THE CAVITE MUTINY

Two major events happened in 1872, first was the 1872 Cavite Mutiny

and the other was the martyrdom of the three martyr priests in the

persons of Fathers Mariano Gomes, Jose Burgos and Jacinto

Zamora (GOMBURZA). However, not all of us knew that there were

different accounts in reference to the said event. All Filipinos must

know the different sides of the story—since this event led to another

tragic yet meaningful part of our history—the execution of

GOMBURZA which in effect a major factor in the awakening of

nationalism among the Filipinos.

Primary Source: Excerpts from Montero’s Account of the Cavity Mutiny

1872 Cavite Mutiny: Spanish Perspective

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, Gov. Gen. Rafael Izquierdo’s official report magnified

the event and made use of it to implicate the native clergy, which was then active in

the call for secularization. The two accounts complimented and corroborated with

one another, only that the general’s report was more spiteful. Initially, both Montero

and Izquierdo scored out that the abolition of privileges enjoyed by the workers of

Cavite arsenal such as non-payment of tributes and exemption from force labor were

the main reasons of the “revolution” as how they called it, however, other causes

were enumerated by them including the Spanish Revolution which overthrew the
secular throne, dirty propagandas proliferated by unrestrained press, democratic,

liberal and republican books and pamphlets reaching the Philippines, and most

importantly, the presence of the native clergy who out of animosity against the

Spanish friars, “conspired and supported” the rebels and enemies of Spain. In

particular, Izquierdo blamed the unruly Spanish Press for “stockpiling” malicious

propagandas grasped by the Filipinos. He reported to the King of Spain that the

“rebels” wanted to overthrow the Spanish government to install a new “hari” in the

likes of Fathers Burgos and Zamora. The general even added that the native clergy

enticed other participants by giving them charismatic assurance that their fight will

not fail because God is with them coupled with handsome promises of rewards such

as employment, wealth, and ranks in the army. Izquierdo, in his report lambasted

the Indios as gullible and possessed an innate propensity for stealing.

Primary Source: Excerpts from the Official Report of Governor Izquierdo on the

Cavity Mutiny of 1872

Another account from the official report written by then Governor General Rafael

Izquierdo implicated the native clergy, who were then, active in the movement

toward secularization of parishes.

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.

The investigators, to carry out their criminal project, protested against the injustice
of the government in not paying the provinces for their tobacco crop, and against

the usury that some practice in documents that the Finance department gives crop

owners who have to sell them at a loss. They encouraged the rebellion by protesting

what they called the injustice of having the workers in the Cavite arsenal to pay

tribute starting January 1 and to render personal service, from which they were

formerly exempted.

The Spanish accounts detailed 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 commence with the

attack. The 200-men contingent led by Seargent Lamadrid attacked Spanish

Officers at sight and seized the arsenal.

When the news reached the iron-fisted Gov. Izquierdo, he readily ordered the

reinforcement of the Spanish forces in Cavite to quell the revolt. The “revolution”

was easily crushed when the expected reinforcement from Manila did not come

ashore. Major instigators including Sergeant Lamadrid were killed in the skirmish,

while the GOMBURZA were tried by a court-martial and were sentenced to die by

strangulation. Patriots like Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, Antonio Ma. Regidor, Jose and

Pio Basa and other abogadillos were suspended by the Audencia (High Court) from

the practice of law, arrested and were sentenced with life imprisonment at the

Marianas Island. Furthermore, Gov. Izquierdo dissolved the native regiments of

artillery and ordered the creation of artillery force to be composed exclusively of the

Peninsulares.

On 17 February 1872 in an attempt of the Spanish government and Frailocracia to

instill fear among the Filipinos so that they may never commit such daring act again,

the GOMBURZA were executed. This event was tragic but served as one of the

moving forces that shaped Filipino nationalism.

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. Indirectly,

Tavera blamed Gov. Izquierdo’s cold-blooded policies such as the abolition of

privileges of the workers and native army members of the arsenal and the prohibition

of the founding of school of arts and trades for the Filipinos, which the general

believed as a cover-up for the organization of a political club.

On 20 January 1872, about 200 men comprised of soldiers, laborers of the arsenal,

and residents of Cavite headed by Sergeant Lamadrid rose in arms and

assassinated the commanding officer and Spanish officers in sight. The insurgents

were expecting support from the bulk of the army unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

The news about the mutiny reached authorities in Manila and Gen. Izquierdo

immediately ordered the reinforcement of Spanish troops in Cavite. After two days,

the mutiny was officially declared subdued.

Tavera believed that the Spanish friars and Izquierdo used the Cavite Mutiny as a
powerful lever by magnifying it as a full-blown conspiracy involving not only the native

army but also included residents of Cavite and Manila, and more importantly the

native clergy to overthrow the Spanish government in the Philippines. It is

noteworthy that during the time, the Central Government in Madrid announced its

intention to deprive the friars of all the powers of intervention in matters of civil

government and the direction and management of educational institutions.

The friars, fearing that their influence in the Philippines would be a thing of the past,

took advantage of the incident and presented it to the Spanish Government as a

vast conspiracy organized throughout the archipelago with the object of destroying

Spanish sovereignty. Tavera sadly confirmed that the Madrid government came to

believe that the scheme was true without any attempt to investigate the real facts or

extent of the alleged “revolution” reported by Izquierdo and the friars.

that remained to be unvarying: First, there was dissatisfaction among the workers of

the arsenal as well as the members of the native army after their privileges were

drawn back by Gen. Izquierdo; Second, Gen. Izquierdo introduced rigid and strict

policies that made the Filipinos move and turn away from Spanish government out

of disgust. Third, the Central Government failed to conduct an investigation on what

truly transpired but relied on reports of Izquierdo and the friars and the opinion of

thepublic; maintain power in the Philippines, Fourth, the happy days of the friars

were already numbered in 1872 when the Central Government in Spain decided to

deprive them of the power to intervene in government affairs as well as in the

direction and management of schools prompting them to commit frantic moves to

extend their stay and power; Fifth, the Filipino clergy members actively participated

in the secularization movement in order to allow Filipino priests to take hold of the

parishes in the country making them prey to the rage of the friars; Sixth, Filipinos

during the time were active participants, and responded to what they deemed as

injustices; and Lastly, the execution of GOMBURZA was a blunder on the part of

the Spanish government, for the action severed the ill-feelings of the Filipinos and the

event inspired Filipino patriots to call for reforms and eventually independence.

There may be different versions of the event, but one thing is certain, the 1872

Cavite Mutiny paved way for a momentous 1898.