Title: The Cry of Rebellion

Question: When and where did the Cry of Rebellion happen?

Primary Sources: A. The Cry of Balintawak of Guillermo Masangkay
B. The Cry of Pugad Lawin of Pio Valenzuela
Historians: Milagros Guerrero, Manuel Encarnacion, and Ramon Villegas
Argument: The cry of rebellion took place on the 26th of August 1896 at Balintawak
in Caloocan.
Cry of Rebellion

The late nineteenth century was a period of revolution in the Philippines. During this era,

different movements and organizations were formed. One of the most notable groups who fought

against the Spaniards was the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng

Bayan (KKK). The Katipunan was a revolutionary Filipino nationalist association founded by

Andres Bonifacio in 1892. They aimed to gain independence from the Spanish colonizers and

advocated violent and immediate measures against the Spaniards (Tucker, 2009).

The katipuneros worked in secrecy. However, the Spaniards discovered the organization

in August 19, 1896. Pedro Patiño, a katipunero, told his sister Honoria about the existence of their

revolutionary organization. Honoria was upset about this news and disclosed the information she

had to Mother Superior Sor Teresa de Jesus. She was the head of the orphanage in Mandaluyong

where Honoria was staying. One thing led to another and the news reached the Parish Priest of

Tondo, Father Mariano Gil. He then went to the location with several Spanish soldiers and

retrieved pieces of evidence that proved the existence of the Katipunan. Some katipuneros were

arrested (Paler, 2019). This sudden turn of events led to one of the most notable acts in Philippine

history, the Cry of Rebellion.

 Journalists of the 19th century called the start of revolution as “El Grito de Rebellion” or

“Cry of Rebellion”. The term “Cry” was originally referred to the clash between the katipuneros

and the guardia civil. This momentous event happened on August 1896, northeast of Manila. It

was the turning point of standing up against the Spanish colonizers and overthrowing their regime.

However, controversies arise as to when and where this significant event took place. Teodoro

Agoncillo, considered one of the most important historians of our time and had been included in

the roster of the order of National Scientist in the Philippines by President Ferdinand E. Marcos

(GOVH, 2019), stated that the Cry started when Andres Bonifacio tore the community tax

certificates (cedula) before the katipuneros. On the other hand, others believed that it was when

Aguinaldo commissioned the “Himno de Balintawak” after the Pact of Biak-na-Bato failed.

A monument for the heroes of 1896 was built at the corner of Epifanio de los Santos

Avenue (EDSA) and in Bonifacio Drive-North diversion road. During that time until 1962 the cry

of Balintawak was celebrated in the 26th of August.

There are various sources who gave different dates and places regarding the Cry.

Lieutenant Olegario Diaz, a guardia civil, stated that it happened on August 25, 1896 in

Balintawak. Santiago Alvarez, a katipunero and the son of Mariano Alvarez, claimed that the Cry

happened on August 24, 1896 in Bahay Toro in Quezon City. Pio Valenzuela, another katipunero,

said that it happened on August 23, 1896 in Pugad Lawin.

Filipino historians also have different claims. Teodoro Kalaw said that it happened on the

last week of August 1896 in Kangkong, Balintawak. Gregorio Zaide claimed it took place on

August 26, 1896 in Balintawak. On the other hand, Teodoro Agoncillo based his claims on Pio

Valenzuela’s statements. Milagros Guerrero, Manuel Encarnacion, and Ramon Villegas claimed
that the event happened on August 24, 1896 in Tandang Sora’s barn located in Gulod, Barangay

Banlat, Quezon City.

Analysis of the Primary Sources of the “Cry of Rebellion” from the Perspectives of

Guillermo Masangkay and Pio Valenzuela

There are two primary sources with different claims – Guillermo Masangkay and Pio

Valenzuela. They were both eye witnesses, but there is an obvious disagreement on their claims

about the place and time of the occurrence of the Cry.

Guillermo Masangkay’s Account of the Cry

Guillermo Masangkay was Andres Bonifacio’s friend and adviser. He was born on June

25, 1867 in Tondo, Manila. He was one of the first members of the Katipunan and had played a

key role on the Filipino-American War as revolutionary general (June, 2016). According to him,

the Cry took place on the 26th of August 1896. From then, the date and time stated by Guillermo

has been the official stance to when and where the even took place. He had testified that during

the event, a big meeting was conducted at the place of Apolonio Samson, cabeza of Balintawak,

Caloocan. Including Andres Bonifacio, important delegates had also attended the meeting. Emilio

Jacinto, Aguedo del Rsario, Tomas Regio, Briddio Pantas, Teodoro Plata, Pio Valenzuela, Enrique

Pacheco, and Francisco Carreon. They were the leaders of the Katipunan and Board Directors of

the organization. There were also delegates form Bulacan, Cabanatuan, Cavite and Morong.

The meeting was spearheaded by Andres Bonifacio and opened the discussion at about 9

o’clock in the morning while Emilio Jacinto acted as secretary. The primary agenda of the meeting

was the time of the uprising to be taken into action. Plata, Pantas, and Valenzuela opposed the

idea for it is too early for the rebellion for them. Amidst the discussion, Bonifacio went outside
and appealed to the people saying his speech, “You remember the fate of our country men who

were shot at Bagumbayan. Our organization has been discovered and we are marked men. If we

don’t start the uprising, the Spaniards will get us anyway. What then you say?” The people

responded, “Revolt!”

Bonifacio asked the pledge of the people and told them that the sign of Spanish slavery to

Filipinos were the cedula. He said, “If it is true that you are ready to revolt, I want to see you

destroy your cedulas. It will be a sign that all of us have declared our severance from the

Spaniards.”

Pio Valenzuela’s Account of the Cry

Pio Valenzuela was born on July 11, 1869. He was a Filipino physician and revolutionary

leader. He was the Vice-President of the Katipunan at the outbreak of the revolution and had been

the provincial governor of Bulacan in the early 1920s.

In his statement, he stated several dates of the important events prior to the enactment of

the Cry. On August 19, 1896, Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Procopio Bonifacio, Teodoro

Plata and Aguedo del Rosario arrived at Balintawak. On August 20 of the same year, Pio

Valenzuela arrived on the place. On August 22, 1896, 500 katipuneros including Briccio Pantas,

Alejandro Santiago, Ramon Bernardo, Apolonio Samson, and others met at the house of Apolonio

Samson at Kangkong. On August 23, 1896, the debate to whether the uprising starts on August 29,

1896 or not was carried out in Pugad Lawin, in the yard of Juan Ramos, son of Malechora Aquino,

where 1000 katipuneros were gathered. After the meeting, many of those present had torn their

cedula and shouted, “Long live the Philippines! Long live the Philippines!”
 There is an inconsistency with Valenzuela’s claims. He once told a Spanish investigator

that the event took place in Balintawak on Wednesday, August 26, 1896. But later, declared that

it happened at Pugad Lawin on August 23, 1896 in his manuscript Memoirs of the Revolution.

Table 1. Shows comparison of the two primary sources of the “Cry of Rebellion.”
Author Guillermo Masangkay Pio Valenzuela

Title of the document  The Cry of Balintawak  The Cry of Pugad lawin

Specification of time  At 9 o’clock in the morning, None

Andres Bonifacio opened
the meeting
Specification of dates  August 26, 1896, the same  August 19, 1896, Andres
date when the meeting was Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto,
conducted, the cry of Procopio Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata
rebellion took place and Aguedo del Rosario arrived at
Balintawak
 August 22, 1896, 500 katipuneros
including Briccio Pantas,
Alejandro Santiago, Ramon
Bernardo Apolonio Samson and
others met at the house of Apolonio
Samson at Kangkong.
 August 23, 1896, the meeting and
debate happened. Right after the
meeting, the cry of Pugad lawin
took place.
 August 26, 1896, Wednesday, the
cry happened in Balintawak (his
statement to a Spanish
investigator)
Place where the cry  The cry of rebellion took  The cry of rebellion took place at
took place place at Antonio Samson’s Pugad Lawin, Quezon City.
place, cabeza of
Balintawak, in Caloocan.
 Important delegates  Andres Bonifacio, Emilio  Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto,
who attended the Jacinto, Aguedo del Procopio Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata,
meeting Rosario, Tomas Regio, Aguedo del Rosario
Briddio Pantas, Teodoro  500 katipuneros including Briccio
Plata, Pio Valenzuela, Pantas, Alejandro Santiago, Ramon
Enrique Pacheco, and Bernardo Apolonio Samson
Francisco Carreon. They
were the leaders and Board
of Directors of the
organization.
 There were also delegates
form Bulacan, Cabanatuan,
Cavite and Morong.

Note: the red texts indicate the inconsistency of the time

References:

Alporha, V. and Candelaria, J.L. (2018). Readings in Philippine history. Quezon City, Philippines:
Rex Book Store
Medina, M. (2016, June 24). Did you know: Guillermo Masangkay. Retrieved on October 14,
2019, from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/792169/did-you-know-guillermo-masangkay
Official Gazette (2019). Teodoro A. Agoncillo. Retrieved on October 14, 2019, from
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/teodoro-a-agoncillo/
Paler, J. (2019). The Philippine revolution: How katipunan became the catalyst. Retrieved on
October 16, 2019 from https://ideapod.com/how-katipunan-became-the-catalyst-that
-sparked-the-philippine-revolution/
Tucker, S. (2009). The encyclopedia of the Spanish-American and Philippine-American wars.
Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, LLC.