Political Ideologies of Andres Bonifacio

• A Filipino revolutionary hero who founded the Katipunan, a secret

society which spearheaded the uprising against Spain and laid the
groundwork for the first Philippine Republic.
• Andres Bonifacio, was given the distinct honor of being the architect and
the father of the first nationalist revolution in Asia, the Filipino
Revolution of 1896. He authored the uprising against Spain who set into
motion the emancipation of a people who had been colonized and abused
for over 300 years.
• Andres Bonifacio was born to a working-class family on November 30,
1863, to his hard-working parents: his father, Santiago Bonifacio (a
tailor) and his mother, Catalina de Castro (a cigarette factory worker).
• By birth he was already identified with the plight of the masses. He grew
up in the slums of Tondo, a district of the city of Manila outside the
walled City of Intramuros (inhabited by those in power – the friars and
the high government officials). Tondo was a dynamic community of
workers, stevedores, small entrepreneurs, and merchants. This land of
the poor, the underprivileged and the oppressed was a melting pot to all
in search of a new life. From practical experience, he knew the actual
conditions of the class struggle in his society.
• The death of his parents forced him to take over the support of his 3
brothers and 2 sisters at age 14; he was forced to drop out of school and
had an urgent task to care for his family.
• A life of poverty and hard work strengthened his capacity for sacrifices
and his tolerance for difficult challenges, but did not dampen his spirit,
he did not allow him to lose sight of the bigger issues and concerns enveloping
the country at large.

• He initially earned a living by making bamboo canes and paper fans which
he himself peddled. But the meager income from handcrafting was hardly
sufficient for his family’s marginal existence. Despite limited skills and the
lack of formal education, he landed a job as a messenger at a British firm
called Fleming and Company and later as a warehouse keeper at a foreign
trading firm, Fressel & Company.

• To someone, naturally self-reliant and eager to learn and absorb new

things, this new environment gave him the opportunity to learn the
Spanish language by listening to Spanish conversations to expand his
vocabulary and improve his facility in the medium.

• It gave him access to a wealth of literature available in Spanish and the

bigger world of writers and philosophers. He was an avid reader, absorbing
the teachings of classic nationalism from the works of Victor Hugo’s Les
Miserables, Eugene Sue’s The Wandering Jew, books on the French
 revolution, the lives of the Presidents of the United States which reinforced
his exposure to liberal thoughts and his passion for liberty and equality.

• Most discernable influence in the shaping and conduct of Bonifacio was

Rizal’s graphic portrayal of the miserable conditions of the time in his two
novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Rizal’s novels were more
than literary masterpieces for Bonifacio, they were a portrait of a society
in agony, a mirror of his own sense of oppression, but more than this it
placed a sharper focus on the tragic state of a forsaken people. In those
days how could anybody who has read these novels and have been a victim
of injustice not have a heightened awareness?

• Rizal’s works intensified Bonifacio’s revolutionary spirit, absorbing every

thought, internalizing every message. In such a situation, one ceases to be
a passive reader, one becomes a witness to a force of an idea.

• This led him to join the Liga Filipina, organized by Rizal in 1892 for the
purpose of uniting and intensifying the nationalist movement for reforms.
But the Liga was dissolved upon the arrest and the banishment of Rizal in
1892.

• Bonifacio then formed an underground secret society through the use of

secret codes and passwords called the Katipunan in 1892. The Kataas-
taasang, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan
(Supreme and Venerable Society of the Children of the Nation) provided
the rallying point for the people’s agitation for freedom, independence
and equality.

• The Katipunan patterned its initiation rites after the Freemasonry, which
Bonifacio was a Freemason. The organization had its own structure, law
system and system of government. Symbols, crypto logic languages,
clandestine rituals marked the Katipunan’s operations.

• From the society’s inception, Bonifacio was one of the Chief Officers and
in 1895, he became the Presidente Supremo.

• The Katipunan quickly grew in popularity and by 1896 had more than
30,000 members. It was on this same year that the Spanish colonial
authorities discovered the existence of the secret society and were
considering steps to eradicate it.

• Bonifacio on the other hand together with his other members were
planning how best to revolt against the Spanish. On August 23, 1896,
Bonifacio and his fellow Katipuneros tore their cedulas (residence
certificate) which was marked as the historic “Cry of Balintawak” which
 actually occurred in Pugadlawin. Thus, it is also called “Sigaw ng
Pugadlawin”. This marked the beginning of the Philippine revolution.

• But the Katipuneros suffered a major defeat when they met the firepower
of the Spaniards. They realized they badly needed guns and
ammunitions. It was obvious that the initial battles of the Katipunan
were tactical blunders

• On the other hand, another group of revolutionaries, led by Emilio

Aguinaldo, were able to resist the Spanish and were able to control over
some towns, so Bonifacio attempted to recruit Aguinaldo as part of the
group.

TEJEROS CONVENTION

• However, conflict split the rebels into 2 groups, the Magdiwang (under
Bonifacio) and Magdalo (under Aguinaldo) So, the Tejeros Covention
(also known as Tejeros Assembly or Tejeros Congress) was held, this was
a meeting held between the Magdiwang and Magdalo factions of the
Katipunan on March 22, 1897. The convention was called to discuss the
defense of Cavite against Spaniards during the Philippine revolution,
instead the convention became an election to decide the leaders of the
revolutionary movement, bypassing the Supreme Council, headed by
Bonifacio.

• Aguinaldo was elected as President and Bonifacio was elected Director

of Interior. Aguinaldo took his oath of office together with the other
elected officers with the exception of Bonifacio after which Aguinaldo had
him arrested and charged with treason.

• At Limbon, a barrio of Indang, Cavite, the soldiers of Aguinaldo attacked

Bonifacio and his party. Bonifacio was wounded and his brother Ciriaco
was killed. With him too, were his wife, Gregoria de Jesus and another
brother Procopio.

• A court martial was immediately ordered by Aguinaldo upon the arrest

of Bonifacio and his brother. It was presided over by Gen Mariano Noriel.
The trial was for high crimes of treason and sedition.

• It was obvious from the start that Bonifacio could not obtain justice from
the military court of Aguinaldo. Bonifacio was convicted by his enemies
and in 1897 was executed. It is ironic that Bonifacio died in the hands
of Filipino rebels.
 • Bonifacio’s death was in the nature of martyrdom. He was sacrificed in
the name of political expediency.

• Today he is remembered for his contribution to Philippine Independence

and his role in starting the Philippine revolution.

HISTORY OF KKK

The word “katipunan” literally means “association”, and comes from the root
tagalog word “tipon” meaning “gather together” or loosely “society”.

Before the Katipunan, Bonifacio had subscribed to the idea that meaningful
changes could still be gained through peaceful means, thus he was one of those
who responded to Rizal’s call to form the La Liga Filipina, a reformist
organization, which gave Bonifacio valuable insights into the dynamics of
fighting for a cause.

But on July 7, 1892, upon learning that Rizal was arrested and to be deported,
a secret council was convened where Andres Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata (brother-
in-law), Ladislao Diwa, Valentin Diaz, Deodato Arellano, Jose Dizon and a few
other members of La Liga Filipina, came to the agreement that a revolutionary
secret society must be founded, thus the virtual death of the La Liga Filipina
gave birth to the Katipunan on the same day, the Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-
galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Supreme and Venerable Society
of the Children of the Nation) was born. Bonifacio arrived at a radical
conclusion that it was pointless to ask Spain for reforms.

The objectives of the Katipunan as brotherhood were threefold: political, moral

and civic. They advocated for freedom from Spain to be achieved through
armed struggle. They also saw it as their responsibility to help the poor and
the oppressed, teach them good manners, hygiene and morality.

This secret brotherhood organization thrived as an underground society

through the use of secret codes and passwords. Symbols, cryptologic
languages, and clandestine rituals marked the Katipunan’s operations. These
necessary tools ensured that the Spanish remained unaware of their plans.
The organization had its own structure, law system and system of government.
The Katipunan was dedicated to the development of its surrounding
community; it established mutual aid societies, and forms of education for
those who would not have been previously able to afford it.

Most of the Katipunan’s founders were freemasons. The Katipunan patterned

its initiation rites after the Masonry, but its ideological principles was derived
from the French revolution and can be judged radical in its materialistic-
historical orientation. It also had a hierarchy of rank that was similar to that
of freemasonry. It directed attention to the unjust class structure of the
colonial system, the increased exploitation of the indigenous population and
collective need to affirm the strength of the working masses.

The Katipunan had four major aims, namely:

1. To develop a strong alliance with each and every Katipunero

2. To unite Filipinos into one solid nation
3. To win Philippine independence by means of an armed conflict
(revolution)
4. To establish a republic after independence

• The organizational structure of the Katipunan entailed three ranks of

membership, starting out as Katipon (member), then, moving up to
Kawal (soldier), and eventually to Bayani (patriot). Members were to pay
an entrance fee and a membership fee.

• Rumors about the secret revolutionary society had been in circulation

but no evidence could be found to support them. The big break for the
Spanish authorities came when on August 19, 1896, a KKK member,
Teodoro Patino told his sister Honoria about the existence of the
Katipunan, who was then living with the nuns in a Mandaluyong
orphanage. Patinio was a worker in the printing press of Diario de
Manila.

• The information upset Honoria that she told the orphanage’s Mother
Superior, Sor Teresa de Jesus, so they went to see and told Fr. Mariano
Gil, the parish priest of Tondo, who in turn accompanied the Guardia
Civil to the printing press of Diario de Manila. They searched the
premises and found evidence of the Katipunan’s existence. The printing
press was padlocked and hundreds of suspected KKK members were
arrested.

• On August 23, 1896, Bonifacio and his fellow Katipuneros tore their
cedulas (residence certificate) and shouted: “Long Live the
Philippines”which marked the beginning of the revolution. This was
called the “Cry of Balintawak” which actually occurred in Pugad Lawin.
This is also called “ Sigaw ng Pugad Lawin”.

Philippine Folklife Museum. (n.d). Andres Bonifacio. Retrieved from

https://philippinefolklifemuseum.org/collection/andres-bonifacio/