacio presiding
and Emilio Jacinto acting as secretary. The purpose was to discuss when the uprising was to take place.
Teodoro Plata, Briccio Pantas, and Pio Valenzuela were all opposed to starting the revolution too early. Andres
Bonifacio, sensing that he would lose in the discussion then, left the session hall and talked to the people, who
were waiting outside for the result of the meeting of the leaders. He told the people that the leaders were
arguing against starting the revolution early, and appealed to them in a fiery speech in which he said: "You
remember the fate of our countrymen who were shot in Bagumbayan. Should we return now to the towns, the
Spaniards will only shoot us? Our organization has been discovered and we are all marked men. If we don't
start the uprising, the Spaniards will get us anyway. What then, do you say?"
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"Revolt" the people shouted as one.

Bonifacio then asked the people to give a pledge that they were to revolt. He told them that the sign of slavery
of the Filipinos were (sic) the cedula tax charged each citizen. "If it is true that you are ready to revolt... I want
to see you destroy your cedulas. It will be a sign that all of us have declared our severance from the Spaniards."
Primary Source: Accounts of the Cry by Dr. Pio Valenzuela
Source: Pio Valenzuela, "Cry of Pugad Lawin", in Gregorio Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of
Philippine History, Volume 8 (Manila: National Book Store, 1990), 301-302.

The Account
“The first place of refuge of Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Procopio Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata,
Aguedo del Rosario, and myself was Balintawak, the first five arriving there on August 19, and I, on August 20,
1896. The first place where some 500 members of the Katipunan met on August 22, 1896, was the house and
yard of Apolonio Samson at Kangkong. Aside from the persons mentioned above, among those who were there
was Briccio Pantas, Alejandro Santiago, Ramon Bernardo, Apolonio Samson, and others. Here, views were only
exchanged, and no resolution was debated or adopted. It was at Pugad Lawin, the house, store-house, and
yard of Juan Ramos, son of Melchora Aquino, where over 1,000 members of the Katipunan met and carried out
considerable debate and discussion on August 23, 1896. The discussion was on whether or not the revolution
against the Spanish government should be started on August 29, 1896. After the tumultuous meeting, many
of those present tore their cedula certificates and shouted "Long live the Philippines! Long live the
Philippines!!”.

Primary Source: Santiago Alvarez’s Account “The Cry of Bahay Toro”

Source: Zaide, Gregorio and Sonia Zaide. (1990). Documentary Sources of Philippine History. Vol 5. Manila:
National Book Store
This version of the “Cry’’ was written by Santiago Alvarez, a well-known Katipunero from Cavite
and a son of Mariano Alvarez. Santiago is a relative of Gregoria de Jesus, who happened to be the wife of
Andres Bonifacio.
The Account
“We started our trek to Kangkong at about eleven that night. We walked through the rain over dark
expanses of muddy meadows and fields. Our clothes drenched and our bodies numbed by the cold wind, we
plodded wordlessly. It was nearly two in the morning when we reached the house of Brother Apolonio Samson
in Kangkong. We crowded into the house to rest and warm ourselves. We were so tired that, after hanging our
clothes out to dry, we soon asleep.
The Supremo began assigning guards at five o’ clock the following morning, Saturday 22 August 1896.
He placed a detachment at the Balintawak boundary and another at the backyard to the north of the house
where we were gathered….
No less than three hundred men assembled at the bidding of the Supremo Andres Bonifacio. Altogether,
they carried assorted weapons, bolos, spears, daggers, a dozen small revolvers and a rifle used by its owner,
one Lieutenant Manuel, for hunting birds. The Supremo Bonifacio was restless because of fear of a sudden
attack by the enemy. He was worried over the thought that any of the couriers carrying the letter sent by
Emilio Jacinto could have been intercepted; and in that eventuality, the enemy would surely know their
whereabouts and attack them on the sly. He decided that it was better to move to a site called Bahay Toro.
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At ten o’ clock that Sunday morning, 23 August 1896, we arrived at Bahay Toro. Our number had grown
to more than 500 and the house, yard, and warehouse of Cabesang Melchora was crowded with us
Katipuneros. The generous hospitality of Cabeasng Melchora was no less than that of Apolonio Samson. Like
him, she also opened her granary and he had plenty of rice pounded and animals slaughtered to feed us.
The following day, Monday, 24 August, more Katipuneros came and increased our number to more
than a thousand. The Supremo called a meeting at ten o ‘clock that morning inside Cabesang Melchora’s barn.
Flanking him on both sides at the head of the table were Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Emilio Jacinto, Briccio Pantas,
Enrique Pacheco, Ramon Bernardo, Pantaleon Torres, Francesco Carreon, Vicente Fernandez, Teodoro Plata,
and others. We were so crowded that some stood outside the barn.
The following matters were approved at the meeting:
1. An uprising to defend the people’s freedom was to be started at midnight of Saturday, 29 August 1896.
2. To be on a state of alert so that the Katipunan forces could strike should the situation arise where the enemy
was at a disadvantage. Thus, the uprising could be started earlier than the agreed time of midnight 29 August
1896 should a favorable opportunity arise at that date. Everyone should steel himself and be resolute in the
struggle that was imminent.
3. The immediate objective was the capture of Manila.
After the adjournment of the meeting at twelve noon, there were tumultuous shouts of “Long live the Sons of
the People!”

Primary Source: Gregoria de Jesus’: The First “Cry”

Source: Zaide, Gregorio and Sonia Zaide. (1990). Documentary Sources of Philippine History. Vol 5. Manila:
National Book Store.

This version was written by no other than the “Lakambini of the Katipunan” and wife Andres
Bonifacio, Gregoria de Jesus. She has been a participant of this event and became the keeper of the secret
documents of the Katipunan. After the revolution in August 1896, she lived with her parents in Caloocan
then fled to Manila when she was told that the Spanish authorities wanted to arrest her. Eventually, she
joined her husband in the mountains and shared adversities with him. In her account, the First “Cry”
happened near Caloocan on August 25, 1896.

The Account
“The activities of the Katipunan had reached nearly all corners of the Philippine Archipelago, so that
when its existence was discovered and some of the members arrested, we immediately returned to Caloocan.
However, as we were closely watched by the agents of the Spanish authorities, Andres Bonifacio and other
Katipuneros left the town after some days. It was then that the uprising began, with the first cry for freedom
on August 25, 1896. Meanwhile, I was with my parents. Through my friends, I learned that Spanish were
coming to arrest me. Immediately, I fled town at eleven o’ clock at night, secretly going through the rice fields
to La Lorna, with the intention of returning to Manila. I was treated like an apparition, for, sad to say, in every
house where I tried to get a little rest, I was driven away as if people therein were frightened for their own
lives. Later, I found out that the occupants of the houses which I had visited were seized and severely punished
– and some even exiled. One of them was an uncle of mine whom I had visited on that night to kiss his hands,
and he died in exile.”
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Analysis of the Documents

• From the eyewitness accounts presented, there is indeed marked disagreement among historical
witnesses as to the place and time of the occurrence of the Cry. Using primary and secondary
sources, four places have been identified: Balintawak, Kangkong, Pugad Lawin, and Bahay
Toro, while the dates vary: 23, 24, 25, or 26 August 1896.
• Valenzuela's account should be read with caution. He once told a Spanish investigator that the "Cry"
happened in Balintawak on Wednesday, 26 August 1896. Much later, he wrote in his Memoirs of the
Revolution that it happened at Pugad Lawin on 23 August 1896. Such inconsistencies in accounts
should always be seen as a red flag when dealing with primary sources.
• According to historians, Guerrero, Encarnacion, and Villegas, all these places are in Balintawak,
then part of Caloocan, now in Quezon City. As for the dates, Bonifacio and his troops may have
been moving from one place to another to avoid being located by the Spanish government,
which could explain why there are several accounts of the Cry.