Cavite Mutiny: Which Is True the Spanish Version or the Filipino Version
Position Paper
1872 Cavite Mutiny: Spanish Version
Jose Montero y Vidal, a prolific Spanish historian documented the event and highlighted
it as an attempt of the Indios to overthrow the Spanish government in the Philippines.
Meanwhile governor Rafael Izquierdo’s official report to the king of Spain magnified the
event and made use of it to implicate native clergy, which was then active in the call of
secularization.
In the documents of the Spanish, it was said premeditated. A part of a big conspiracy
among educated leaders, mestizos, lawyers and residents of Manila and Cavite. They
allegedly plan to liquidate high-ranking Spanish officers then killed the friars. On
January 20,1872 the district of Sampaloc celebrated the feast of the Virgin Loreto.
Came with it were some fireworks display. And the Caviteños mistook this as the signal
to commence with the attack. 200 men was led by sergeant LaMadrid attacked Spanish
officers at sight and seized the arsenal. Izquierdo, upon learning the attacked, ordered
reinforcement of the Spanish forces in Cavite to quell the revolt. But the revolution was
easily crashed and unsuccessful, when Manileños who were expected to aid the
Caviteños did not arrive. In result, leaders of the plot were killed and the GOMBURZA
fathers were tried by a court-martial and sentenced to be executed. And other Filipino
lawyers were suspended from the practice of law, arrested, and sentence to life
imprisonment at the Marianas Island. This horrific incident was one of the driving factors
in the formation of Filipino nationalism.
1872 Cavite Mutiny: Filipino Version
Dr. Trinidad Hermenigildo Pardo de Tavera, a Filipino scholar and researcher, wrote the
Filipino version of the bloody incident in Cavite. In his point of view, the incident was a
mere mutiny by the native Filipino soldiers and laborers of the Cavite arsenal who turned
out to be dissatisfied with the abolition of their privileges.
Uprising of military personnel of Fort San Felipe (the Spanish arsenal in Cavite,
Philippines) on January 20, 1872. Around 200 soldiers and laborers rose up in belief
that it would elevate to a national uprising. The mutiny was unsuccessful, and the
government soldiers executed many of the participants. On February 17, 1872 the
GOMBURZA fathers tagged as the masterminds of the Cavite Mutiny. The prominent
Filipino priests charged with treason and sedition, and they were sentenced, put into
trials and were executed by “Garrote” in public to serve as a threat to Filipinos never
attempt to fight the Spaniards again and they must remain in their places. This scene
was purportedly witnessed by a young Jose Rizal.
Stand
I'm in the Filipino version’s perspective. Not because I'm Filipino, but because their
documents are more reliable than the Spanish versions. Only the general report of the
Spanish version is considered, which makes their statement bias and doubtful. I also
found that this Spanish historian was exaggerating his points, not just because the
documents were distorted, but also because Montero y Vidal himself was skewed.
The revolt, according to Spaniards, was motivated by the Filipinos' desire to be free of
the Spaniards' governing structure. However, the real explanation was that Filipinos
refused to accept the Spaniards' terms and scheme, and they were forcing the natives
to live, a practice known as "polo y servicio." The mutiny was started in order for the
Filipinos to receive the equal treatment they deserve. Another thing to consider is that
the Filipinos have never planned an uprising before; instead, they have only protested
because it was unfair for them to work for wages that were inadequate for the amount of
time they spent working. Governor Izquierdo also forbade the Caviteños from
establishing a school for Filipinos which is the school for Arts and Trades. As a result, it
was only fair that the Filipinos be heard; after all, the Philippines is their own nation, not
a Spanish colony.
Since Jose Rizal witnessed the GOMBURZA fathers' execution, the Filipino version is
much more fitting and accurate. Rizal, like many people today, may have preferred to
stay quiet on what they saw. He doesn't have to get involved in those matters, but
because Rizal embodies great bravery and willpower, he found a way to use his writings
to put an end to the Spaniards' cruelty to his fellow Filipinos, which led him to write his
famous work, "El Filibusterismo," which was dedicated to the martyr priest who was
executed in front of him. Many Filipinos were inspired by El Filibusterismo, and one of
them was Andres Bonifacio.
Tavera's account was acknowledged and complimented by a French writer Edmond
Plauchut, who confirmed that the incident occurred due to the dissatisfaction of the
arsenal workers and soldiers in Cavite.
As a result, in comparison to the Spanish version, I believe the Filipino version is more
trustworthy and accurate. And I stand by my assertions because of the credible sources
contained in the Filipino version’s account.
