LESSON 3.

The year 1872 is a historic year of two events: the Cavite Mutiny and the martyrdom of the
three priest: Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, later on immortalized as
GOMBURZA. These events are very important milestones in Philippine history and have caused
ripples throughout time, directly influencing the decisive events of the Philippine Revolution
toward the end of the century. While the significance is unquestioned, what made this year
controversial are the different sides to the story, a battle of perspectives supported by primary
sources. In this case study, we zoom in to the events of the Cavite Mutiny, a major factor in the
awakening of nationalism among the Filipinos of that time.

Spanish Accounts of the Cavite Mutiny

The documentation of Spanish historian Jose Montero y Vidal centered on how the event
was an attempt in overthrowing the Spanish government in the Philippines. Although regarded as
a historian, his account of the mutiny was criticized as woefully biased and rabid for a scholar.
Another account from the official report written by then Governor General Rafael Izquierdo
implicated the native clergy, who were then, active I the movement toward secularization of
parishes. These two accounts corroborated each other.

PRIMARY SOURCE: EXCERPT FROM MONTERO’S ACCOUNT OF THE CAVITE

MUTINY Source: Jose Montero y Vidal, “Spanish Version of the Cavite Mutiny of
1872”inGregorio Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History,
Volume 7 (Manila: National Book Store, 1990), 269-273.

Stated the following as the cause for the Cavite Mutiny in 1872:

➢ The Spanish revolution which overthrew a secular throne.

➢ The propaganda against monarchical principles.
➢ The democratic and republican books and pamphlets.
➢ The Speeches and preaching of the apostles of these new ideas in Spain
➢ The outburst of the American publicists and the criminal policy of senseless Governor
whom the Revolutionary government sent to govern the Philippines.
➢ Practiced ideas which gave rise to the ideas of attaining independence among Filipinos.
 Stated that the authorities at that time received an information from an anonymous
person that a great uprising would break out against the Spaniards.

➢ The abolition of privileges enjoyed by the laborers of the Cavite arsenal of exemption from
the tribute was, according to some, the cause of the insurrection. There were, however,
other causes. Spanish revolution which overthrew a secular throne; the propaganda carried
on by an unbridled press against monarchical principles, attentatory [sic] of the most sacred
respects towards the dethroned majesty; the democratic and republican books and
pamphlets; the speeches and preachings of the apostles of these new ideas in Spain; the
outbursts of the American publicists and the criminal policy of the senseless Governor
whom the Revolutionary government sent to govern the Philippines, and who put into
practice these ideas were the determining circumstances which gave rise, among certain
Filipino, to the idea of attaining their independence. It was towards this goal that they
started to work, with the powerful assistance of a certain section of the native clergy, who
out of spite toward friars, made common cause with the enemies of the mother country.
➢ At various times but especially in the beginning of year 1872, the authorities received
anonymous communications with the information that a great uprising would break out
against the Spaniards, the minute the fleet at Cavite left for South, and that all would be
assassinated, including the friars. But nobody gave importance to these notices. The
conspiracy had been going on since the days of La Torre with utmost secrecy. At times,
the principal leaders met either in the house of Filipino Spaniard, D. Joaquin Pardo de
Tavera, or in that of the native priest, Jacinto Zamora, and these meetings were usually
attended by the curate of Bacoor, the soul of the movement, whose energetic character and
immense wealth enabled him to exercise a strong influence.

Primary Source: Excerpts from the Official Report of Governor Izquierdo on the Cavite
Munity of 1872.

The injustices of the government:

➢ Not paying the provinces for their tabacco crops.
➢ Against the usury that some practice in documents that the finance department gives crop
owners who have to sell them at loss.
➢ Having obliged the workers in the Cavite arsenal to pay tribute starting January 1.
➢ To render personal service from which they were formerly exempted.
➢ Did not determined if the revolt is planned to establish a monarchy or republic.
➢ Native clergy attracted supporters by giving them charismatic assurance that their fight will
not fail because they have God’s support, aside from promises of lofty rewards such as
employment, wealth, and ranks in the army.
 ➢ it seems definite that the insurrection was motivated and prepared by the native clergy, by
the mestizos and native lawyers, and by those known here as abogadillos…
➢ In the Spaniard’s accounts, the event of 1872was premeditated, and was part of a big
conspiracy among the educated leaders, mestizos, lawyers, and residents of Manila and
Cavite. They allegedly plan to liquidate high ranking Spanish officers, then kill the friars.
The signal they identified among these conspirators of Manila and Cavite was the rockets
fired from Intramuros.
➢ The accounts detail that on 20 January 1872, the district of Sampaloc celebrated the feast
of the virgin of Loreto and came with it were some fireworks display. The Caviteños
allegedly mistook this as the signal to commerce with the attack. The200-men contingent
led by Sergeant Lamadrid attacked Spanish officers at sight and seized the arsenal.
Izquierdo, upon learning of the attack, ordered the reinforcement of the Spanish forces in
Cavite to quell the revolt .
➢ the “revolution” was easily crushed., when the Manileños who were expected to aid the
Caviteños did not arrive. Leaders of the plot were killed in the resulting skirmish, while
Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora were tried by a court-martial and sentenced to be
executed. Others who were implicated such as Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, Antonio Ma.
Regidor, Jose and Pio Basa, and other Filipino lawyers were suspended from the practiced
of the law, arrested, and sentenced to life imprisonment at the Marianas Island. ▸ On 17
February 1872, the GOMBURZA were executed to serve as a threat to Filipinos never
attempt to fight the Spaniards again.

Primary Source: Excerpts from Pardo de Tavera’s Account of the Cavite Mutiny

According to this account, the incident was merely a mutiny by Filipino soldiers
and laborers of the Cavite arsenal to the dissatisfaction arising from the draconian policies
of Izquierdo, such as the abolition of privileges and the prohibition of the founding of the
school of arts and trades for Filipinos, which the General saw as a smokescreen to creating
a political club.
Tavera is of the opinion that the Spanish friars and Izquierdo used the Cavite
Mutiny as a way to address other issues by blowing out of proportion the isolated mutiny
attempt. During this time, the Central Government in Madrid was planning to deprive the
friars of all the powers of intervention in matters of civil government and direction and
management of educational institutions. The Friars needed something to justify their
continuing dominance in the country, and the mutiny provided such opportunity.
However, the Central Spanish Government introduced an educational decree
fusing sectarian schools run by the friars into a school called the Philippine Institute. The
decree aimed to improve the standard of education in the Philippines by requiring teaching
 positions in these schools to be filled by competitive examinations, an improvement
welcomed by most Filipinos.

Primary Source: Excerpts from Plauchut’s Account of the Cavite Mutiny

➢ General La Torre… created a junta composed of high officials… including some friars and
six Spanish officials… At the same time there was created by the government in Madrid a
committee to investigate the same problems submitted to the Manila committee. When the
two finished work, it was found that they came to the same conclusions.

Here are the summary of the reforms they considered necessary to introduced:

1. Changes in tariff rates at customs, and the methods of collection.

2. Removal of surcharges on foreign importations.
3. Reduction of export fees.
4. Permission for foreigners to reside in the Philippines, buy real estate, enjoy freedom of
worship, and operate commercial transforms flying the Spanish flag.
5. Establishment of an advisory council to inform the Minister of Overseas Affairs in Madrid
in the necessary reforms to be implemented.
6. Changes in primary and secondary education.
7. Establishment of an Institute of Civil Administration in the Philippines, rendering
unnecessary the sending home of short-term civil officials every time there is a change of
ministry.
8. Study of direct-tax system. 9. Abolition of the tobacco monopoly.

The GOMBURZA is the collective name of the three martyred priests Mariano Gomez,
Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, who were tagged as the masterminds of the Cavite Munity.
GOMBURZA were executed by garrote in public, a scene purportedly witnessed by a young
Jose Rizal