PACT OF BIAK-NA-

BATO THE FIRST

REPUBLIC

The First Republic traces its origins to the Revolution of 1896, which began under the leadership of the
Katipunan, a secret society with a structure patterned after Free Masonry, and which aimed to attain
independence for the Philippines. It was led by the President of the Supreme Council; the most well-known
of whom was Andres Bonifacio. The Katipunan had members in Manila and other provinces in the
Philippines. Due to political and other differences between the members from Manila and other provinces,
divisions arose in the organization, prompting its leaders to call for a convention to try and reunify the
society.
On March 22, 1897, the Tejeros Convention was held in order to reconcile the differences between the two
factions of the Katipunan: the Magdalo, which viewed Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy as its leader, and the
Magdiwang, which gravitated towards Andres Bonifacio. The outcome was a decision that the Katipunan
should be dissolved, and a revolutionary government established. Elections were held for its officers: Emilio
Aguinaldo was elected President and Andres Bonifacio, the former leader of the Katipunan, was elected
Director of the Interior. Initially, Bonifacio accepted his position, but was insulted when Daniel Tirona
objected. Bonifacio declared the proceedings of the Tejeros Convention null and void and established a
new government. This was seen as an act of treason by the others and Bonifacio was charged with refusing
to recognize newly established Revolutionary Government. He was arrested and sentenced to death in
Maragondon, Cavite.

The Revolutionary government, led by Aguinaldo, continued the revolution against the Spaniards. At this
point, the Spaniards were of the impression that the revolution was in decline and concentrated their
efforts on pursuing Aguinaldo and his companions. By the latter part of 1897, Aguinaldo was forced by
advancing Spanish forces to retreat to the mountains of Biak-na- Bato.

On November 1, 1897, Aguinaldo, along with several revolutionaries, convened a citizen’s assembly in
order to draft a provisional constitution for the Philippines, which has come to be known as the
Constitution of Biak-na-Bato. The government established was to be headed by a Supreme Council
composed of a President, Vice President, and four Secretaries empowered to govern. However, this plan
never materialized because Aguinaldo entered negotiations with the Spanish government. This resulted in
an agreement under which Philippine Revolutionaries would go into exile in Hong Kong and surrender their
arms in exchange for financial indemnities and pardons. The Pact of Biak-na-Bato, as it would later be
called, was signed on December 15, 1897. Aguinaldo and the revolutionaries departed for Hong Kong on
December 24, 1897. In Hong Kong, Aguinaldo and his companions established a Junta, which worked
toward continuing the revolution and gaining freedom from the Spaniards.

With the outbreak of the Spanish American War, Aguinaldo, with members of the Hong Kong Junta,
returned to the Philippines in the middle of 1898, to continue the revolution. On May 28, 1898, the
Philippine Flag was unfurled for the first time at the battle of Alapan. Philippine Independence was formally
proclaimed on June 12, 1898, when Aguinaldo waved the flag in Kawit, Cavite, and was declared dictator.
There, the Philippine National Anthem was also played for the first time.

Six days after the proclamation of independence, Aguinaldo issued a proclamation formalizing the creation
of a dictatorial government responsible for assessing the needs of the country. The Dictatorial Government
would last for only five days. Upon the advice of Apolinario Mabini, Aguinaldo issued a subsequent
proclamation abolishing it and establishing a revolutionary government instead. Aguinaldo’s title was
changed from Dictator to the President of the Revolutionary Government and Captain- General of its army.
According to Mabini, this was done to prevent other provinces from viewing Aguinaldo’s dictatorial
authority with suspicion. The proclamation also created a Revolutionary Congress to draft a constitution for
the government. On August 1, 1898, the proclamation of independence was ratified by provincial delegates
to legitimize the Revolutionary Government.
On September 15, 1898, the revolutionary Congress was convened in Malolos, Bulacan, tasked with
drafting the constitution for the Philippines. The Congress was composed of both appointed and elected
delegates representing all provinces of the Philippines. In the inaugural session of the Congress, Aguinaldo
spoke and congratulated the delegates in his capacity as President of the Revolutionary Government. One
of its first actions was to ratify the June 12, 1898, Proclamation of Independence yet again. The Malolos
Congress approved the draft Constitution on November 29, 1898. It was returned by President Aguinaldo
on December 1, 1898, for amendments, which were refused. President Aguinaldo finally approved the draft
constitution on December 23, 1898. It was formally adopted by the Malolos Congress on January 20, 1899
and promulgated by President Emilio Aguinaldo on January 21, 1899.

The constitution provided for three branches of government; an Executive, headed by the President and
composed of department secretaries; a Legislature, headed by a Prime Minister and composed of
delegates from provinces of the Philippines; and a Judiciary, headed by the President of the Supreme Court
and its Justices. The Congress, as representatives of the different provinces of the Philippines, then elected
Aguinaldo President of the Philippines. He was inaugurated on January 23, 1899 and on the same date the
First Republic of the Philippines was formally established: with the full attributes of a state: three branches
of government, a constitution, and territory under the authority of a government with an army.

Pact of Biak-na-Bato: A Chronology

The program drafted for the execution of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato was signed by the Spanish Gov. Gen.
Fernando Primo de Rivera and Pedro Paterno. It is dated Dec 14, 1897, and its details (not included in
regular textbooks) give a chronology.

Dec 14 Departure of Isabelo Artacho with the Convention of Peace approved by his Excellency, the
Governor General

Dec 16 Transmittal of orders of pacification by Emilio Aguinaldo.

Dec 23 Departure from San Miguel de Mayumo of Pedro Paterno as well as enemy generals Celestino
Fernandez Tejeiro and Ricardo Monet, staff and nephew of the Governor General Lt. Col. Miguel Primo de
Rivera
Dec 24 Arrival at Biak-na-Bato (of the above enemy officers, the negotiator) Paterno who would be met on
the way by Isabelo Artacho and Jose Salvador Natividad (and escorted to Aguinaldo's hideout headquarters
at Bat Cave of Biak-na-Bato)
Dec 25 Departure of Aguinaldo, his men and the hostages "for Lingayen, where the Spanish Government
will have a merchant steamer to take them to Hong Kong; the persons on board may take their revolvers
and the two rifles asked for by Don Emilio Aguinaldo. On the departure of these gentlemen from Biak-na-
Bato, the Spanish government will give to Don Baldomero Aguinaldo, through Don Pedro Paterno, a draft
payable to the order of the Spanish-Philippine Bank upon some bank in Hong Kong, for the sum of
P400,000, the cost of exchange being charged to the Spanish government"
Biak-na-Bato: A
Chronology p.1 Ambeth Ocampo, Philippine
Daily Inquirer March 22 1998:

Chapter II. The Treaty of Biak-na-bató

True Version of the Philippine
Revolution By Don Emilio
Aguinaldo y Famy

Don Pedro Alejandro Paterno (who was appointed by the Spanish Governor-General sole mediator in the
discussion of the terms of peace) visited Biak-na-bató several times to negotiate terms of the Treaty, which,
after negotiations extending over five months, and careful consideration had been given to each clause,
was finally completed and signed on the 14th of December, 1897, the following being the principal
conditions:

(1)That I would, and any of my associates who desired to go with me, be free to live in any foreign country.
Having fixed upon Hong Kong as my place of residence, it was agreed that payment of the indemnity of
$800,000 (Mexican) should be made in three instalments, namely, $400,000 when all the arms in Biak-na-
bató were delivered to the Spanish authorities; $200,000 when the arms surrendered amounted to eight
hundred stand; the final payment to be made when one thousand stand of arms shall have been handed
over to the authorities and the Deum sung in the Cathedral in Manila as thanksgiving for the restoration of
peace. The latter part of February was fixed as the limit of time wherein the surrender of arms should be
completed.

(2) The whole of the money was to be paid to me personally, leaving the disposal of the money to my
discretion and knowledge of the understanding with my associates and other insurgents.

(3) Prior
to evacuating Biak-na-bató the remainder of the insurgent forces under Captain-General Primo de
Rivera should send to Biak-na-bató two General of the Spanish Army to be held as hostages by my
associates who remained there until I and a few of my compatriots arrived in Hongkong and the first
installment of the money payment (namely, four hundred thousand dollars) was paid to me.

(4)It was also agreed that the religious corporations in the Philippines be expelled and an autonomous
system of government, political and administrative, be established, though by special request of General
Primo de Rivera these conditions were not insisted on in the drawing up of the Treaty, the General
contending that such concessions would subject the Spanish Government to severe criticism and even
ridicule.

General Primo de Rivera paid the first installment of $400,000 while the two Generals were hold as hostages
in Biak-na-bató.

We, the revolutionaries, discharged our obligation to surrender our arms, which were over 1,000 stands, as
everybody knows, it has been published in the Manila newspapers. But the Captain General Primo de
Rivera failed to fulfill the agreement as faithfully as we did. The other installments were never paid; the
friars were neither restricted in their acts of tyranny and oppression nor were any steps taken to expel
them or secularize the religious Orders; the reforms demanded were not inaugurated, though the Te
Deumwas sung. This failure of the Spanish authorities to abide by the terms of the Treaty caused me and
my companions much unhappiness, which quickly changed to exasperation when I received a letter from
Lieutenant-Colonel Don Miguel Primo de Rivera (nephew and private Secretary of the above-named
General) informing me that I and my companions could never return to Manila.

Philippine Revolution: Distribution of the P200,000

DISTRIBUTION OF THE P200,000 GIVEN TO THE BIYAK-NA-BATO REBELS
BY PRIMO DE RIVERA AS SECOND INSTALLMENT

DEBIT
Check, second installment ₱ 200,000.00
CREDIT
Receipt from Ambrosio Moxica,
countersigned by Baldomero Aguinaldo, No. ₱ 5,000.00
1
Receipt from Emilio Riego de Dios, ₱ 7,000.00
countersigned by Baldomero Aguinaldo, No.
2
Receipt from Ambrosio Moxica,
countersigned by Baldomero Aguinaldo, No. ₱ 5,000.00
3
Receipt from Cirilo Arenas, countersigned by
₱ 1,200.00
Baldomero Aguinaldo, No. 4
Receipt from Florentino Garcia,
₱ 5,000.00
countersigned by Isabelo Artacho, No. 5
Receipt from Pedro Paterno, No. 6 for
₱ 300.00
commissioners in Capiz
Receipt from Pedro Paterno, No. 7 for
₱ 100.00
commissioners in Capiz
Receipt from Francisco Macabulos, No. 8 ₱ 14,000.00
Receipt from Villacosta, No. 9 ₱ 5,000.00
Amount given to Novicio and his men (Baler),
Delfin Esquivel and his men (Jaen, N.E.),
Celedonio and Eustaquio de Guzman, Juan
Payabal, Domingo Santos, Camilo and Andres
Aquino, Julian Paraiso, Estanislao Rafael,
₱ 14,824.00
Calixto Laureta (President of Muñoz),
Guillermo Pinedo, Antonio Santos, Mariano
Dantes, and Mariano Domingo,
countersigned by Jose Salvador Natividad,
No. 10
Receipt from Isabelo Artacho, No. 11 ₱ 5,000.00
Receipt from Urbano Lacuna and Pio del
₱ 19,000.00
Pilar, Nos. 12, 13 and 14
Receipt from Severino Taiño, No. 15 ₱ 2,800.00
Receipt from Paciano Mercado (Rizal), No. 16 ₱ 305.00
Receipt from Pantaleon Quintero, No. 17 ₱ 1,400.00
Receipt from Miguel Malvar, No. 18 ₱ 8,000.00
Receipt from Paciano Mercado (Rizal), No. 19 ₱ 140.00
Receipt from Padro A. Paterno for
distribution as per agreement in meeting
₱ 89,500.00
held at Malacañang on the 11th and 12th of
January this year (1898), No. 20
Receipt from Mariano Trias, countersigned
₱ 6,000.00
by Pedro A. Paterno, No. 21
Receipt from Artemio Ricarte, countersigned
₱ 6,000.00
by Pedro A. Paterno, No. 22
Receipt from Artemio Ricarte, No. 23 ₱ 500.00
Receipt from Melecio Carlos, No. 24 ₱ 345.00
Receipt from A. Pacheco, No. 25 ₱ 60.00
Receipt from Artemio Ricarte, countersigned
₱ 140.00
by Pedro A. Paterno, No. 26
Receipt from Sinforoso de la Cruz for
₱ 20.00
services, No. 27
Receipt from Urbano Lacuna, No. 28 ₱ 160.00
Receipt from Urbano Lacuna and Pio del Pilar
₱ 500.00
No. 29
Receipt from Mariano Llanera, No. 30 ₱ 50.00
Receipt from Maximino Paterno, No. 31 ₱ 60.00
Receipt from P. Francisco, No. 32 ₱ 320.00
Receipt from the consignees of the vessel
Huensang for the passage of the family of ₱ 70.00
Mariano Llanera, No. 33
Two receipts from Urbano Lacuna and Pio del
₱ 400.00
Pilar for special services, No. 34
Given to the Commissioners for the
surrender of Capiz, as per account ₱ 427.00
accompanied by eleven (11) receipts, No. 35
Receipt for amount given to Pio del Pilar and
Urbano Luna for arms surrendered, No. 36
₱ 1,819.00
500 Balance of payment turned over
Baldomero Aguinaldo, No. 37
TOTAL ₱ 200,000.00
We certify that we were present at the
settlement and have examined the original
receipts. (Sgd.) Pio del Pilar, Baldomero
Aguinaldo, Urbano Lacuna.
In the absence of Pedro A. Paterno, M.
Paterno signs for him.
This copy of the settlement is to be given to
Don Baldomero Aguinaldo. (Sgd.) Primo de
Rivera.
Manila, April 6, 1898