Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (March 22, 1869 –
February 6, 1964) was a Filipino general, politician,
and independence leader. He played an instrumental role in Philippine independence during the Philippine Revolution against Spain and the Philippine-American War that resisted American
occupation. He eventually pledged his allegiance to the US
government.
In the Philippines, Aguinaldo is considered to be the country's first and the youngest
Philippine President, though his government failed to obtain any foreign
recognition.
Early life and career
The seventh of eight children of Crispulo Aguinaldo and Trinidad Famy, he was born into a Filipino family on March 22, 1869 in Cavite El Viejo (now Kawit),
Cavite province. His father was
gobernadorcillo (town head), and, as members of the Chinese-mestizo minority, they enjoyed relative wealth and power.
As a young boy, Aguinaldo received basic education from his great-aunt and later attended the town's elementary school. In
1880, he took up his secondary course education at the Colegio de San Juan de
Letran, which he quit on his third year to return home instead to help his widowed mother manage their farm.
At the age of 17, Emilio was elected cabeza de barangay of Binakayan, the most
progressive barrio of Cavite El Viejo. He held this position serving for his town-mates for eight years. He also engaged in
inter-island shipping, travelling as far south as the Sulu Archipelago.
In 1893, the Maura Law was passed to reorganize town governments with the aim of making
them more effective and autonomous, changing the designation of town head from gobernadorcillo to capitan municipal
effective 1895. On January 1, 1895, Aguinaldo was elected town
head, becoming the first person to hold the title of capitan municipal of Cavite El Viejo.
Family
His first marriage was in 1896 with Hilaria Del Rosario (1877-1921), and they had
five children (Miguel, Carmen, Emilio Jr., Maria and Cristina). His second wife was Maria
Agoncillo. Joseph Emilio Abaya is currently congressman of Cavite and the great grandson
of the late Emilio Aguinaldo, Sr. Vice-mayor Emilio "Orange" Aguinaldo
IV is also the great grandson of the late Emilio Aguinaldo, Sr.
Philippine Revolution
In 1895, Aguinaldo joined the Katipunan rebellion, a secret organization then led by Andrés
Bonifacio, dedicated to the expulsion of the Spanish and independence of the Philippines through armed force. He joined as a
lieutenant under Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo and rose to the rank of general in a few months. 30,000 members of the Katipunan launched an attack against the Spanish
colonizers in the same week. Only one general, Emilio Aguinaldo, successfully launched an attack with his troops. With the
Katipunan, he helped the Philippines erupt in revolt against the Spaniards in 1896. He won major victories in Cavite Province, temporarily driving the Spanish out of the area. However, renewed Spanish military pressure
compelled the rebels to restructure their forces in a more cohesive manner. The insulated fragmentation that had aided the
Katipunan's secrecy had outlived its usefulness. In open war, unified leadership was required.
Bonifacio presided over the Tejeros Convention in Tejeros, Cavite (deep in Aguinaldo territory) to elect a revolutionary government in place of the Katipunan on March 22, 1897. Away from his
power base, Bonifacio unexpectedly lost the leadership to Aguinaldo, and was elected instead to the office of Secretary of the
Interior. Even this was questioned by an Aguinaldo supporter, claiming Bonifacio had not the necessary schooling for the job.
Insulted, Bonifacio declared the Convention null and void, and sought to return to his power base in Rizal. Bonifacio was
charged, tried and found guilty of treason (in absentia) by a Cavite military tribunal. Bonifacio was sentenced to death. He and
his party were intercepted by Aguinaldo's men, with violence that left Bonifacio mortally wounded. Aguinaldo confirmed the death
sentence, and the dying Bonifacio was hauled to the mountains of Maragondon in Cavite, and executed on May 10, 1897, even as Aguinaldo and his forces were retreating in the face of
Spanish assault.
Biak-Bato
Spanish pressure intensified, eventually forcing Aguinaldo's forces to retreat to the mountains. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was
forced to sign the treaty that was Biak-Bato. Biak-Bato stated that the Spanish would give self-rule to the Philippines within 3
years if Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was exiled. He picked the noble choice, and on on December 14, 1897, he was shipped to Hong Kong.
Under the pact, Aguinaldo agreed to end hostilities as well in exchange for amnesty and 800,000 pesos (filipino money) as an
indemnity (dept or bribe). Aguinaldo took the money offered. Emilio Aguinaldo was President and Mariano Trias (Vice President).
Other officials included Antonio Montenegro for Foreign Affairs, Isabelo Artacho for the Interior, Baldomero Aguinaldo for the
Treasury, and Emiliano Riego de Dios for War.
However, thousands of other Katipuneros continued to fight the Revolution against Spain for a sovereign nation. Unlike
Aguinaldo who came from a privileged background, the bulk of these fighters were peasants and workers who were not willing to
settle for 'indemnities.'
In early 1898, war broke out between Spain and the United States. Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines in May 1898. He
immediately resumed revolutionary activities against the Spaniards, now receiving verbal encouragement from emissaries of the
United States.
Philippine-American War
Aguinaldo boarding the
USS Vicksburg following his capture in 1901.
On the night of February 4, 1899, a Filipino was shot by an
American sentry as he crossed the Silencio Street, Sta. Mesa, Manila. This incident is considered the beginning of the
Philippine-American War, and open fighting soon broke out between American
troops and pro-independence Filipinos. Superior American firepower drove Filipino troops away from the city, and the Malolos
government had to move from one place to another.
Aguinaldo led resistance to the Americans, then retreated to northern Luzon with the Americans
on his trail. On June 2, 1899, a telegram from Aguinaldo was received by Gen. Antonio Luna,
an arrogant but brilliant general and looming rival in the military hierarchy, ordering him to proceed to Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija
for a meeting at the Cabanatuan Church Convent. However, treachery was afoot, as Aguinaldo felt the need to rid himself of this
new threat to power. Three days later (June 5), when Luna arrived, he learned Aguinaldo was not at the appointed place. As Gen.
Luna was about to depart, he was shot, then stabbed to death by Aguinaldo's men. Luna was later buried in the churchyard, and
Aguinaldo made no attempt to punish or even discipline Luna's murderers.
Less than two years later, after the famous Battle of Tirad Pass and the death
of his last most trusted general Gregorio del Pilar, Aguinaldo was captured in
Palanan, Isabela on March 23, 1901 by US General Frederick
Funston, with the help of Macabebe trackers (who saw Aguinaldo as a bigger problem than the Americans). The American task
force gained access to Aguinaldo's camp by pretending to be captured prisoners.
Funston later noted Aguinaldo's "dignified bearing", "excellent qualities," and "humane instincts." Of course, Funston was
writing this after Aguinaldo had volunteered to swear fealty to the United States, if only his life was spared. Aguinaldo pledged
allegiance to America on April 1, 1901, formally ending the First
Republic and recognizing the sovereignty of the United States over the Philippines. Nevertheless, many others (like
Miguel Malvar and Macario Sakay) continued to
resist the American occupation.
Presidency of the First Republic of the Philippines
Aguinaldo appointed two premiers in his tenure. These were
Apolinario Mabini and Pedro Paterno.
Aguinaldo cabinet
President Aguinaldo had two cabinets in the year 1899. Thereafter, the war situation resulted in his ruling by decree.
|
| OFFICE |
NAME |
TERM |
|
| President |
Emilio Aguinaldo |
1899–1901 |
| Prime Minister |
Apolinario Mabini |
January 21 - May 7, 1899 |
|
Pedro Paterno |
May 7 - November 13, 1899 |
|
| Minister of Finance |
Mariano Trias |
January 21 - May 7, 1899 |
|
Hugo Ilagan |
May 7 - November 13, 1899 |
| Minister of the Interior |
Teodoro Sandico |
January 21 - May 7, 1899 |
|
Severino de las Alas |
May 7 - November 13, 1899 |
| Minister of War |
Baldomero Aguinaldo |
January 21 - May 7, 1899 |
|
Mariano Trias |
May 7 - November 13, 1899 |
| Minister of Welfare |
Gracio Gonzaga |
January 21 - May 7, 1899 |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs |
Apolinario Mabini |
January 21 - May 7, 1899 |
|
Felipe Buencamino |
May 7 - November 13, 1899 |
| Minister of Public Instruction |
Aguedo Velarde |
1899 |
| Minister of Public Works and Communications |
Maximo Paterno |
1899 |
| Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce |
Leon Ma. Guerrero |
May 7 - November 13, 1899 |
|
U.S. Occupation
During the United States occupation, Aguinaldo organized the Asociación de los Veteranos de la Revolución (Association
of Veterans of the Revolution), which worked to secure pensions for its members and made arrangements for them to buy land on
installment from the government.
When the American government finally allowed the Philippine flag to be displayed in 1919, Aguinaldo transformed his home in
Kawit into a monument to the flag, the revolution and the declaration of Independence. His home still stands, and is known as the
Aguinaldo Shrine.
Aguinaldo retired from public life for many years. In 1935, when the Commonwealth of the Philippines was established in
preparation for Philippine independence, he ran for president but lost by a landslide to fiery Spanish mestizo Manuel L. Quezon. The two men formally reconciled in 1941, when President Quezon moved Flag Day to June
12, to commemorate the proclamation of Philippine independence.
Aguinaldo again retired to private life, until the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in World War II. He cooperated with the Japanese, making speeches, issuing articles and infamous radio
addresses in support of the Japanese — including a radio appeal to Gen. Douglas
MacArthur on Corregidor to surrender in order to spare the innocence of the Filipino
youth.
After the Americans retook the Philippines, Aguinaldo was arrested along with several others accused of collaboration with the
Japanese. He was held in Bilibid prison for months until released by presidential amnesty. In his trial, it was eventually deemed
that his collaboration with the Japanese was probably made under great duress, and he was released.
Aguinaldo lived to see independence granted to the Philippines July 4, 1946, when the United States Government marked the full restoration and recognition of Philippine sovereignty. He
was 93 when President Diosdado Macapagal officially changed the date of independence from July 4 to June 12, 1898, the date Aguinaldo believed to be the true Independence Day. During
the independence parade at the Luneta, the 93-year old general carried the flag he raised in Kawit.
Post-American era
Emilio Aguinaldo is depicted on the front of the
5-peso bill (phased
out but still considered legal tender).
In 1950, President Elpidio Quirino appointed
aguinaldo as a member of the Council of State, where he served a full term. He returned to retirement soon after,
dedicating his time and attention to veteran soldiers' interests and welfare.
In 1962, when the United States rejected Philippine claims for the destruction wrought by
American forces in World War II, president Diosdado
Macapagal changed the celebration of Independence Day from July 4 to June 12. Aguinaldo rose from his sickbed to attend the celebration of independence 64 years after he declared
it.
Aguinaldo died on February 6, 1964 of coronary thrombosis at the Veterans Memorial Hospital in Quezon City. He was 94 years old. His remains are buried at the Aguinaldo
Shrine in Kawit, Cavite. When he died, he was the
last surviving non-royal head of state to have served in the 19th century.
See also
External links
References
- ^ Elected by the Tejeros
Convention and inaugurated on the same day.
- ^ Elected after the establishment of the Biyak-na-Bato Republic.
- ^ Philippine Legislature:100 Years, Cesar Pobre
- Aguinaldo, Emilio (1964). Mga Gunita ng Himagsikan.
- Zaide, Gregorio F. (1984). Philippine History and Government. National
Bookstore Printing Press.
cbk-zam:Emilio Aguinaldo
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