The HACKING of the SUPREMO, Unang Bahagi (Bonifacio Series VII)

Updated May 15, 2012

ANG pagdaklot, paglilitis, at pagpaslang kay Gat Andres Bonifacio y de Castro, pangunahing nagtatag at nagpalakas ng, at Supremo ng Kataastaasang Kagalanggalangang Katipunan nang manga Anak nang Bayan ang isa sa mga pinakapangit at kasuklam-suklam na bahagi ng kasaysayan ng Pilipinas/Tagalog/Taga-Ilog/Maharlika. Paano nga naman nangyari na ang namuno ng rebolusyon, ang 'Ama ng Himagsikan' laban sa Kastila, ang pangunahing naghangad ng, at kumilos upang makamit, ang ating kasarinlan at pagkabansa ay nilitis at hinatulan ng kamatayan?

Masalimuot ang usaping ito at maraming papasok na mga katanungan.  1) Pasok dito kung lehitimo ang resulta ng halalan sa Tejeros Convention na sinasabi ng kampo ni Aguinaldo na nagbigay ng kapangyarihan sa kanya upang maging "Pangulo" ng itinatag nitong "Republika ng Pilipinas" bilang paghalili daw sa posisyon at kapangyarihan ng Supremo at (pamahalaan ng) Katipunan. Nagkadayaan sa Tejeros, ayon sa Kabitenyo at opisyal ng Katipunan na si Diego Mojica at kay Hen. Artemio Ricarte, at bukod pa dito ay pinawalang-saysay ni Bonifacio, na presiding officer ng Tejeros, ang naturang halalan.  2) Pasok din kung bakit patraydor ang pagdaklot sa magkapatid na Andres at Procopio Bonifacio at pagpaslang sa isa pang kapatid na si Ciriaco. Bukod sa 'dead or alive' ang utos ni Aguinaldo sa mga tauhan nito ay patraydor pa ang 'paghuli' kina Supremo na mainit pang tinanggap ang mga ito na mainit ilang oras bago sila atakihin, ayon kay Hen. Santiago Alvarez.  3) Pasok din kung bakit mas malinaw.sa.hindi na lutong makaw ang Hukom Militar na naglitis sa magkapatid: Si Aguinaldo ang bumuo ng korte; ang pinsan niyang si Baldomero Aguinaldo ay court auditor; at si Hen. Mariano Noriel, ulo ng hukom na ito, ay sa umpisa pa lang ng trial already asked the "Most Respected and Distinguished President" Aguinaldo to judge the extent of the evil and treacherous intentions of Andres Bonifacio; AT, maliban sa ilan pang iregularidad sa court proceedings, ang binigay na 'defense lawyer' na si Placido Martinez ay hinusgahan pang may sala at masama ang Supremo.  4) Bakit din pinabayaan--o isinagawa--ang makahayup na pagtrato sa angkang Bonifacio. Pinatay si Ciriaco; binaril at sinaksak si Gat Andres; tinangkang halayin, o talaga daw nahalay si Gregoria de Jesus; at itinapon sa isang madilim at maliit na bartolina ang magkapatid na Bonifacio na pinagbawalan ang pagbisita, hindi ginamot ang mga sugat (ni Supremo) at halos hindi pinakain at kung pinakain man ng kaunti, ito ay "pagkaing hindi na dapat sabihin," ayon sa paglalarawan ni Hen. Alvarez.

Subali't sa kasalukuyan, ang maaring pinakamainit na mga katanungan ay may kinalaman sa mismong araw ng pagkitil nila ng buhay ng magkapatid na Bonifacio. Ano nga ba ang mga nangyari noong ika-10 ng Mayo 1897. Dito, ang may potensyal maging pinaka.nakakagimbal ay kung paano nga ba talaga pinatay ng kampo nila Aguinaldo sina Supremo?

"Ang Wakas ni Andres Bonifacio" ni Carlos Valino Jr.
Nanalo sa  1963 Andres Bonifacio Centennial Art Contest
Pinagkunan: Tragedy of the Revolution (akda ni Adrian E. Cristobal) via Prop. Michael Chua

Tulang Putol-Putol

ANDRES BONIFACIO
ATAPANG NA TAO

A putol a paa, di dadapa
a putol a tenga, di bibingi
a putol a kamay, di papasma
a putol a ulo, di tatakbo
a putol a buho, di kakalbo
a putol a sinturon, di huhubo
a putol a itak, di iiyak
a putol a buhay, di mamamatay

Ang nasa itaas ay ang unang bahagi ng tula na may dalawang klase ng bersyon. Ilang bersyon na nito ang nalabas, sumikat sa loob ng mahaba-habang panahon, mga ilang dekada na. Sa pagaala.ala ng historyador na si Prop. Danilo Aragon ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, noong 1960s pa ay naririnig na niya ito at lumaganap pa raw noong dekada 70s; maaring dati pa ay naririnig na ito. Masasabing dalawang klase lamang silang lahat--isang puno ng paggalang at isang may kabastusan sa huli.

Anupaman, nakakapagtaka ang tema ng tulang ito ukol sa Ama ng Himagsikan, ang Supremo ng Katipunan na si Gat Andres. Putol-putol. Bakit pinaguusapan ang pagtadtad ng katawan ng tao, ang pagtadtad kay Supremo??? Ang mga Katipunero ba noong panahon ng liderato ni Bonifacio ay pinagpuputol-putol ang katawan ng kalaban? Ang pagputol-putol ba ang itinurong istilong militar ng Supremo sa mga Katipunero??? Oo nga at ang ilan/karamihan sa mga naghimagsik na Katipunero ay walang mga baril kaya bolo, itak ang gamit at sa ganitong uri ng malapitang labanan ay hindi maiiwasan kung minsan na may natatapyas siguro ng bahagi ng katawan--ang mga tinatawag na extremities lalo na. Subalit hindi naman iyon ang layunin mismo--hindi na lang naiiwasan kung minsan. Nagkaroon man ng grupong Tadtad na kalahating manghihimagsik at kalahating kulto o ano man, ito naman ay nangyari sa bahaging Visayas at hindi talaga noong Himagsikan kundi noong pakikipagdigma natin laban sa imperyalistang Amerikano. Ang malinaw, walang patakarang pagtatadtad na ginawa ang mga Katipunero sa panahon ni Bonifacio.


Bakit nga may Putol-Putol?

Kung ganoon ay bakit putol-putol ang tema ng tula na nakapaskil sa museo ng pinagdausan ng paglilitis nila Supremo sa ilalim ng 'kangaroo court' na Hukom Militar? Bumalik tayo sa putol-putol... kung walang ganitong polisiya o istilo ang KKK, eh bakit tadtaran ng katawan ng nga tao ang usapan sa tulang ito, na sumikat-sikat pa nga raw. Sa totoo, kahit ako ay natatandaan ko na noong maliit ako naging sikat o kasabihan ang tulang may bahaging "Andres Bonifacio, atapang a tao" (o dili kaya ay "Andres Bonifacio, atapang na tao"?).

Kung hindi gawain ang pagtadtad ng katawan ng kaaway noong Himagsikan sa panahon ng Supremo, ang pinahihiwatig kaya ng tulang iyan ay si Bonifacio ang pinagputol-putol??? Ito nga mismo ang kontrobersyal na thesis ng ilang historyador sa tunay at kasuklam-suklam na ginawa ng kampo ni Aguinaldo, o ng mga berdugo ng Heneral ng Magdalo, sa Ama ng Himagsikan.

Sa usapin ukol sa pagpatay kay Supremo, ang natural na sisiyasatin ay ang mga nakakita--ang mga pumatay mismo, ang mga berdugo, at mga testigo o nakakita. Sa kaso nila Gat Andres at Procopio Bonifacio, walang ibang nakakita--at least officially--kundi ang mga berdugo lamang. Dito ang susi ay sina Major Lazaro Makapagal at apat daw na kawal na kasama nitong nagpatupad ng utos na pagpatay ng hukom ni Aguinaldo. Si Makapagal ay siya ring inatasan bilang Kalihim ng naglitis na Hukom Militar nila Aguinaldo. Sa kwento ni Alvarez, ayon daw kay Makapagal ay tumanggap siya ng utos na magdala ng kasamang kawal at dalhin ang magkapatid na Bonifacio, at huminto sa paanan ng bundok (Buntis) upang basahin ang nakaselyadong sulat na naglalaman ng susunod pa nilang mga gagawin.


Berdugong 'Maawain,' Nangmaltrato at Sinungaling!

Hindi isa, hindi dalawa, kundi tatlo ang bersyon ng kwento ni Lazaro Makapagal ukol sa pagberdugo niya sa magkapatid na Bonifacio--at dahil sa ang mahahalagang bahagi ay nagkokontrahan ang mga ito at hindi tugma sa pagkatao ng Supremo ay mapagdududahan ng maigi hindi lang ang mga kwento kundi ang nagkuwento mismo.

Bihira siguro, kung meron man, sa isang moral na tao na makakaya ang trabaho ng berdugo na pagkitil ng buhay ng tao--maliban na lamang kung ito ay pusong bato, likas na matigas ang loob, ika nga. Subali't batay sa kanya mismong sariling paglalarawan ng pagtupad daw niya sa kautusan ni Aguinaldo at ang naghusgang military 'kangaroo' court kung saan isang opisyal din ang isa pang dugong Aguinaldo, siya raw, si Makapagal, ay maawain. Siya raw ay naawa ng lubos sa magkapatid na Bonifacio nang sila ay papatayin na.

Sa unang bersyon ni Makapagal, ayon sa pagkakakwento kay Hen. Alvarez (na serialized, unang nalathala noong 1927), nanangis daw si Procopio samantalang tumulo daw ang luha ng Supremo. Ganito daw:

 ...tumanggap [si Makapagal] ng utos na magsama ng mga kawal; pag-ingatang mabuti at dalhin ang Magkakapatid sa bundok ng Buntis... Sumapit sila sa paanan ng bundok... mahigpit na pinaguutos na barilin ang magkapatid... nanangis na payakap ang Procopio sa Andres at anya: "Kuya, paano tayo?" Ang Andres ay di nakakibo. Tumungo na lamang at humik na umaagos ang mapapait na luha sa dalawang mata, samantalang siya ay tumalikod sa di mabantang kababagan; bagay na nang mapaharap ay tapus na ang putok ng kanyang mga kawal; bulagta at patay ang kaawa-awang Magkapatid na Bonifacio, ...iginalang [ni Lazaro] at pinagyama sa paraang magagawa ang mga bangkay.

Maj. Lazaro Makapagal, Berdugo

Iginalang at pinagyama daw ni Makapagal ang mga bangkay ng magkapatid na Bonifacio sa unang bersyo ng kanyang kwento at nang baguhin niya ang kwento niya sa susunod na bersyon ay naging maawain pa rin daw siya. Sa pangalawang bersyon nitong si Makapagal kung saan pinakikita na naman niya na nadurog raw ang puso sa kanyang habag kina Gat Andres at Procopio, humingi pa raw siya ng tawad sa Supremo matapos unahing patayin si Procopio ayon na rin sa utos: "I replied that I was sorry, but it was my military duty to follow the order," sabi daw ni berdugo.

Mahirap paniwalaang si Makapagal, ang berdugo o pinuno ng mga berdugo, ay naging maawain sa magkakapatid na Bonifacio dahil bilang bahagi ng Hukom Militar i ay minaltrato nila ang Supremo at kapatid nito, maliban pa nga na hitik ito sa pagsisinungaling sa kanyang mga bersyon. Kung talagang kinaawaan niya ang mga Bonifacio, sana ay gumawa siya ng paraaan, kinausap niya ang Hukom na ipagamot ang mga sugat ni Gat Andres, pakainin sila ng maayos at bigyang karapatang tumanggap ng bisita. Walang ganitong nakatala kahit sa records ng Hukom nila.

Bakit hindi nila naisip na ipagamot si Gat Andres samantalang may mga malubha itong sugat? Ang tunay na maawain, hindi pababayaang hindi malunasan ang malulubhang sugat ng kahit sinong nasa ilalim ng poder nito. kahit na nga pa 'preso' ito. Liban na lamang kung alam nilang masasayang lang ang paglunas dahil alam na nila noong una pa na papatayin na din lang naman ito dahil nga moro-moro lang ang palabas na paglilitis. In which case, then, Makapagal was certainly no kind-hearted executioner but a power-grabbing, kangaroo-court-martial conspirator.

Taong 1928 lumabas sa Philippine Free Press ang ikalawang bersyon ni Lazaro kung saan sinabi nito na isa lang ang sugat ni Bonifacio: "Procopio and Andres were not taken to Tala hill bound but free. Andres had only one wound, in one of his arms."  Isa lang ang sugat? Itong puntong ito ay tahasang kumokontra sa opisyal na court martial records kung saan nakalagay na may malubhang sugat si Bonifacio sa bandang lalamunan: "However they killed one brother of the "Supremo" and left the latter in the tribunal (town-hall) at Yndang in a serious condition as a result of wounds received in the larynx."  Kung ang bersyon ng kampo nila na pinalalabas na nanlaban sina Bonifacio at hitik sa pasimpleng pagiinsulto sa Ama ng Himagsikan (na laging may kasamang quote-unquote marks ang pagsulat sa "Supremo") ay nagsasaad na tinamaan ng masama sa larynx si Gat Andres, ibig sabihin ay huling-huling na nagsinungaling ang hepe ng berdugo.

It's extremely difficult to believe any of Lazaro Makapagal's three accounts of the killing of the Supremo and brother Procopio because of the myriad of lies as shown by the glaring conflicts in in all three of his shifting stories. It is even more difficult to believe his claim that he was an executioner who presented a soft heart to Gat Andres and Procopio for the simple reason that he was part of the Aguinaldo camp that maltreated the Bonifacios during their seizure, imprisonment, and trial. Additionally, details on his stories do not jibe even with the records of their very own military court.

Kasinungalinangang Paninira sa Supremo

Marami pang hindi tugma sa iba't-ibang kwento ni Makapagal ukol sa kanyang pagpaslang ss Supremo kaya talagang mahirap seryosohin ito subalit kahit ibai.ba ang bersyon ay hawig ang tulis ng mga ito pagdating sa paninira sa pagkabayani ni Bonifacio. Ang unang bersyon ng kuwentong berdugo ito ay naglalarawan na duwag o hanggang iyak na lang si Bonifacio subali't ang ikalawa at susunod pang ikatlong bersyon nito ilang dekada matapos ang kanyang pag.berdugo ay lubusang sumisira sa matapang na pangalan ni, o pagkakakilanlan bilang manghihimagsik na pinuno kay, Supremo.

Sa pangalawang bersyon ni Makapagal, hindi lang ala-talunang umiyak si Bonifacio kundi tinangka pa raw nitong umeskapo! Sa bersyon nitong si Makapagal kung saan pinakikita na naman niya na nadurog raw ang puso sa kanyang habag kina Gat Andres at Procopio, ito rin ang isa sa dalawang bersyon na lalong nagpapakita na duwag daw sa pagharap sa kamatayan ang Supremo. Ayon kay Makapagal ay una nilang pinatay si Procopio sa pamamagitan ng pagbaril sa likod. Nang isusunod na daw ang Supremo ay:

Andres Bonifacio tried to escape, but he could not go far because of the thick shrubbery around. One of the soldiers reached him, firing at him from behind and shooting him in the back. After digging one more grave with our bayonets and bolos, we buried Andres in it.

Sobrang taliwas ang bahagi ng kwentong ukol sa reaksyon ng Supremo nang papatayin na siya kung ihahambing sa orihinal na kwento ni Makapagal. Malinaw na may pagsisinungaling sa isa sa bersyon nito, kung hindi man sa lahat ng tatlong bersyon niya... Unang-una, paano makakatakbo ang Supremo samantalang sobrang hina na nito dahil nasaksak nga sa lalamunan at nabaril at hindi nga ginamot. Hindi nga iilan sa nag.a.analisang mga historyador at eksperto ang natatawa sa pagiging imposible ng bahaging nakatakbo pa raw si Gat Andres. Ang pagdala sa Supremo at kapatid nito sa bundok Buntis (o Tala) noong Mayo 10, 1897 ay nakita ng ilang mga testigo ayon sa ilang ulat kaya mahirap bilhin ang kwento ni Makapagal na parang pinalakad nila ang Supremo. Isipin na lamang na kung ang sugatang si Gat Andres ay dinala papunta sa Naik para sa isang pre-trial hearing sakay ng isang duyan ay lalong ganoon din ang nangyari nang papatayin na siya makaraan ang ilang linggo dahil hindi naman siya pinagamot... at ginutom pa nga daw ayon kay Hen. Alvarez. Lohiko na lamang ang paandarin at makikita ang kabuktutan ng uncorroborated na mga salaysay ni Makapagal.

At hindi sa pangalawa nagtatapos ang bersyon ng kwento ng berdugo dahil may isa pa. Itong bersyon na ito ay pandagdag detalye daw sa 1928 na bersyon subali't ibang iba na naman ang bahagi ukol sa pagtanggap ng Supremo sa napipintong pagpatay sa kanya. Masama pa, sobrang gustong palabasin ni Makapagal na sukdulan sa karuwagan si Bonifacio at nagmakaawa pa raw sa kanya! Dito daw sa ikatatlong bersyon niya na binigay niya matapos ang isang taon ay hindi lang takbo kundi pagluhod pa raw ang ginawa ng Supremo upang magmakaawang buhayin siya! Dito sa bersyon ito ng berdugo, kahit isa ay wala nang kumagat.


Imposible Duwag si Supremo

Sa mga loopholes at pagpapalit-palit ng kwento, malinaw na nagsisinungaling si Makapagal at layon lamang nitong sirain ang matayog na pangalan ni Bonifacio... liban na lamang siguro kung nag.uulyanin na si Makapagal noon o kaya naman ay pinaluwag ng kanyang 'demons' ang mga turnilyo ng kanyang isip. Subali't dahil walang ulat na nag.uulyanin na o di kaya ay nagde.delusyon si Makapagal nang panahon iniba nito ang kanyang mga sumunod na pahayag, mas lohikal na isiping nagsinungaling ito sa isa o lahat ng pahayag niya tungkol sa kontrobersyal na papel niya sa pagkitil ng buhay ng ni Gat Andres Bonifacio (partikular sa reaksyon ng magkapatid na Bonifacio sa pagpatay sa kanila).

Bakit kanyo? Unang una, consistent siya sa pagpapakita na naawa siya sa magkapatid subali't palala pa nang palala ang pagsasalarawan niya ng reaksyon ni Gat Andres sa napipintong pagpapatupad na 'execution' na hatol ng korte ni Aguinaldo. Kita ang intensyon sa paiba-ibang kwento: siyang berdugo ang maawain at si Supremo ay duwag sa harap ng kamatayan. Sa pagaa.analisa ni Prop. Aragon, hindi kapani-paniwala ang pagiging mahabagin daw ni Makapagal dahil noong nagkita sila ni Gat Gregoria de Jesus matapos na nilang patayin ang Supremo, ang sinabi nito sa huli ay kaya daw dala niya ang damit ng Supremo ay upang malabhan ito. Malala pa, nang hirap na hirap na ginalugod ng Lakambini ng Katipunan ang kabundukan upang makita ang labi ng asawa nito, sana ay nahabag si Makapagal at itinuro na nito ang pinaglibingan nila kay Supremo.

Pangalawa, taliwas sa matapang, sobrang tapang, na imahe ng Supremo ang mga salaysay ni Makapagal lalo na ang huling dalawa. Paano namang nangyari na ang pangunahing nagumpisa at nagplano ng marahas na pamamaraan upang humiwalay ang bayan sa nanakop na Kastila ay naging duwag? Legendary nga ang tapang ni Bonifacio na humarap sa maraming labanan at nauna nga mismong sumalang sa pakikipagdigma sa pagsiklab ng Himagsikan. Halos ibuwis din nito ang kanyang buhay mailigtas lang ang kaibigan niyang si Gat Emilio Jacinto. May kuwento si Alvarez ukol sa kahandaang mamatay ng Supremo para sa pakikibaka sa Inang Bayan. Isang beses na naglalakbay sila sa kabundukan ng Maragondong sakay ang kani.kanilang mga kabayo ay kakatwang nahulog si Bonifacio sa kabayo dahil sa pag.iwas sa mga nakaharang na mga sangay na kahoy--kahit na siya ang may pinakamababang kabayo. Napagisip daw silang lahat kung paano nangyari ang gayun samantalang dali.dali daw tumayo si Gat Andres at sinambit ang sumusunod:

Ito'y pamahiin ng Matatanda sa pagkatalo. Marahil kung tayo'y kulanging.palad na talunin ng mga Kaaway, at hanggan sa dakong ito'y usigin, dito na ako mamamatay at mababaon.

Si Bonifacio na sumusugod dala ang gulok at baril at tinawag ng pahayagang El Renacimiento na "El Marat Filipino" ay isang duwag? Malayo sa katotohanan. Ang sabihin ni Makapagal, kung hindi lang nasugatan nila si Supremo ay baka kinailangang igapos nila ito bago patayin dahil baka may madali itong isa sa kanila bago nila ito mapabagsak.

It is very hard to believe someone who gives an account whose description of the object of his 'execution' is completely antithetical to the known character of the latter. This is especially so when he has been found to be lying in other details, when all of his accounts virtually conflict with each other and that the changes he made in his subsequent accounts occured twice within only some two years (Makapagal could have narrated his original story to Alvarez years before its publication in 1927). Note that the shifts his stories zero in on the point of Bonifacio's reaction to his impending 'execution' amidst the former's selective consistency on the point of his supposed pity for the Supremo and Procopio. Kung maraming kasinungalingan at nag.iiba ang mahalagang bahagi sa iba't ibang bersyon ng pangunahing berdugo, ang ibig sabihin lang nito, maliban sa halatang layuning paninira sa bayaning pangalan ni Bonifacio, may pilit itinatago itong si Makapagal.


Ang Pagtadtad sa Supremo?

Sa bahagi nang pagharap ni Supremo sa kamatayan, angat ang kasinungalingan ni Makapagal kaya ito ring marahil bandang bahagi ng pagpatay ang naglalaman ng kung anong masidhing itinatago. Balik tayo sa tula (o naging lumang awit pa nga raw yata, ayon sa isang may beterano at retiradong historyador) na may temang putol-putol. Ang pilit kayang pinagtatakpan ni Makapagal sa mga kasinungalingan at hindi.tugma.sa.realided na mga mahahalagang puntos sa kanyang tatlong bersyon ay ang maaring katotohanan ng kagimbal-gimbal at mala-hayup na pagkatay na ginawa nilang pagpatay sa Supremo?


Masangkay Team Forensics

Newspaper clipping on exhumation of  Bonifacio bones

Ang talagang unang naglabas, o nagpasikat, na pinatay daw ang Supremo hindi sa pagbaril kundi sa pagkatay ay si Hen. Guillermo Masangkay, kaibigan ni Bonifacio at nagsilbing militar na hepe noong Katipunan. Ayon kay Masangkay, dalawang sundalong tauhan ni Makapagal (na sa pamamahagi ng historyador na si Prop. Michael Charlestone Chua, ay kasama sa berdugo team)  ang nagsakay sa noon-aymalubha-na-ang-lagay na si Bonifacio  sa duyan at pinatay gamit ang bolo at bayoneta. Noong 1918, bumuo ng forensic team si Masangkay at si Epifanio de los Reyes at naghukay ng pinaniniwalaan nilang mga buto ng Supremo ayon sa mga detalyeng itinuro ng testigo o pinagkwentuhan ng testigo. Sinuri ang mga buto ng mga doktor na sina Sixto de los Angeles, Fidel Cuanjunco at Augusto Atenas sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas. Wala pa namang DNA testing noon at batay sa best available science sa bansa, ang pag.describe sa mga buto na may mga tama ng bayoneta at bolo at may fractured skull ayon na rin sa sumbong sa kanya, ay nagkumbinsi kina Masangkay na talagang kay Bonifacio nga ang mga buto.

Pinaniwalaan din ng nakakabatang kapatid ng Supremo na si Esperidiona na tunay nga ang mga buto batay sa mga ngipin na hasa. Naisulat daw noong Nobyembre 28, 1926 na isyu ng dyaryong "Pagkakaisa" na kinukumpirma ni Esperidiona na naghahasa ng ngipin ang kanyang kuya Andres gamit ang tapayan at ito ay tugma sa "maliit at makinis" na natagpuang babang ngipin sa harap ng mga incisors. Tugma rin ang isang basag na ngipin na nakita sa bangkay dahil ayon kay Esperidiona ay may nabasag na ngipin ang Supremo habang nililinis ang baril nito.


Makapagal Refutes the Bones of Contention, Ambeth Seconds the Motion

Hen. Masangkay at ang pinaniniwalaang
bungo ni Supremo Bonifacio

Hindi nakakapagtaka, pinabulaanan ni Lazaro Makapagal na iyon nga ang mga buto ni Gat Andres. Ang nakakapagtaka, mas binigyang halaga ni Ambeth Ocampo, kolumnista at dating pinuno ng National Historical Institute (ngayon ay National Historical Commission of the Philippines) ang mga paiba-iba at uncorroborated na kwento ni Makapagal. Kesyo daw hindi naman fully confirmed ng medico-legal na kay Supremo daw iyon samantalang malaking tulong na ang pagsusuri noon sa pagkakakilanlan sa mga buto at dahil nga wala pang DNA testing noon. Na kesyo bakit daw hindi ipinaalam ang lakad nina Masangkay sa balo nito--samantalang may bagong asawa at mga anak na noon si Gat Gregorio de Jesus at may tatalo pa ba sa kapatid sa pagkilala ng remains lalo't mas matagal nakasama ni Esperidiona si Gat Andres kung ihahambing sa asawa nito. Kesyo kung totoo daw na buto ni Supremo iyon ay bakit daw hindi rin nakita ang mga buto ni Procopio, na isang bagay na kakatwang tinatanong ng isang maraming alam sa kasaysayan dahil alam niyang nasa bundok Nagpatong ang historical marker ni Bonifacio--ibig sabihin, posibleng nilipat lamang ang mga buto ng Supremo, na talagang sinusulat naman ng ibang historyador. Na kesyo mas 'authoritative' daw si Lazaro dahil nandoon siya mismo--hello, mahirap bang makita na batay sa motive principle, hindi maasahan na ituro ng isang berdugo kung alin o saan talaga naroroon ang mga buto ng pinatay nito lalo na't pinagsusupetsahan na pakatay, imbes na pabaril, ang ginawa nito. Na kesyo hindi raw medico.legal experts sina Masangkay at EDSA--isa pang 'hello,' kasi po ay naroroon ang dalawa bilang history experts/resource persons AT kaya nga may mga doktor na nagsuri sa mga buto eh.

Sa madaling salita, nakakapagtakang mas pinaniniwalaan ni Ocampo ang paiba.iba, walang suporta, at sinungaling o puno.ng.loopholes na mga kuwentong berdugong at may vested interest pa na si Makapagal. Samantala, ang forensic team nila Masangkay at EDSA ay may mga ebidensya o suportang family history at mga eksperto pa... subali't minenos lang ni Ocampo pabor kay Makapagal. Dagdag pa, maliban sa mga butong nahukay at pagsusuri dito ay may mga magsasaka ring testigo sa pagkatay daw na pagpatay sa Supremo, ayon sa libro daw ni Adrian Cristobal. Hindi lohikal na tingnan na kapani.paniwala si Makapagal kung kaya hindi na rin siguro nakakagulat na nawala na lamang ang mga butong nahukay, na kasama raw nabomba noong Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig, sa poder ng pang.kasaysayang mga ahensya ng pamahalaan.


Pag.aaral ni Aragon

Sa pananaliksik ni Aragon sa isyu, gumamit siya ng metodolohiyang batay o ayon sa tinatawag na oral history. Local oral history to be exact because his interviewees all came from Maragondon, Cavite. Dalawa sa apat na kinapanayam niya ay nagkuwento na batay sa kanilang mga ninuno/magulang at "kwentong bayan" ay pinahirapan ang Supremo: sina Potenciano Villaran, edad 64; Sonny Villaran, 46; Guillermo Quini-quini, 83; at Lauro Abayon, 35.

Ayon kay Sonny Villaran batay sa kwento ng kanyang ama at sa kwentong bayan sa panahon ng lolo niya na nabuhay noong panahon ni Bonifacio, pinutol muna ang tainga at kamay ng Supremo at pinahirapan daw bago pinatay. Pagkapatay daw ay itinali sa kawayan ang natirang katawan (at sa isang bersyon ay nakasakay pa rin sa duyan) at nilipat sa Bundok Nagpatong. Dinagdag niya na hindi naman daw talaga nagkaroon ng paglilitis ang magkapatid na Bonifacio. Ayon naman kay Abayon, na hango rin sa kwentong bayan at sa mga sinabi noon ng kanyang lolo na ipinanganak ng mga 1910, ay pinahirapan nga ang Supremo at kahawig nang kwento ni Potentiano Villaran, ay inilipat din ang katawan nito na nakatali sa kawayan ang mga paa at kamay (na parang baboy); si Quini-quini, na pinakamatanda, ay may mga hindi na matandaan. Lahat ay nagkuwento na kung hindi sa bundok Buntis ay banda rito pinatay at para sa tatlo ay malinaw na nilipat lamang ang mga labi sa bundok Nagpatong dahil may nakakita ng krimen. Dagdag pa, sa pangkalahatan, lumabas na kaya kumilos sina Aguinaldo laban kay Bonifacio ay dahil may bantang na.perceive ang una, na 'masasapawan' o 'matatalo' ng pangkat ng Supremo ang una.

Napansin ni Aragon na ang iba sa kanyang nakapanayam ay parang takot magsalita. Sa pakiwari niya, maaring may makuha pa siyang impormasyon sa iba pa sa kanila kung wala lang siguro silang mga takot sa dibdib dahil sa sinapit ni Bonifacio. Herein, it is worth noting that Aragon's interviewees harbored some fear of expressing themselves despite the fact that Aragon himself is a Caviteno.


Tulang Bonifacio Putol-Putol bilang Pagtatama ng Kasaysayan?

Nasabi ko na na dalawa ang klase ng mga bersyon ng tulang putol-putol, ayon na rin kay Prof. Aragon. Narito ang medyo bastos na bersyon:

ANDRES BONIFACIO
A TAPANG A TAO

A putol a kamay, di tatakbo
a putol a ulo, di tatakbo
a putol a tenga, di tatakbo
a putol a uten, takbo a tulin.

Makikita sa bersyon na ito na putol-putol at katapangan pa rin ang ikinuwento. Ang salitang "uten," nga pala, ay isang pang-kantong salita na ang ibig sabihin ay ang ari o sekswal na bahagi ng lalaki. Kahit na medyo bastos ang bersyon na ito ay ipinalalabas pa rin na, sa normal na pangyayari (hindi kasama ang uten), ay walang duda ang katapangan ni Supremo Bonifacio. Pinagtatadtad na nga ay hindi pa rin daw tumakbo si Gat Andres. Kung iisipin, kung totoo man ang pagputol-putol sa Ama ng Himagsikan, hindi naman maaring makatakbo pa ito dahil nga malubha ang kalagayan niya dahil sa tinamong baril at saksak na hindi naman ginamot. Ang pinapalabas siguro dito at doon sa mas magalang na bersyon ay sa sobrang katapangan ni Gat Andres, kahit na pinagtatadtad siya ng mga tantads na berdugo ay hinarap niya ito ng buo ang loob, hindi umiyak, hindi nagmakaawa, ni hindi siguro tumalikod sa harap ng matatalas at malulupit na hagupit ng mga itak.

Subalit maaring may isa pang gustong ipahiwatig ang mga bersyon ng tulang Bonifacio putol-putol--ang pabulaanan ang mga kasinungalingan ni Lazaro Makapagal, hepe ng mga berdugo ng Mayo 10, 1897. Nasa 1960s nagumpisa ang tulang iyan at maaring mas maaga pa. Ang lahat ng bersyon ni Makapagal ukol sa paspaslang nila sa Supremo ay na.imprenta nang patapos na ang 1920s. Dahil mabagal pa ang pagkilos ng commication ng panahon na iyon dahil wala pang internet, low-tech at mabagal pa ang paglilimbag at kulang o mahina pa ang mass media, maaring inabot ng dekada ang pagkalat ng mga sinungaling o twisted na kwentong berdugo ni Makapagal. Nang kumalat na ang mga ito ay saka siguro nag.react sa pamamagitan ng tula ang isa o ilan sa mga nakasaksi o napagkwentuhan nito/nila upang pabulaanan ang kabulastugang kwento ni Lazaro.

Kung hindi man ang mga tunay na nakasaksi mismo, maaring ang isa o ilan sa mga anak nila o kapamilya, kapuso, o (batang) kapatid ang gumawa ng tula bilang tanging paraaan upang iparating sa madla hindi lamang ang kahindik-hindik na paraan ng pagpatay sa Supremo kundi pati na ang kahanga-hangang katapangang ipinamalas ni Bonifacio sa kabila ng malupit na karahasang ipinataw sa kanya. Marahil, kung sino man ang gumawa o mga gumawa ng unang tula na Bonifacio putol-putol ay natakot lumantad dahil umiwas magantihan dahil simpleng tao lamang siya/sila. Nakikita ang kaparehong takot sa kaso ng testigong kinapamayam ni Aragon. Natakot siguro dahil alam na ang kampo ni Aguinaldo ay malakas pa rin o may kapit sa kapangyarihan. Si Hen. Aguinaldo nga mismo ay lalo pang yumaman ng bigyan gantimpala ito ng Kolonyal na Pamahalaang Amerikano ng maraming hektaryang lupain sa Cavite. Maari ring kaya na kaya hindi sila lumantad upang isinawalat ang nakitang pagpatay kay Supremo ay dahil natakot mismo kay Makapagal, na baka sila ay tadtarin din nito kung ganoon nga. Marahil naisip nila na dahil tanging si Makapagal ang nagkukuwento sa kamatayan ni Bonifacio ay baka ipinaligpit na nito ang mga tauhan ka-berdugo niya. Maari rin kaya na isa/ilan sa mga nakapanayam ni Aragon sa Maragondon, o mga ninuno nito, ang nagpauso ng tula?...... Pero ang sabi nga ni Masangkay ay kasama raw sa berdugo team ni Makapagal ang umamin sa kanya tungkol sa pananadtad na ginawa sa Supremo. Kung totoo na kasamang berdugo ang nagsiwalat kay Hen. Masangkay, maari kayang sila ang nagpaumpisa ng tulang Bonifacio putol-putol?????

Batay sa pag.aaral ni Aragon ay medyo tugma sa oral history ang tula kahit na hindi naman talaga pinagputol.putol ang katawan ng Supremo at bagkus ay may ilang bahagi lamang na pinutol daw. Tama rin naman ng bahagya ang tungkol sa bahaging ulo ng tula dahil kahit hindi sinabing pinutol ito ayon sa lokal na impormasyon na nakalap ni Aragon, ay may katamaan ito dahil fractured nga raw ang bungong nahukay ng Masangkay team kung sakaling tama ang conclusions nila. Then again, it seems that the 'somewhat indecent' version seems to be accurate based on a combination of Aragon's oral history and Masangkay forensic reports--tinapyas nga daw ang tenga at kamay ng Supremo at may tama bayoneta o tama nga daw sa ulo.

Tungkol sa 'a putol a uten,' paano naman tayo nakakasiguro na wala nang ibang ginawa sina Makapagal pagkatapos sa bundok Buntis? How sure are we that, assuming the hacking did occur in Mt. Buntis, Aguinaldo's men did not continue with further desecration/hacking of the body of the Supremo? After all, Lazaro and 'executioner' cohorts did not bother to transfer Bonifacio's dead body to Mt. Nagpatong (where a historical marker is located) just to bury him there, right? Maski sabihing nilakbay ang katawan ni Supremo ng malayo upang itago ang kahayupang ginawa rito, hindi pa rin tayo nakakasiguro na hindi pinagpatuloy nila Makapagal ang pagtaga sa katawan nito. Pero siyempre, ang maaring magsilbing ebidensya dito ay ang nahukay na mga buto nina Hen. Masangkay noong 1918 na nawawala o nasira na daw sa pambobomba noong Pangalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig. Nasaan nga ba ang sipi ng mga dokumentasyon ng forensic report ng UP Manila sa hinukay na pinaniniwalaang Bonifacio bones?


"Assassination," NOT "Execution"

Ang konteksto ng pagpatay o paraan ng pagpatay sa magkapatid na Bonifacio ay nakapaloob sa kaduda-dudang paraan ng 'execution' na inatas ng Hukom Militar daw ng "Republika ng Pilipinas" ni Aguinaldo. Kung talagang nagkaroon ng tunay na paglilitis at execution nga ang hatol, bakit sinadyang ikinubli, dinala pa sa bundok ang pagpatay kina Supremo? Ang execution, tulad ng nangyari kay Jose Rizal, ay isang bukas na gawain dahil pagpapatupad ito ng bukas na gawaing paglilitis.
 
Bakit itinago, ikinubli, nilayo ang pagpaslang sa magkapatid na Gat Andres at Procopio? Kung idadahilan na panahon iyon ng labanan dahil tinutukan na nga ng pwersang Kastila ang Cavite, eh hindi ba mas malaking trabaho, mas matagal, at delikado pa na ilakbay ang papataying magkapatid? Tandaan na ang totoo ay mahinang.mahina na si Supremo noon at kinailangang pang buhatin ito sa duyan. Gaano ba kahirap na doon mismo sa kuta nila Aguinaldo ay palabasin lahat ang mga tao, at tumawag siguro ng ilang sibilyan kung wala, at ihilera ang magkapatid at madaliang barilin ng ilang beses. Kung sasabihing natatakot silang magkaroon ng dissension pag nakitang binaril ang Supremo, aba eh akala ko ba ay nanalo sa halalang Tejeros si Aguinaldo? Kung talagang ibinoto siya ng mga Katipunero noong Marso 1897 ay wala siyang dapat ipag.alala dahil malugod na tatanggapin ang hatol ng korteng kanyang binuo dahil may suporta siya.

Ito marahil patagong pagpatay sa Supremo ang dahilan kung bakit ang iba ay lutong makaw ang tingin sa paglilitis na ginawa sa kanila at kung bakit "assassination" at hindi "execution" ang tawag ni Gat Apolinario Mabini sa pagpatay kina Supremo. Kung asasinasyon ang utos, maari kayang pagpatay sa taga rin ang inatas kay Makapagal?

Ang sabi raw ng nagbunyag kay Hen. Masangkay, kaya raw dinaan sa taga ang Supremo ay upang makatipid sa bala. Parang hindi kapani.paniwala na ang pangunahing nagbuo at nagumpisa ng Katipunan ay titipirin sa bala--maliban nalang if it was done out of contempt or hatred and pure seditious evil. Kung talagang 'nagtitipid' lamang, ano na iyon pukpukan ng malakas ng isang beses ang nanghihina nang si Gat Andres at ibaon na sa libing? Bakit pahihirapan sa pamamagitan ng pananaga? Sinadyang iutos sa mga tauhan na tumutupad lamang sa dikta na "tipirin" sa bala bilang huling pagyurak, pag.insulto, pagbaboy sa tinitingala ng marami na si Supremo dahil sa takot nilang manaig, mapagisang muli ang pwersang Katipunan na hinati nila gamit ang dayaan sa halalang Tejeros.


Conclusion

Mahina nang Supremo, pinahirapan,
 pinatay sa pananaga at pananaksak, hindi sa pagbaril

Tandaan na walang nag.corroborate sa kwento ni Lazaro ukol sa paraan ng pagpatay nila sa magkapatid na Bonifacio kahit kailan. Ni isa sa mga kasama nitong sundalo ay walang sinulat o walang kilalang naipasang kuwento ng pagpapatotoo sa mga kaanak nito, apparently. Nakakapagtakang lumipas ang panahon ay walang ibang nagpatotoo sa kwento ni Makapagal. Kung sakaling lahat ng apat daw na berdurong kasamahan nitong sundalo ay nangamatay noong Himagsikan at Digmaang-Pilipino Amerikano (1899-1914), bakit mukhang walang napagkuwentuhang ang mga ito upang maging mabagi man lang ng oral history ng bahaging iyon ng Katipunan? May pinagtatakpan o itinatago ba at walang ibang nagsalita tungkol sa pangyayari kundi ang pinuno ng mga berdugo na si Makapagal?

Ang naglabas ng kwento mula sa dalawang sundalo daw ni Makapagal ay si Hen. Masangkay at hindi ito nag.co.corroborate sa shifting na kuwento ng hepe ng mga berdugo kundi tahasang kumokontra pa. Kung susuriin ang pagiging lone ranger at kawalan ng ibang dokumentasyon/pagpatotoo ni Makapagal; pagkontra nito sa sarili sa iba.ibang mga bersyon niya; malalaking loopholes sa mga pahayag niya ukol sa kwento ng pagberdugo sa dalawang magiting na magkapatid na Katipunero, ang malamang matanto ay may mga tinatago si Makapagal at marahil ay ang buong kampo ni Aguinaldo.

Sa paglalagom, makikita na patungkol sa mga pangyayari noong Mayo 10, 1897:

1.  Maraming pagsisinungaling si Lazaro at iba-iba pa--tatlong bersyon--ang mga kwento nito ukol sa pagberdugo nila;
2. Iginigiit ng tatlong iba't ibang bersyon ni Makapagal na siya ay maawain subalit hindi ito tugma sa pagkakaroon niya ng papel sa Hukom Militar na nagmaltrato sa mga Bonifacio, kabilang ang hindi paggamot sa malubhang sugat ng Supremo at halos paggutom sa magkapatid;
3.  Pilit isinasalarawan din sa magkakaibang kwentong berdugo ni Makapagal ang nakakahiyang karuwagan daw ng Supremo sa harap ng kamatayan, isang bagay na halatang paninira lamang dahil sobrang taliwas sa dokumentadong katapangan ni Bonifacio;
4. Malamang na ang dahilan sa mga kasinungalingan at paiba-ibang kwentong berdugo ni Makapagal--na ni isa ay walang mag.corroborate--ay dahil may tinatago itong kagimbal.gimbal sa bandang bahaging pagpatay kina Supremo;
5. Ang tulang Bonifacio putol-putol, na ang isang kopya ay kakatwang naka.display pa sa Maragondon courthouse, ay nagpapahiwatig ng pagkatay na paraan ng pagpatay sa Supremo at maari ring ito ay paraan ng pagwawasto ng sukdulang paninira ni Makapagal na kesyo sobrang duwag daw si Gat Andres sa harap ng kamatayan;
6. Na may mga kwentong hindi pinatay sa pamamaril ang Supremo kundi sa pananaga, at nauna na ngang naglabas nito si Hen. Masangkay matapos magsumbong daw ang dalawang kasamang  berdugo at nagsabing 'nagtitipid' daw sa bala kaya ginanoon ang Supremo;
7. Noong 1918, ang forensic team nila Masangkay at EDSA ay nahukay ang pinaniwalaan nila at ni Esperidiona Bonifacio na buto ng Supremo batay sa best available forensic science sa bansa noong panahong iyon at inihambing sa family history ng Supremo;
8. Na batay sa oral history na nakalalap sa Maragondon, Cavite, nasaksihan at naikuwento sa bayan na pinahirapan bago pinatay at maaring, may pinutol na ilang bahagi ng katawan ng Supremo at inilakbay papuntang bundok Nagpatong na nakatali ang paa't kamay sa kawayan;
9. Kung pagsasamahin ang Maragondon oral history report ni Aragon at Masangkay report, tumutugma ito sa medyo bastos na Bonifacio putol.putol na tula;
10.  Dagdag pa, kung totoo ang sumbong kay Hen. Masangkay na kaya raw tinaga ay upang 'makatipid' daw sa bila, ginawa iyon dahil inutos bilang huling pagyurak, pag.insulto, at pagbaboy kay Supremo dahil natakot silang manaig at mapagisang muli nito ang pwersang Katipunan na hinati nila gamit ang madayang halalang Tejeros.

Mukhang talagang may nangyaring katago-tago, kahindik-hindik sa mga bundok ng Maragondon noong Mayo 10, 1897. Hindi simpleng pagpatay, hindi 'execution,' kundi malamang ay asasinasyong de putol sa Supremo. Naghihintay pa rin ng ng pagsisiwalat, ng katarungan para sa Manghihimagsik... para sa bayan.


__________


Mga Batis:

ARAGON, DANILO. Isang Panimulang Pagsisiyasat sa Ibang Bersyon ng Pagpatay (Pagputol-Putol kay Andres Bonifacio). 2001.

Ang Madilim na Bahagi ng Kasaysayan. http://jaredramos.tumblr.com/post/13525670805

Alvarez, Santiago. The katipunan and the revolution: memoirs of a general : with the original Tagalog text. Paula Carolina S. Malay. Trans. Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1992. http://books.google.com/books/about/The_katipunan_and_the_revolution.html?id=F3q-krDckHwC 

 Guerrero, Milagros, Emmanuel Encarnacion, and Ramon Villegas. Andres Bonifacio and the 1896 Revolution. In Sulyap Kultura. National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 1996. NCCA Site. 16 June 2003. http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/articles-on-c-n-a/article.php?i=5&subcat=13

 Artemio Ricarte Declaration date 24 March 1897. Filipiniana.net. http://www.filipiniana.net/publication/artemio-ricarte-declaration-dated-24-march-1897/12791881635983

Kalaw, Teodoro. The Courtmartial of Andres Bonifacio. http://www.filipiniana.net/publication/the-courtmartial-of-andres-bonifacio/12791881583874/1/0

Ocampo, Ambeth. Bonifacio’s teeth, Rizal’s breath. Inquirer.net. March 9, 2012. http://opinion.inquirer.net/24571/bonifacio’s-teeth-rizal’s-breath

Ocampo, Ambeth. The execution of Bonifacio. Inquirer.net. May 15, 2009. http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20090515-205102/The-execution-of-Bonifacio

Ocampo, Ambeth. Urban Legends. Inquirer.net. March 13, 2012. http://opinion.inquirer.net/24903/urban-legends

Retana, Wenceslao. "El Marat Filipino," El Renacimiento, 26 de Marzo 1908

____


Tungkol sa Kuwadrong "Ang Wakas ni Andres Bonifacio":

Isang nakakapanghilakbot na obra maestra ng historikal na pintor na si Carlos Valino Jr. na nagwagi ng unang gantimpala sa 1963 Andres Bonifacio Centennial Art Contest. "Ang Wakas ni Andres Bonifacio" ay masusulyapan ngayon sa Bulwagang Katipunan ng Manila City Hall."

-- Prop. Michael Charlestone Chua

Pasasalamat ng Malaki kay Prop. @MICHAEL CHARLESTONE CHUA ng  De La Salle University, Manila para sa pagbibigay sipi ng kuwadro  at sa pagbibigay ng sipi ng papel ni Prop. Daniel Aragon! :)

....

The Tragedy of the Katipunan: The Supremo's Assassination-cum-Execution (Bonifacio Series IV)

by Jesusa Bernardo & Tony Donato
(updated August 30, 2011)

Unang (Panghimagsikang) Pangulo ng Tagalog/Pilipinas

May 10, 1897. Time of the Philippine Revolution against Spain. The infamous tragic day of the Katipunan. A day of combined shame and mourning for Tagalog/Filipino people. At Mt. Buntis, Maragondon, Cavite, the assassination-cum-execution of Andres Bonifacio y de Castro, Supreme President of the secret-society-turned-revolutionary-government Kataastaasang Kagalanggalangang Katipunan nang manga Anak nang Bayan, along with his brother Procopio. Killed under orders of Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy, that Katipunero the Supremo personally inducted but who managed to depose and eliminate him within only nine months from the outbreak of the Himagsikan.

Aguinaldo Camp's Account. True Account?

The story on the tragedy of the Philippine revolutionary government that was Katipunan when its co-founder, soul, driving force, and Generalissimo was eliminated is anything but clear and settled. The seemingly official Philippine government story embraces the Tejeros Convention all the way to the Council of War court martial records. This is seen in this History Today post of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines:

--Andrés Bonifacio is arrested by Aguinaldo’s men at barrio Limbon, near Indang, Cavite. --General Mariano Noriel sends a brief letter to President Aguinaldo in Naic informing him of the report of Colonel Agapito Bonzon, who arrested Andrés Bonifacio and some twenty followers, after an armed encounter in Barrio Limbon, Indang, Cavite.

http://www.nhi.gov.ph//index.php?option=com_today_in_history&th_days=28&th_month=4&Itemid=1&thAction=thDetailView&th_id=769

Judging from how the title "Supremo" or Katipunan "Supreme President" was nowhere to be found while Aguinaldo and the 'arresting' men were equipped with the titles "President," "General" and even the relatively lowly "Colonel" respectively. Also, the choice of the word "arrest" is so loaded with the assumption that Aguinaldo at that point wielded authority while Bonifacio did not.

This rather apparent critical tendency favoring Aguinaldo is seen as well in how he has dislodged the Supremo's position in the design of peso bills and coins. From having absolutely no presence in Philippine money, the Supremo's nemesis came to be featured in Philippine bills and coins. Aguinaldo's face first appeared in the P5 bill in the latter part of the Marcos presidency at a time when Bonifacio was in the P2 bill, second in billing only to Jose Rizal. By the time of Fidel Ramos, Bonifacio was relegated to the P10 bill, ironically sharing limelight with a figure historically associated not with him but with Aguinaldo--the Great Paralytic, Apolinario Mabini y Maranan.

The devaluation of Bonifacio and appreciation of Aguinaldo in Philippine historiography, money, and government-sponsored textbooks/web posts seem to have begun with the administration of President Diosdado Macapagal, a descendant of Lazaro Makapagal. President Macapagal, in a move that can be applauded for defying the imperialist United States' continuing hegemony, changed the independence day of the Philippines from the American-sponsored July 4, 1946 to the date declared by Aguinaldo, June 12, 1898. Some history-conscious critics charge that Macapagal's move was designed to cleanse the family from the stigma of their ancestor Makapagal being the berdugo (executioner) of the Supremo. Whether President Diosdado acted from sheer nationalist motivations or from the impulsion to restore family honor, the change in independence day would help pave the way to elevating a dubious, if not antagonist revolutionary figure that was Aguinaldo.. [Check out: The Devaluation of a Hero & Promotion of a Counter-Hero: Where's Andres Bonifacio in the P5 Coin?]

The bottom line is that with the depreciation of the Father of the Philippine Revolution and the appreciation of his murderously power-grabbing nemesis, Aguinaldo, the great injustice of the coup and kangaroo-court trial and execution committed against the Supremo is glossed over.

Perhaps, this should not be that surprising considering that the Aguinaldo family's influence lives on. A granddaughter of Aguinaldo became, Ameurfina Herrera, became Associate Justice while two grandsons became mayor of Kawit. A great grandsons became congressman to the 13th and 14th congress--Joseph Emilio Abaya. Presently, two Aguinaldo descendants occupy the top government posts in Kawit, Cavite--Mayor Reynaldo Aguinaldo and Vice-Mayor Emilio Orange Aguinaldo IV. Former Prime Minister Cesar Virata is Aguinaldo's grandnephew to his cousin Baldomero. There's even a great grandson serving as shrine curator for, well, the Aguinaldo Shrine.

The Supremo's history from their memoirs

The same cannot be said of the Bonifacios with nil descendants given that the Supremo's family was nearly entirely wiped out by Aguinaldo's orders. In fact, a television documentary shows a descendant apparently through the Supremo's sister--the only one spared of the Bonifacio carnage--recounting how their ancestors had to hide from the Supremo's enemies to keep safe.

Fortunately for the Supremo, there survive accounts that give the side of Bonifacio and the Magdiwang faction--his letters to Emilio Jacinto y Dizon or Julio Nakpil,  the memoirs of generals Artemio Ricarte alias "Vibora" and Santiago Alvarez, and also Nakpil's "Notes on the Philippine Revolution" ('Apuntes Sobre La Revolucion Filipina'). These documents and accounts mostly counter the version of Aguinaldo's Magdalo, which dominates Philippine history books. To cite, the Katipunan phase of the Himagsikan as written by Teodoro Agoncillo mostly speaks from the perspective of Aguinaldo. The "Revolt of the Masses" by Agoncillo, whose books have for a long time been used as virtual standard reference in at least some colleges including the University of the Philippines, actually proceeds as if the Alvarez memoirs did not exist.

CHRONOLOGY of the TRAGEDY 

December 1985 - Andres Bonifacio y de Castro becomes Supremo of the Katipunan; according to Pio Valenzuela, Bonifacio's assumption of KKK leadership, along with the earlier entry of Emilio Jacinto, is mainly responsible for the growth of the movement.

14 March 1896 - Supremo Andres Bonifacio inducts Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy into the Katipunan, the latter assuming the nom de guerre Magdalo. The initiation process took a particularly longer time than usual, as Aguinaldo kept wrongly responding in a "Masonic" manner instead of in the Katipunan manner (Alvarez).

Middle-later March 1896 - Aguinaldo figures in an altercation with Ramon Padilla y Garcia, future martyr of Bagumbayan, who is supposedly boastful and uncouth; the Supremo intervenes, noting that it may be necessary "to defend the honor of our brother [Aguinaldo] here,"and sends an emissary to Padilla to ask him to apologize to Aguinaldo but if he refuses, they are to engage in a duel: Santiago notes Aguinaldo's nervousness over the prospect of a duel and feels his pounding heart but Padilla eventually apologizes. (Alvarez)

1st Week April 1896 - Supremo, Pio Valenzuela, Emilio Jacinto, and Pantaleon Torres arrive at Noveleta, Cavite to establish a provincial council of the KKK, with Mariano "Mainam" Alvarez as president; to be known as Magdiwang, said chapter would later be acknowledged as responsible for successful campaigns against the enemy Spaniards by the time the Himagsikan breaks out. (Alvarez)

-- later, Santiago Alvarez accompanies the Supremo's group to the Aguinaldo yard to organize another KKK council, to be called Magdalo; on the evening just before the initiation ceremonies for new Katipunan recruits, shouts of "Fire, fire in Manila" are heard [later, the house of Bonifacio and others would ravaged by the fire]. (Alvarez)

Latter part of May 1896 - Bonifacio sends Pio Valenzuela as emissary to Jose Rizal, seeking advice as to whether to push through with the revolution.

- Valenzuela returns, talks with Bonifacio in private and the two thereafter kept their silence on the issue, triggering speculations that Rizal is against the Revolution (Alvarez).

21 Aug. 1896 - Bonifacio and Jacinto change the Katipunan code to numeric two days after the Spanish colonial authorities confirmed the existence of the Katipunan; as arrests continue, some 500 Katipuneros leave Balintawak for neighboring Kangkong.

August. 1896 - The Katipunan Supreme Council elects the leader of the revolutionary government:

Andres Bonifacio, Supremo/President
Teodoro Plata, Secretary of War
Emilio Jacinto, Secretary of State
Aguedo del Rosario, Secretary of Interior
Briccio Pantas, Secretary of Justice
Enrique Pacheco, Secretary of Finance.

(This election would be recorded in the February 8, 1897 issue of the Spanish-American publication La Ilustracion Española y Americana about the Philippine revolution. The article featured an engraved portrait of "Andres Bonifacio, Titulado 'Presidente' de la Republica Tagala," clad in a dark suit and white tie. Nineteenth century Spanish historian Jose M. del Castillo also document the first national elections in his 1897 writing "El Katipunan" or "El Filibusterismo en Filipinas.") 

24 Aug. 1896 - Katipuneros arrive at the barn of Melchora Aquino for their hurried National Assembly, with Supremo Andres Bonifacio and members of the Supreme Council (Kataastaasang Kapulungan), heads of the supramunicipal (sangunian) and chapter (balangay) units of the Katipunan in attendance; American colonial military historian John R. M. Taylor will later come to the conclusion that the Katipunan was the first national government of the Philippines, writing that Bonifacio turned the Katipunan "lodges into battalions, his grandmasters into captains, and the supreme council of the Katipunan" into a revolutionary body fighting for independence against colonial Spain.

25 Aug. 1896 - Revolutionary Filipinos led by Bonifacio win the first skirmish of the Himagsikan against colonial Spain, forcing the retreat of Spanish civil guards and infantrymen who opened fire at the Katipuneros in their temporary headquarters at the barn of Melchora Aquino in Caloocan.

26 Aug. 1896 - Bonifacio unfurls the Katipunan flag in Balintawak five (5) days after the Spaniards ascertained the existence of the KKK.

27 Aug. 1896 - Katipuneros led by the Supremo proceed from Marikina to Hagdang Bato.

28 Aug. 1896 - Bonifacio issues a manifesto setting August 29 as the start of the general uprising against Spain.

29 Aug. 1896 - The Katipuneros led by its Supremo Bonifacio, start the general uprising against Spain midnight of this day, a Saturday, with its first offensive attacking an isolated colonial garrison in Luzon; Aguinaldo's group from Cavite fails to arrive as planned and the initial major salvo is unsuccessful. (Salazar)

30 Aug. 1896 - Spanish Governor-General Blanco declares the state of war and martial law in eight provinces: Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna, Cavite, and Batangas.

5 September 1896 - Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy, mayor of Kawit wins a signal victory in Imus against the Spanish forces led by Gen. Aquirre. From then, on he was known as Gen. Miong, hero to the Magdalos, if not Cavitenos.

19 Sept. 1896 - Antonio San Agustin Salazar, Filipino mason, confesses to knowing Bonifacio and would become one of the Bagumbayan Martyrs executed within a few months in connection with the Himagsikan--ushering in the "reign of terror" by the Spanish colonizers.

31 October 1896 - Aguinaldo issues two manifestos: (1) defines the revolution's aims as independence and "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity," and (2) calls for the formation of a central revolutionary government.

17 December 1896 - the Supremo arrives in Cavite, in response to the invitation of the Magdiwang KKK chapter in the province for the purpose of resolving their rivalry with the rival Magdalo chapter.

18 December 1896 - Bonifacio receives a warm welcome: riding, along with Sec. Emilio Jacinto, a luxurious horse-driven carriage, Col. Santos Nocon provides the honor guard of cavalry detachment; Magdalo secretary of war Daniel Tirona rides abreast on the right side of the Supremo and with his sword drawn, shouts "Long Live the Supremo" every time they pass by large crowds. (Alvarez)

- at the San Francisco de Malabon, a Magdiwang territory, some people in the crowd would shout "Long Live the King," with the Supremo shouting back "Long Live Motherland!" (Alvarez)

Circa Mid-to-Late December 1896 - the Supremo is in Cavite, in response to the invitation of the Magdiwang KKK chapter in the province for the purpose of resolving their rivalry with the rival Magdalo chapter.

-- Baldomero Aguinaldo proposes the establishment of a revolutionary government, with Edilberto Evangelista submitting a constitution for the proposed government; the Supremo rejects the charter, finding it plagiarized. Those who favor the Katipunan argued that it has its own constitution & by-laws and that it is already a (revolutionary) government.

Post-Christmas 1896 - Smear propaganda against the Supremo circulates, including in the form of poison letters, in rebel towns particularly in San Francisco de Malabon where Bonifacio is greatly respected and admired, with Tirona as suspect: Bonifacio is villified for supposedly not believing in God; having low education; being  mere lowly hired help in a firm dealing with tiles and with no other income; that he was an agent of the friars, with his sister being a paramour of a Spanish curate. (Alvarez)

- With some of the poison letters reaching the Supremo when a number of disbelieving recipients voluntarily  turn over the poison letters to him, Bonifacio demands an explanation from Tirona at the home of Col. Nocon: Tirona haughtily & defiantly dismisses the accusations, prompting the Supremo to nearly shoot at Tirona if not for the intercession of some women present. (Alvarez)

29 December 1896 - Magdiwang and Magdalo leaders meet to discuss how to settle differences in revolutionary struggle and also a plot to snatch Rizal on the eve of his execution scheduled by the Spanish colonial authorities:

- exploration of unified leadership fails because of dispute over which leadership should prevail; Bonifacio asks Aguinaldo, secretary of the meeting, to record a motion forwarded re the framing of a constitution [despite the fact that the KKK already had one] but Aguinaldo asks that the matter be deferred at the moment. (Alvarez)

Circa early 1897 - Magdiwang faction building up secret enemies--Katipuneros who had been rebuffed or dismissed for insubordination, including Mariano Trias who refused to give up his private army.

January 1897 - Magdiwang is major Katipunan force in Cavite, with 3,400 guns compared to Magdalo's 2000 and had decidedly bigger territories covered

February 1897 - According to the Alvarez's memoirs, Supremo Andres Bonifacio, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, Mariano Trias and Procopio Bonifacio were poised to come to blows over defamatory idle talk but was prevented by "Apoy" Alvarez and Artemio Ricarte who manage to soothe the feelings of the four men.

14 Feb. 1897 - The Spaniards begin their 52-day offensive at Cavite. Within days, the colonizers would begin to successively retake rebel towns under the Magdalo faction of the Katipunan but not so much the Magdiwang. The council and members of Magdalo would withdraw to San Francisco de Malabon and try to hold meetings in other Magdiwang territories  (Delos Santos; Alvarez) 

1st/ 2nd week of March 1897 - The Magdalo faction invites the Magdiwang for a general assembly purportedly to draw up some revolutionary strategy; Baldomero Aguinaldo, Emiliano Riego de Dios, Santiago, Daniel Tirona (local war minister), Severino de las Alas, etc. from the Magdalo camp mainly prepare the arrangement (Alvarez).

22 March 1897 - Instead of being a general assembly to map up some joint revolutionary strategy, the Tejeros Convention elects officers of a new revolutionary body in a scandalous and fraudulent fashion. The Supremo has agreed to the hasty elections provided everyone respects the results. "Elected" are the following:

President Emilio Aguinaldo

Vice-President Mariano Trías

Captain-General Artemio Ricarte

Director of War Emiliano Riego de Dios

Director of the Interior Andrés Bonifacio

• Tirona scandalously objects to Bonifacio's election on supposed grounds of the latter's lack of qualifications, prodding (unsuccessfully) the crowd to elect lawyer Jose del Rosario, Magdalo's interior minister, instead. Bonifacio, as chairman of the Convention, declares the proceedings null and void on grounds of grave violations of the prior agreement to honor the electoral results.
• (Alvarez's memoirs narrate the earlier unheeded warning given by Magdiwang Council Treasury Secretary Diego Mojica to the Supremo as to the use of pre-filled ballots)

23 March 1897 - Bonifacio, along with over 40 other Katipuneros, signs the Acta de Tejeros that nullifies the fraudulent and anomalous Tejeros Convention.

24 March 1897 - Aguinaldo takes his office as "President" in secret, with Catholic priest (under Spanish authority) Cenon Villafranca officiating, despite Bonifacio's nullification of the Tejeros polls in the latter's capacity as presiding officer and the manifestos and speeches  circulated in connection with the scandalous elections. (Alvarez)

• Artemio Ricarte y Garcia reluctantly also takes his oath of office after being elected the General-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Army during the anomalous Tejeros Convention. He insinuates that his eventual oath-taking came under a sort of duress: "That they kill me that same night, for the reasons above cited, or that they give me three hours, or at least one hour, to think over what I must necessarily do in order to accept said office; this second request was but a mere pretext, in order to enable me to absent myself from that Assembly.  I obtained nothing of what I requested, because not even one of them gave me his assent."(Ricarte) 

• that same day, Ricarte makes a declaration stating his "great reluctance" over the oath-taking amidst what he described as "dirty or shady practices in the manner" of the Tejeros Convention elections and his doubts about his capacity to serve as chief general. (Alvarez's memoirs describes the oath-taking a having been done surreptitiously and with posted guards ready to eliminate unwanted Magdiwang figures who would try to break through the proceedings).

28 (or so) March 1897 - the Supremo leads the Magdiwangs and Gen. Apoy in intercepting the enemies who three days earlier had captured and occupied Imus: with the arrival of great enemy reinforcements, Bonifacio ordered a tactical retreat. (Alvarez)

3 April 1897 - the Supremo even fought in the bid to recapture Noveleta that had earlier fallen into Spanish hands, inflicting heavy losses to the enemy but still unable to dislodge them. (Alvarez)  

Around 1st week April 1897 -  Three of Magdalo's top officers--Tirona and his lawyer candidate, del Rosario, and Lt. Gen. Juan Cailles, surrender to the colonial Spanish authorities. (Alvarez)

7 April 1897 - the Supremo warmly welcomes Emilio and Baldomero Aguinaldo at his office at a friar estate in Naic, discussing the need to punish Tirona and Cailles who had betrayed the revolution by surrendering to the Spaniards; the Aguinaldos agree. (Alvarez)

Around 7- 14 April 1897 - for a week, the Aguinaldos would exhibit close cooperation and comradeship, leading to the agreement for the Magdiwang to lend guns to the Magdalos who volunteered to fight to enable the Magdiwang troops to briefly rest. Bonifacio blesses the plan, and even had his Balara contingent contribute to the gun loan (Alvarez)

Middle - end of April - with the Magdiwang guns in their hands, the Magdalos entrenched their positions and Aguinaldo consolidate his forces. (Alvarez)

15 April 1897 - Bonifacio appoints Jacinto as Supreme Commander of all revolutionary forces in Manila.

16 April 1897 - The Supremo writes Jacinto, ascribing the failure of the Katipunan in defending Cavite against Spanish troops to factionalism and relays the deceitfulness of Magdalo faction led by Capitan Aguinaldo in apparently scheming to abandon the Revolution and forge a deal with the enemy Spaniards.

• Bonifacio adds that he needed to nullify all the resolutions that were adopted in the fraudulent and scandalously anomalous Tejeros Convention owing to the dirty tactics of Magdalo in the bid to discredit him and the Katipunan.

17 April 1897 - Aguinaldo forms his [nearly all-Caviteno] cabinet or officers of the "republic" (Alvarez):

Emilio Aguinaldo - President

Mariano Trias - Vice-President

Pascual Alvarez - Secretary of the Interior (Executive Offices)

Baldomero Aguinaldo - Secretary of Finance

Jacinto Lumbreras - Secretary of State

Severino de las Alas - Secretary of Justice

Mariano Alvarez - Secretary of Development

Emiliano Riego de Dios - Secretary of War

Artemio Ricarte - Captain General

19 April 1897 - The Supremo and other signatories sign the Naik Military Agreement declaring that several Filipino revolutionaries (referring to but not naming the camp of Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy) had committed treason against the nation and the revolution by negotiating for peace with the enemy Spaniards. They declare that they are not bound to recognize the authority of the traitors and that all revolutionary forces shall be unified under the command of Gen. Pio del Pilar.

24 April 1897 - Bonifacio confides his fear that his company seems to be in danger not only from the Spanish enemy but, also, from the local [Caviteno] revolutionary leaders in a letter to Jacinto. The Supremo also writes about the detestable acts of treason/collaboration with the enemy Spaniards that was engaged in by certain Magdalo members, partisans of Aguinaldo such as Tirona, Mtro. De Guerra, Jose del Rosario, Jose Caelles, and "almost all Tanza residents along with the priest there," as well as the fraud and anomaly that characterized the Tejeros Convention.

27 April 1897 - "President" Aguinaldo sternly orders that the Bonifacio brothers be seized and brought before him dead or alive. Assigned were Col. Agapito Bonzon (alias Intong/Yntong), Felipe Topacio, and Jose Paua/Pawa (alias Insik Pawa) who, along with some men, leave Naic for Indang in the afternoon. (Alvarez) [Note: Other sources place this day of order as April 26]

• Reaching Indang, Bonzon and company apparently survey the size of Bonifacio's forces. They are warmly greeted by the Supremo who even address them as "my brethren" before they leave, claiming they are only looking for enemy trails. (Alvarez)

28 April 1897 - The Supremo and brother Procopio are treacherously abducted by the forces of Bonzon and Paua who return in the morning. They violently attack the Bonifacio brothers and men in a surprise move that instantly kills Ciriaco Bonifacio. (Alvarez). [Note: Other reports will point to the afternoon of April 27 as the time of the Bonifacio abduction].

• Bonzon shoots the Supremo in the arm. Paua then moves to kill the Katipunan Supreme President by stabbing him in the throat with a dagger but one of Bonifacio's men plead that his life be taken instead. (Alvarez)  [According to Julio Nakpil, it was Lazaro who stabbed the Supremo]

• Procopio is badly beaten; Andres Bonifacio's wife, Gregoria de Jesus, is also abducted and brought to Naic, with the weakened Supremo brought in a hammock. His wife is raped by Yntong. (Court martial record tell of unsuccessful rape; but recent sources tell rape did occur, such as Ocampo, cited in Duka).

• The Bonifacio brothers are taken to a cramped prison without the right to accept visitors. They are also negligibly fed. (Alvarez; Duka)

29 April 1897 - Several Magdiwang leaders meet at a house in Naic to discuss a plan to rescue the Supremo; Generals "Mainam" and his son "Apoy" were not invited because the former was included in the Magdalo line up as welfare director as the latter was said to be opposed to any move that would cause civil war. The formation of a bolo regiment to pretend to reinforce the Naic estate house guards but would suddenly and simultaneously strike at a given signal is approved. The plan fails to materialize because of the unexpected Spanish attack on Indang and Naic. (Alvarez)

30 April 1897 - Luciano San Miguel tells Apoy of news circulating among the military top brass of Aguinaldo's "Republic" about the general objection among the revolutionary government's chiefs and military officers to the arrest of the Supremo. (Alvarez)

The Supremo's antagonists

Bonifacio "Trial" Proper: 28 April - 4 May 1897

Noriel, head of the court martial body, unabashedly prejudges the Supremo by asking the "Most Respected and Distinguished President" Aguinaldo to judge the extent of the evil and treacherous intentions of Andres Bonifacio. Fourteen persons testify in the very swift course of the court martial, with the trial proper taking only a mere 6 days: Benito Torres; Procopio Bonifacio; Nicolas Guzman; Rafael Non; Narciso Tiolo; Julian Aguila; Cayetano Lopez; Bibiano Rojas; Pedro Giron; Domingo Denlaso; Domingo San Juan; Gervacio Santiago; Andres Bonifacio; Gregoria de Jesus. (Court martial records).

The Supremo testifies that he did not know of the existence of any other revolutionary government (other than the Katipunan) because Aguinaldo was not validly elected, as partly based on the statement of Artemio Ricarte and that he was unaware if any oath-taking has taken place. (Alvarez).

The Supremo also belies the accusation that he ever fired his gun: evidence based on his gun as confiscated byYntong's group shows that, indeed, the gun was unfired.

Only Pedro Giron testifies about the supposed plot by the Supremo to have Aguinaldo assassinated. All the other witnesses summoned are unaware of said plots or never even heard of them. (Alvarez)

Investigating officer Pantaleon Garcia submits his findings to Emilio Aguinaldo who endorsed the same to his cousin and court auditor Baldomero Aguinaldo.

Council of War and Decision: May 5-8 1897

May 5

Noriel calls for a meeting of the Council of War on May 5. The Supremo would not be allowed to deliver a defense speech, despite requesting the panel twice for that right, with the official records showing that the request has been turned down supposedly because Bonifacio has only been repeating his account made during the court examination.

The counsels make their speeches: Placido Martinez for the Supremo and Teodoro Gonzalez and for Procopio. The prosecutor is Jose Elises. The court-appointed lawyer of the Supremo, Martinez, is rather scandalously a Council of War panel member. He attacks the Supremo, prejudging him for his supposed "evil" act of trying to kill Aguinaldo, before begging the court that clemency be granted his 'client.'

The court martial proceedings are suspended, with the minutes of the hearing signed by Noriel, Mariano Riego de Dios, Crisostomo Riel, Estevan Ynfante, T. Mascardo, Sulpicio Antony, and Placido Martinez.

May 6

The court martial declares the Bonifacio brothers guilty and deserving of the punishment of being shot to death--despite Giron being the only one to testify about the supposed plan to assassinate Aguinaldo and the Supremo's gun actually having been unfired. The decision, subsequently for forwarding to Aguinaldo, are signed by Mariano Noriel, the Council President, Tomas Mascardo, and Esteban Ynfante, and attested to by Council Secretary Lazaro Makapagal.

May 8

Baldomero Aguinaldo upholds the Council of War decision declaring the Supremo and his brother 'guilty' of supposedly (a.) firing at "government soldiers;" (b.) intention of "overthrowing the government" and killing Aguinaldo based [mainly] on Giron's testimony; and (c.) using money to induce "government soldiers" to transfer allegiance to him:

...it appears true that the Bonifacio brothers, Andres, Ciriaco, and Procopio, had the intention of overthrowing the government of the Tagalogs, of killing the President, and of resisting the government army forces. Because of these crimes, they deserve the punishment [death by shooting] dictated by the Council.

The Assassination-cum-Execution

On the morning of May 10, 1897, the Supremo and brother Procopio were taken out of their cramped prison and brought to the mountains of Maragondon, Cavite. The day before was the birthday of his wife but, of course, there was no celebration, not even physical union and, instead, torment and misery over the murderous injustice wrought he would dared put into revolutionary action the most patriotic aspiration for liberation against Spain.

There are differing accounts of how the end came to the great Supremo. Wikipedia sums up both the orthodox and unorthodox accounts of the "execution" a.k.a. power-grabbing murder, from Lazaro, Alvarez, and other recent scholarships:

The Supremo & brother Procopio,
"execution" via assassination
Photo art: JB

There are differing accounts of Bonifacio's manner of execution. The commanding officer of the execution party, Lazaro Macapagal, said in two separate accounts that the Bonifacio brothers were shot to death, which is the orthodox interpretation. Macapagal's second account has Bonifacio attempting to escape after his brother is shot, but he is also killed while running away. Macapagal writes that they buried the brothers in shallow graves dug with bayonets and marked by twigs.[10]

However, another account states that after his brother was shot, Bonifacio was stabbed and hacked to death. This was allegedly done while he lay prone in a hammock in which he was carried to the site, being too weak to walk.[47] This version was maintained by Guillermo Masangkay, who claimed to have gotten this information from one of Macapagal's men.[10] Also, one account used to corroborate this version is of an alleged eyewitness, a farmer who claimed he saw five men hacking a man in a hammock.[47] Historian Milagros Guerrero also says Bonifacio was bayoneted, and that the brothers were left unburied.[84] After bones said to be Bonifacio's - including a fractured skull - were discovered in 1918, Masangkay claimed the forensic evidence supported his version of events.[10] Writer Adrian Cristobal notes that accounts of Bonifacio's captivity and trial state he was very weak due to his wounds being left untreated; he thus doubts that Bonifacio was strong enough to make a last dash for freedom as Macapagal claimed.[47] Historian Ambeth Ocampo, who doubts the Bonifacio bones were authentic, thus also doubts the possibility of Bonifacio's death by this manner.[10]

Aguinaldo's Coup. Clear as Day.

Aguinaldo's intent to grab Himagsikan power and supersede the Katipunan with his own revolutionary government is reflected in a series of developments that rather swiftly took place in a matter of nine months from the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution against Spain. Aguinaldo's October 1896 proclamation foreshadowed his controversial rise to revolutionary leadership via power grab as it revealed his ambitious intent from the start. From the October 1896 proclamation to the fraudulent Tejeros & subsequent surreptitious oath-taking, to their deliberate failure to return the guns lent them by the Magdiwang (enabling them to consolidate military forces), to the treacherous  'dead or alive' attack on and abduction of the Bonifacios, to the 'kangaroo court' Council of War trial, to the surreptitious "execution" [considered by Mabini as "assassination"], Aguinaldo's scheme to seize power is clear as day.

Additionally, the fact that Aguinaldo assigned a close relative--from the Magdalo camp at that--to the Council of War court that (seditiously) tried the Supremo perhaps shows the first case of nepotism in the Philippine government. This Aguinaldo nepotism of assigning Baldomero as the court martial Auditor exercised in a literally death-deciding and critically important body betrays not only distasteful lack of delicadeza but, moreover, lends further evidence to the apparently kangaroo court and seditious character of Bonifacio's "trial."

Beyond the issue of Bonifacio's assassination-cum-execution serving to seal Aguinaldo's coup, the developments from October 1896 to May 10, 1897 may perhaps trigger the question of whether Aguinaldo deserved the leadership more than Bonifacio. That is, amidst traditional or government-published history books/articles showing Aguinaldo's supposed excellent military and political skills, was his insubordination and power grab against Bonifacio justified?

While it is true that Bonifacio did not win any major battle under his direct leadership, all battles should be attributed to him, as historian Milagros Guerrero pointed out, he being the Supremo. Also, Bonifacio seemed to have reeled from the first major encounter, the Battle of Pugad Lawin that was lost because of the failure [suspiciously?] of Aguinaldo's group to show up as planned (Salazar). More importantly, Manila, Bonifacio's battleground, was simply the area most difficult to win as it was the most heavily fortified and defended by the enemy Spaniards, it being the colonial seat of government. Even Aguinaldo, during the second phase of the Revolution, failed to get Manila, or at least potentially had it last (until he stupidly allowed the imperialist and racist Americans to stage the Mock Battle of Manila).

Another point negating any claim of pre-Council of War de facto Aguinaldo leadership is the fact that it was really the Magdiwang and not the Magdalo that was winning more battles against the Spaniards in Cavite. At least this was the case around January 1897: during around the time of the scandalous and fraudulent Tejeros Convention when the Spaniards concentrated on Cavite, Magdiwang still had its turfs but not so the Magdalo faction. This is reflected both in the Supremo's summer 1897 letter to Jacinto/Nakpil and in the memoirs of Gen. Alvarez. In fact, his Magdalo faction had already been driven out of their Cavite territories by the Spanish forces such that Aguinaldo had to surreptitiously take his oath of office in a parish in MAGDIWANG turf--even assigning LOOKOUTS to ensure that the unwanted Magdiwang figures didn't get hold of their seditious activity.

Andres Bonifacio y de Castro, "Father of Philippine Revolution"

Making Sense of the Tragedy

There have been different interpretations of the deposing and killing, nay murder, of Bonifacio. An insightful, informed, and objective one comes no less than from Aguinaldo's own former Prime Ministers, Mabini. Aguinaldo's own handpicked adviser during the second phase of the Philippine Revolution, Mabini described Bonifacio's supposed execution as an "assassination"...as a "crime" on the part of Aguinaldo that "was the first victory of personal ambition over true patriotism."

Mabini supports his reading of Bonifacio's killing being criminal with a number of points:

1. "Bonifacio had no less schooling than any of those elected in the aforesaid assembly" and has even exhibited "an uncommon sagacity in organizing the Katipunan."
2. All the electors in the Tejeros Convention "were friends of Don Emilio Aguinaldo and Don Mariano Trias, who were united."
3. "Bonifacio, although he had established his integrity, was looked upon with distrust only because he was not a native of the province".
4. Despite Bonifacio's resentment, "he did not show it by any act of turbulent defiance, for, seeing that no one was working for reconciliation, he was content with quitting the province for San Mateo in the company of his brothers."

Close reading of other contemporary sources or authors lend support to Mabini's points and conclusions.

Pt. 1

The belittling of Bonifacio's intellectual capacity, despicably first used by Tirona to undermine Bonifacio's election in the Tejeros Convention, sadly continues to this day despite glaring evidence to the contrary. Ed Aurelio Reyes of Kamalaysayan writes about a high school teacher who ridiculously taught about the Supremo being illiterate. This well shows how continuing anti-Bonifacio propaganda from the pro-Aguinaldo camp can foster pathetic ignorance.

Contrary to such awfully ignorant claims, the Supremo was an intelligent, well-read man--in fact, a voracious reader of myriad volumes of books in several FOREIGN languages, such as The French Revolution, Les Miserables, The Wandering Jew, Lives of the Presidents of the United States, and Jose Rizal's La Solidaridad, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Beyond uncanny organizational prowess, Bonifacio exhibited considerable intelligence. For one, how can someone who wrote the Dekalogo, and poems like "Tapunan ng Lingap" and the beautifully moving "Pag-Ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa," the powerful July 1892 Katipunan founding speech, and a host of other Katipunan communications and personal letters to his Katipunero comrades and others be "no read no write"? In fact, even Teodoro Agoncillo concedes that the Supremo's work, Ang Dapat Mabatid ng Mga Tagalog, is responsible for the rapid geometric increase of the membership of the Katipunan in 1896. (Reyes)

Moreover, Bonifacio, presumably along with other Katipunan leaders, showed smart thinking by way of adopting secret codes for Katipunan communications that made them evade discovery by the Spaniards for some four years. The earlier codes involved “monoalphabetic substitution cipher” and was replaced by the Supremo with a numerical one by 1896.

And mind you, Bonifacio became chief propagandist of La Liga Filipina, that body populated by the ilustrados of their time. If the Katipunan Supremo were any bit unlettered and stupid, he could not possibly have assumed official position in the La Liga. That grossly misinformed teacher would probably find it hard doing propaganda work even in his/her own barrio.

Bonifacio was also intelligent enough to be able to discern the plagiarism in the constitution proposed to him by Edilberto Evangelista and Severino de las Alas. Alvarez writes that the Supremo turned down the constitution because it would have been embarrassing to use a charter mainly copied from one written done by a Spanish minister, Antonio Maura. [Compare that with Aguinaldo's decision to use the plagiarized-from-the-Cuban-Constitution "Biak na Bato" constitution.]

Pt. 2

Mariano Trias was a former Magdiwang who defected to Aguinaldo's Magdalo because he was earlier embarrassed and hurt by Ricarte's criticism of his and others' anomalous use of private armies that refused to be subordinated to the Katipunan. Tirona was not only close to Aguinaldo but was months earlier responsible for engaging in the character assassination of Bonifacio using poison letters and gossips to maliciously discredit the Supremo as godless Mason, a lowly hired employee, etc. (Alvarez). Beyond the electors being close to Aguinaldo, the Tejeros Convention was also grievously fraudulent as attested by Ricarte, Molina and recorded by Alvarez.

Pt. 3

Mabini was essentially pointing to Cavitism when he wrote about the "distrust" the Supremo suffered despite his display of integrity. That regionalism figured in the tragedy of the Katipunan can be gleaned from the events and writings during the fateful summer months of 1897.

Around February or March, Bonifacio wrote to Jacinto about "the enmity [in Cavite] between the two factions is very great," with the Magdalo wishing "to rule all and the entire Katagalugan "(Philippines) as they exclusively talk of the "Government of Imus" (Gobierno ng Imus) [being] recognized there and throughout Europe..." Bonifacio continues:

The government they try to establish here is as follows: President and General-in-Chief "Magdalo" (Magdalo); Director of Military Work "Baldomero" (Baldomero) and those of "Magdiwang" (Magdiwang) will simply act as subdirector or subminister.** This plan truly "disgusted" (ikinapuot) the "ministers of Magdiwang" (Ministros ng Magdiwang), who saw through their "game that if Imus is elected" (politica na kung napipili ang Imus) "they will govern here in Malabon" (mamahala dito sa Malabon). The selfishness of "Magdalo" (Magdalo) is truly "disgusting" (nakasuklam) and has been the cause of their many reverses."

The nearly all-Caviteno composition of the winners in the anomalous Tejeros Convention, along with the cabinet that Aguinaldo will subsequently form, also perhaps betrays the issue of Cavitism. Apart from Bonifacio, Ricarte, who was an Ilocano, was also elected in Tejeros; it should be noted, however, that Ricarte was already a permanent resident there who transferred from teaching from Manila to Cavite. While Bonifacio's letter points to the factionalism within Cavite itself, it seemed that the fraudulent Tejeros Convention was used to cement Caviteno hold on the Revolution. Why so? Amidst the fact that Ricarte was a Magdiwang who took his oath of office, no matter his great reluctance and pressure tactics applied on him, one can argue that Aguinaldo and province mates tried to resolve the Magdiwang-Magdalo factionalism by booting out an outsider, namely Bonifacio.

Did Cavitism prevail? That is debatable. Gen. Mariano "Mainam" Alvarez, a Caviteno, refused to fight the Spaniards under the forces of Aguinaldo after the tragic murder-cum-execution. Besides, his son, Santiago, wrote memoirs showing the Magdiwang account or perspective of the Katipunan tragedy that, of course, countered the version of Aguinaldo's camp.

Pt. 4

Mabini well recognized Bonifacio's magnanimity and moral discipline when he noted how the Supremo showed NO "turbulent defiance" despite Aguinaldo's seditious maneuverings. This point of Mabini, along with how he dubbed the Supremo's killing as a crime effectively shows he found the Council of War findings as fabricated and but utter lies.

Indeed, Bonifacio was so faithful to and focused on his vision of seeing the liberation of the Tagalog (Filipino) nation that he continued to believe that the Magdalo were mainly driven by patriotic intent, causing him to throw caution to the wind at least thrice. Firstly, despite he and Procopio nearly coming into blows with Aguinaldo a month earlier, and the supposed Tejeros Convention's agenda being a strategizing for the revolution, the Supremo acceded to holding an election for a new government. Moreover, and this is the second instance, Bonifacio also even dismissed Mojica's warning that the ballot had been pre-filled with Magdalo names.

Thirdly, despite the insult despicably attempted by Tirona, a Magdalo, at the Tejeros Convention, the Supremo did not hesitate to warmly welcome the Aguinaldos at his office in Naic but also, within a week, blessed the plan for the Magdiwang to lend arms to the Magdalo, supposedly to enable the latter faction to rest from the fighting. The Supremo was so focused on attaining liberation for the country and so magnanimous willing to give his compatriots the benefit of the doubt that he even graciously had his Balara contingent lend the guns to the Magdalo. All these despite the seemingly vile pattern of Magdalo moves and acts. As history has unfolded, the Magdiwang guns being in the hands of Magdalo provided the crucial military component to Aguinaldo's revolutionary power-grab, so to speak.

Legally Kangaroo & Naught 

Approaching the tragedy from a legal standpoint would even lead one to see the utter baselessness , stark 'kangaroo-ness,' and sheer nefariousness of what they did to the Supremo and his brother. Attorney Marvin Aceron writes that he doesn't only agree that Bonifacio was not only given a kangaroo court martial but that the entire trial was legally baseless for two reasons: the absence of law on treason and absence of jurisdiction under Aguinaldo's 'government.'

Aceron wonders how Council of War could have possibly tried and punished anyone for treason--one of the charges against the Bonifacio brothers--when at that time Aguinaldo had not issued any law against it under the 'Philippine Republic.' Indeed, Aguinaldo and his camp seemed rather bereft of common legal sense that the 'President' failed to issue even a dictatorial decree defining treason. Herein, it appears that his and Tirona's lawyer candidate friend, del Rosario, was legally inept so much so that he was unable to receive a counsel  on the need to issue or make a criminal law before it can be enforced and be used to punished anyone.

Additionally, it perhaps ought to be understood that it was actually the Supremo who had the right to charge Aguinaldo with treason, if ever, because the Katipunan leader had the sense to issue the Naic Military Agreement signed on April 19, 1897. The third clause of the Agreement which goes as: "Any disloyal person shall be punished on the spot, according to his desserts," provides the punitive clause to the introductory paragraph of the document that condemns the treason against Motherland committed by "certain officers who have been sowing discord...."

Atty. Aceron also finds the Council of War as having had no jurisdiction to try the Supremo and his brother because the supposed crimes took place in territories that were already retaken by the Spaniards by the time of the trial. He adds that if there's anyone who had the right to put anyone on trial (especially a criminal one), it was only the Spanish colonial government who wielded actual power in Indang and Naic, among others at that time. 

This is a particularly noteworthy point here because it raises the issue of jurisdiction. If one wishes to counter this legal argument by philosophizing that it was a revolutionary and, thus, fluid government that was at work then, then one can go further and claim that Aguinaldo did not even have jurisdiction in Indang and Naic and even Maragondon where the abduction, trial, and execution took place, respectively. Why so? Because these three Cavite towns were under Katipunan's Magdiwang and not Magdalo jurisdiction even prior to the Spanish offensive.

The Magdiwang territories were actually under Gen. Mainam Alvarez, who was months earlier, based on surviving draft notice, was appointed by Bonifacio's Supreme Council as revolutionary chief in Cavite. While Alvarez presented extreme prudence when he opposed the rescue of the Supremo, he was loyal to the latter whose tragic death so demoralized him. Despite Aguinaldo's appointment of him as Secretary of Development, Alvarez refused to  further fight the Spaniards under Aguinaldo after the Bonifacios' killing. Besides, another of his 'officers,' Ricarte, seemed to have been only coerced into serving under Aguinaldo's government. This can be gleaned by Ricarte's apparent insinuation that he was subjected to heavy pressure--if not subtle death threat--that's why he ultimately took his oath as Captain-General.

In simple terms, while the Magdalo/Aguinaldo already possessed Magdiwang's guns, they didn't really have their loyalty. Thus, their 'government' that was also under Spanish siege at that point did not really have actual or dominant/full control of the Cavite territories relevant to the Supremo's case. In short, Aguinaldo camp's jurisdiction over the Bonifacios was naught.

Conclusion

Lakambini, Gregoria de Jesus,
Supremo Andres Bonifacio's wife

To conclude, even if one were to assume that the Tejeros elections were not fraudulent and that Bonifacio didn't nullify its proceedings (in his capacity as presiding officer); that neither did he issue the Acta de Tejeros; that Aguinaldo did not scheme a coup despite the Magdalo's abrogation of Magdiwang guns; that Aguinaldo did not order the abductions 'dead or alive'; and that the court martial was not rigged, one still gets to conclude that the Katipunan Supreme President could not possibly have been found "guilty." How could Aguinaldo's court martial pass judgement on the Supremo when the trial proceedings, with a non-existent treason law and jurisdiction, were nothing but a nefarious show designed to eliminate a rival revolutionary figure. It follows that the "execution" was but a dual murder, nay, to use Mabini's term, "assassination" on orders of an insubordinate.

"Matakot sa kasaysayan pagka't walang lihim na di nahahayag."

("Fear history, for it respects no secrets.")

                                                                           - Lakambini (Gregoria de Jesus)

__________



Photo credits

yonip.com
http://kasaysayan-kkk.info/
http://www.myspace.com/gregoriodelpilar
http://members.tripod.com/pow_mpid2/mabini.html 
http://bahaynakpil.org/images/lola_gorya_invite.pn 
http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/400/424/aguinaldo_1.htm
http://cavite.inetgiant.com.ph/generalmarianoalvarez/home/announcements

References:

Alvarez, Santiago. The katipunan and the revolution: memoirs of a general : with the original Tagalog text. Paula Carolina S. Malay. Trans. Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1992. http://books.google.com/books?id=F3q-krDckHwC&dq=SANtiago+alvarez+tejeros+forced&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Artemio Ricarte Declaration date 24 March 1897. Filipiniana.net. http://www.filipiniana.net/publication/artemio-ricarte-declaration-dated-24-march-1897/12791881635983 

Bonifacio, Andres. "Letters to Emilio Jacinto." In The Writings and Trial of Andres Bonifacio, trans. Teodoro A. Agoncillo and S. V. Epistola. Manila: Antonio J. Villegas; Manila Bonifacio Centennial Commission; University of the Philippines, 1963. 13-22. http://bonifaciopapers.blogspot.com/2005/09/bonifacio-andres_112726277825094355.html 
Delos Santos, Epifanio. ”Andres Bonifacio”, pages 34-58, The Philippine Review (Revista Filipina), G. Nieva: Manila, P.I., Volume 3, No. 1, January, 1918; Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Library 2005. Cited in The Unofficial Diary of the Malolos Republic. http://malolosrepublic.blogspot.com/2010/06/bibliography.html
Guerrero, Milagros, Emmanuel Encarnacion, and Ramon Villegas. Andres Bonifacio and the 1896 Revolution. In Sulyap Kultura. National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 1996. NCCA Site. 16 June 2003. http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/articles-on-c-n-a/article.php?i=5&subcat=13

Documents of the Katipunan website: http://kasaysayan-kkk.info/docs.ab.080397.htm ; http://kasaysayan-kkk.info ; /docs.ab.160497.htm ; http://kasaysayan-kkk.info/docs.kasaysayan.htm ; http://kasaysayan-kkk.info/docs.ks.190496.htm ; http://kasaysayan-kkk.info/docs.ab.240497.ej.htm ; http://kasaysayan-kkk.info/docs.adt.230397.htm 
Draft notice of appointment, 26 August 1896, by Bonifacio, Andres. Filipiniana.net. http://www.filipiniana.net/publication/draft-notice-of-appointment-26-august-1896/12791881631895Duka, C. Struggle for Freedom. Rex Bookstore, Inc., 2008. http://books.google.com/books?id=4wk8yqCEmJUC&dq=bonifacio+aguinaldo+dead+noriel&source=gbs_navlinks_s 
Duka, C. Struggle for Freedom. 2008 ed.Rex Bookstore.

Gov. Ramon Blanco's Decree of 30 August 1896 (Translated from the Original Spanish Text). Filipiniana.net. http://www.filipiniana.net/publication/gov-ramon-blancos-decree-of-30-august-1896-translated-from-the-original-spanish-text/12791881708249
http://www.nhi.gov.ph//index.php?option=com_today_in_history&th_days=31&th_month=10&Itemid=1&thAction=thDetailView&th_id=1526
 Letter to Emilio Jacinto, 24 April 1897. Filipiniana.net. http://www.filipiniana.net/publication/letter-to-emilio-jacinto-24-april-1897/12791881633428
Mabini, Apolinario. The Philippine Revolution. http://www.univie.ac.at/Voelkerkunde/apsis/aufi/history/mabini08.htm

Revolucion filipina (1896-1898). Museo Oriental de Valladolid Site. http://www.museo-oriental.es/ver_didactica.asp?clave=138&loc=0

 National Historical Institute. Today in History. http://www.nhi.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_today_in_history&th_days=17&th_month=4&Itemid=1&thAction=thDetailView&th_id=761 ; http://www.nhi.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_today_in_history&th_days=29&th_month=8&Itemid=1&thAction=thDetailView&th_id=1243 ; http://www.nhi.gov.ph//index.php?option=com_today_in_history&th_days=28&th_month=4&Itemid=1&thAction=thDetailView&th_id=769 
Reyes, Ed Aurelio. BONIFACIO: Slain Again and Again. http://www.tribo.org/history/bonifacio.html 
Revolucion filipina (1896-1898). Museo Oriental de Valladolid Site. http://www.museo-oriental.es/ver_didactica.asp?clave=138&loc=0Salazar, Zeus A. Kasaysayan ng Kapilipinuhan: Bagong Balangkas. Lungsod ng Quezon. 2004 Disyembre. http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=9&ved=0CFMQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.bagongkasaysayan.multiply.multiplycontent.com%2Fattachment%2F0%2FRvJZtwoKCsQAABfjrrM1%2FZeus%2520Salazar%2520-%2520Balangkas%2520ng%2520Kasaysayan%25202004.pdf%3Fnmid%3D55581663&ei=nBfwTKeUHIGgvgPo1qiHDg&usg=AFQjCNFY-7Ih-iNxGvjWhtjgIoebyl9cyA&sig2=zVIiGiBQyP0ap9pEjukt9Q.
Teodoro A. Agoncillo, Milagros Guerrero. History of the Filipino people. http://books.google.com/books?id=z3PiAAAAMAAJ&q=katipunan+coding&dq=katipunan+coding&hl=en&ei=0cfFTZWSKIi4vQOg08ihAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CGgQ6AEwCDgK
 The Court Martial of Andres Bonifacio. Filipiniana.net. http://www.filipiniana.net/publication/the-courtmartial-of-andres-bonifacio/12791881583874 
Who is Gen. M. Alvarez? http://gmacavite.com/home/home/ourtown/gma.html
21st Century Lawyer Notes on the Bonifacio Trial. http://lavidalawyer.blogspot.com/2005_11_01_archive.html

Other References:

Corpuz, O. D. Excerpts from The Roots of the Filipino Nation, Vol. II. Quezon City: AKLAHI Foundation, Inc., 1989. 211-19, 243-55. http://bonifaciopapers.blogspot.com/2006/07/corpuz-o.html Emilio Aguinaldo. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Emilio_Aguinaldo
Bernardo, Jesusa. The Devaluation of a Hero & Promotion of a Counter-Hero: Where's Andres Bonifacio in the P5 Coin? http://jesusabernardo.newsvine.com/_news/2010/01/03/3710118-the-devaluation-of-a-hero-promotion-of-a-counter-hero-wheres-andres-bonifacio-in-the-p5-coin?commentId=11574882
Bayan at Batas's Notes. Facebook.https://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=116867365044276
De Jesus, Gregoria. Autobiography of Gregoria de Jesus. Trans. Leandro H. Fernandez. Philippine Magazine 27.1 (June 1930): 16-18, 65-68. http://bonifaciopapers.blogspot.com/2005/09/de-jesus-gregoria.html
Flags And Symbols Of KKK - Kataastaasan Kagalang-Galangang Katipunan Ng Mga Anak Ng Bayan - 1. http://xoomer.virgilio.it/watawat/FLAGS_AND_SYMBOLS_OF_KKK_-_1.html