Case Study 4: Where did the Cry of Rebellion happen? Momentous events swept the Spanish colonies in the late 19th century, including the Philippines. Journalists of the time referred to the phrase “El Grito de Rebelion” or “Cry of Rebellion” to mark the start of these revolutionary events, identifying the places where it happened. In the Philippines, this happened in August 1896, northeast of Manila, where they declared rebellion against the Spanish colonial government. These events are important markers in the history of colonies that struggled for their independence against their colonizers. The controversy regarding this event stems from the identification of the date and place where the Cry happened. Prominent Filipino historian Teodoro Agoncillo emphasizes the event when ifaci he cedula or tax receipt before the Katipuneros who also did the same. Some writers identified the first military event with the Spaniards as the moment of the Cry, for which, Emilio Aguinaldo commissioned a “Himno de Balintawak” to inspire the renewed struggle after the Pact of the Biak na Bato failed. A monument to the Heroes of 1896 was erected in what is now the intersection of Epifanio de los Santos (EDSA) Avenue and Andres Bonifacio Drive-North Diversion road, and from then on until 1962, the Cry of Balintawak was celebrated every 26th of August. The site of the monument was chosen for an unknown reason, Different Dates and Places ofthe Cry Various accounts of the Cry give different dates and places. A guardia civil, Lt. Olegario Diaz, identify the Cry to have happened in Balintawak on 26 August 1896. Teodoro Kalaw, Filipino historian, marks the place to be in Kangkong, Balintawak, on the last week of August 1896, Santiago Alvarez, a Katipunero and son of Mariano Alvarez, leader of the Magdiwang faction in Cavite, puts the Cry in Bahay Toro in Quezon City on 24 August 1896, Pio Valenzuela, known Katipunero and privy to many events concerning the Katipunan stated that the Cry happened in Pugad Lawin on 23 August 1896. Historian Gregorio Zaide identified the Cry to have happened in Balintawak (Chapter 3 | Historical Interpretations in Philippine History: Spaces for Conflict and Controversies 59 Ad closed by Googleon 26 August 1896, while Teodoro Agoncillo puts it at Pugad Lawin on 23 August 1896, according to statements by Pio Valenzuela. Research by historians Milagros Guerrero, Emmanuel Encarnacion, and Ramon Villegas claimed that the event took place in Tandang Sora’s barn in Gulod, Barangay Banlat, Quezon City, on 24 August 1896. Primary Source: Accounts of the Cry Guillermo Masangkay Source: Guillermo Masangkay, “Cry of Balintawak” in Gregorio Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History, Volume 8 (Manila: National Book Store, 1990), 307-309. On August 26th, a big meeting was held in Balintawak, at the House of Apolonio Samson, then the cabeza of that barrio of Caloocan. Among those who attended, I remember, were Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Aguedo del Rosario, Tomas Remigio, Briccio Pantas, Teodoro Plata, Pio Valenzuela, Enrique Pacheco, and Francisco Carreon. They were all leaders of the Katipunan and composed the board of directors of the organization. Delegates from Bulacan, Cabanatuan, Cavite, and Morong were also present. At about nine o'clock in the morning of August 26, the meeting was opened with Andres Bonifacio presiding and Emilio Jacinto acting as secretary. The purpose was to discuss when the uprising was to take place. Teodoro Plata, Briccio Pantas, and Pio Valenzuela were all opposed to starting the revolution too early... Andres Bonifacio, sensing that he would lose in the discussion then, left the session hall and talked to the people, who were waiting outside for the result of the meeting of the leaders. He told the people that the leaders were arguing against starting the revolution early, and appealed to them in a fiery speech in which he said: “You remember the fate of our countrymen who were shot in Bagumbayan, Should we return now to the towns, the Spaniards will only shoot us. Our organization has been discovered and we are all marked men. If we don't start the uprising, the Spaniards will get us anyway. What then, do you say?” “Revolt!” the people shouted as one. Bonifacio then asked the people to give a pledge that they were to revolt, He told them that the sign of slavery of the Filipinos were (sic) the cedula tax charged each citizen. “If it is true that you are ready to 60 Readings in Phulippine Historyrevolt... | 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 Source: Pio Valenzuela, “Cry of Pugad Lawin,” in Gregorio Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History, Volume 8 (Manila; National Book Store, 1990), 301-302. The first place of refuge of Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Procopio Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Aguedo del Rosario, and myself was Balintawak, the first five arriving there on August 19, and I, on August 20, 1896, The first place where some 500 members of the Katipunan met on August 22, 1896, was the house and yard of Apolonio Samson at Kangkong. Aside from the persons mentioned above, among those who were there were Briccio Pantas, Alejandro Santiago, Ramon Bernardo, Apolonio Samson, and others. Here, views were only exchanged, and no resolution was debated or adopted. It was at Pugad Lawin, the house, store-house, and yard of Juan Ramos, son of Melchora Aquino, where over 1,000 members of the Katipunan met and carried out considerable debate and discussion on August 23, 1896. The discussion was on whether or not the revolution against the Spanish government should be started on August 29, 1896... After the tumultuous meeting, many of those present tore their cedula certificates and shouted “Long live the Philippines! Long live the Philippines!” From the eyewitness accounts presented above, there is indeed, marked disagreement among historical witnesses as to the place and time of the occurrence of the Cry. Using primary and secondary sources, four places have been identified: Balintawak, Kangkong, Pugad Lawin, and Bahay ‘Toro, while the dates vary: 23, 24, 25, or 26 August 1896. Valenzuela’s account should be read with caution: He once told a Spanish investigator that the “Cry” happened in Balintawak on Wednesday, 26 August 1896. Much later, he wrote in his Memoirs of the Revolution that it happened at Pugad Lawin on 23 August 1896. Such inconsistencies in accounts should always be seen as a red flag when dealing with primary sources. According to Guerrero, Encarnacion, and Villegas, all these places are in Balintawak, then part of Caloocan, now, in Quezon City. As for the dates, Bonifacio and his troops may have been moving from one place to another to avoid being located by the Spanish government, which could explain why there are several accounts of the Cry. Ad closed by Google