Andres Bonifacio simmered with rage and humiliation.

The movement that he had

created to oppose Spanish colonial rule inthe Philippines had just voted (likely in a
rigged election) to make his rival Emilio Aguinaldo president in his stead. Bonifacio was
given the lowly consolation prize of an appointment as Secretary of the Interior in the
revolutionary government.
When this appointment was announced, however, delegate Daniel Tirona objected on
the grounds that Bonifacio did not have a law degree (or any university diploma, for that
matter). Incensed, the fiery rebel leader demanded an apology from Tirona. Instead,
Daniel Tirona turned to leave the hall; Bonifacio pulled out a gun and tried to shoot him
down, but General Artemio Ricarte y Garcia tackled the former president and saved
Tirona's life.
Who was this scrappy and hot-headed rebel leader, Andres Bonifacio? Why is his story
still remembered today in the Republic of the Philippines?

Bonifacio's Birth and Early Life:

Andres Bonifacio was born on November 30, 1863 in Tondo, Manila. His father Santiago
was a tailor, a local politician and a boatman who operated a river-ferry; his mother,
Catalina de Castro, was employed in a cigarette-rolling factory. The couple worked
extremely hard to support Andres and his five younger siblings, but in 1881 Catalina
caught tuberculosis("consumption") and died. The following year, Santiago also became
ill and passed away.
At the age of 19, Andres Bonifacio was forced to give up plans for higher education and
begin working full-time to support his orphaned younger siblings.
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He worked for the British trading company J.M. Fleming & Co. as a broker
or corredor for local raw materials such as tar and rattan. He later moved to the German
firm Fressell & Co., where he worked as a bodeguero or grocer.

Family Life:

Andres Bonifacio's tragic family history during his youth seems to have followed him in
to his adulthood. He married twice, but had no surviving children at the time of his
death.
His first wife, Monica, came from the Palomar neighborhood of Bacoor. She died young
of leprosy (Hansen's disease).
Bonifacio's second wife, Gregoria de Jesus, came from the Calookan area of metro
Manila. They married when he was 29 and she was just 18; their only child, a son, died
as an infant.

Establishment of Katipunan:
In 1892, Bonifacio joined Jose Rizal's new organization La Liga Filipina, which called for
reform of the Spanish colonial regime in the Philippines. The group met only once,
however, since Spanish officials arrested Rizal immediately after the first meeting and
deported him to the southern island of Mindanao.
After Rizal's arrest and deportation, Andres Bonifacio and others revived La Liga to
continue pressure on the Spanish government to free the Philippines. Along with his
friends Ladislao Diwa and Teodoro Plata, however, he also founded a group
called Katipunan.
Katipunan, or Kataastaasang Kagalannalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan to
give its full name (literally "Highest and Most Respected Society of the Children of the
Country"), was dedicated to armed resistance against the colonial government. Made up
mostly of people from the middle and lower classes, the Katipunan organization soon
established regional branches in a number of provinces across the Philippines. (It also
went by the rather unfortunate acronym KKK.)
In 1895, Andres Bonifacio became the top leader or Presidente Supremo of the
Katipunan. Along with his friends Emilio Jacinto and Pio Valenzuela, Bonifacio also put
out a newspaper called the Kalayaan, or "Freedom." Over the course of 1896, under
Bonifacio's leadership, Katipunan grew from about 300 members at the beginning of the
year to more than 30,000 in July. With a militant mood sweeping the nation, and a multiisland network in place, Bonifacio's Katipunan was prepared to start fighting for freedom
from Spain.

Philippines Uprising Begins:

Over the summer of 1896, the Spanish colonial government began to realize that the
Philippines was on the verge of revolt. On August 19, the authorities tried to preempt the

uprising by arresting hundreds of people and jailing them under charges of treason some of those swept up were genuinely involved in the movement, but many were not.
Among those arrested was Jose Rizal, who was on a ship in Manila Bay waiting to ship
out for service as a military doctor in Cuba (this was part of his plea bargain with the
Spanish government, in exchange for his release from prison in Mindanao). Bonifacio
and two friends dressed up like sailors and made their way onto the ship and tried to
convince Rizal to escape with them, but he refused; he was later put on trial in a
Spanish kangaroo court and executed.
Bonifacio kicked off the revolt by leading thousands of his followers to tear up their
community tax certificates or cedulas. This signaled their refusal to pay any more taxes
to the Spanish colonial regime. Bonifacio named himself President and commander-inchief of the Philippines revolutionary government, declaring the nation's independence
from Spain on August 23. He issued a manifesto, dated August 28, 1896, calling for "all
towns to rise simultaneously and attack Manila," and sent generals to lead the rebel
forces in this offensive.

Attack on San Juan del Monte:

Andres Bonifacio himself led an attack on the town of San Juan del Monte, intent on
capturing Manila's metro water station and the powder magazine from the Spanish
garrison. Although they were vastly outnumbered, the Spanish troops inside managed to
hold off Bonifacio's forces until reinforcements arrived.
Bonifacio was forced to withdraw to Marikina, Montalban, and San Mateo; his group
suffered heavy casualties. Elsewhere, other Katipunan groups attacked Spanish troops
all around Manila. By early September, the revolution was spreading across the country.

Fighting Intensifies:
As Spain pulled all its resources back to defend the capital at Manila, rebel groups in
other areas began to sweep up the token Spanish resistance left behind. The group in
Cavite (a peninsula south of the capital, jutting intoManila Bay), had the greatest
success in driving the Spanish out. Cavite's rebels were led by an upper-class politician
called Emilio Aguinaldo. By October of 1896, Aguinaldo's forces held most of the
peninsula.
Bonifacio led a separate faction from Morong, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) to the east
of Manila. A third group under Mariano Llanera was based in Bulacan, north of the

capital. Bonifacio appointed generals to establish bases in the mountains all over Luzon
island.
Despite his earlier military reverses, Bonifacio personally led an attack on Marikina,
Montalban, and San Mateo. Although he initially succeeded in driving the Spanish out of
those towns, they soon recaptured the cities, nearly killing Bonifacio when a bullet went
through his collar.

Rivalry with Aguinaldo:

Aguinaldo's faction in Cavite was in competition with a second rebel group headed by an
uncle of Gregoria de Jesus, Bonifacio's wife. As a more successful military leader and a
member of a much wealthier, more influential family, Emilio Aguinaldo felt justified in
formed his own rebel government in opposition to Bonifacio's. On March 22, 1897,
Aguinaldo rigged an election at the rebels' Tejeros Convention to show that he was the
proper president of the revolutionary government.
To Bonifacio's shame, he not only lost the presidency to Aguinaldo, but was appointed
to the lowly post of Secretary of the Interior. When Daniel Tirona questioned his fitness
even for that job, based on Bonifacio's lack of a university education, the humiliated
former president pulled a gun and would have killed Tirona if a bystander had not
stopped him.

Sham Trial and Execution:

After Emilio Aguinaldo "won" the rigged election at Tejeros, Andres Bonifacio refused to
recognize the new rebel government. Aguinaldo sent a group to arrest Bonifacio; the
opposition leader did not realize that they were there with ill intent, and allowed them
into his camp. They shot down his brother Ciriaco, seriously beat his brother Procopio,
and some reports say that they also raped his young wife Gregoria.
Aguinaldo had Bonifacio and Procopio tried for treason and sedition. After a one-day
sham trial, in which the defense lawyer averred their guilt rather than defending them,
both Bonifacios were convicted and sentenced to death.
Aguinaldo commuted the death sentence on May 8, but then reinstated it. On May 10,
1897, both Procopio and Andres Bonifacio likely were shot dead by a firing squad on
Nagpatong Mountain. Some accounts say that Andres was too weak to stand, due to

untreated battle wounds, and was actually hacked to death in his stretcher instead.
Andres was just 34 years old.

Andres Bonifacio's Legacy:

As the first self-declared President of the independent Philippines, as well as the first
leader of the Philippine Revolution, Andres Bonifacio is a crucial figure in that nation's
history. However, his exact legacy is the subject of dispute among Filipino scholars and
citizens.
Jose Rizal is the most widely recognized "national hero of the Philippines," although he
advocated a more pacifist approach of reforming Spanish colonial rule rather than
overthrowing it by force. Aguinaldo is generally cited as the first president of the
Philippines, even though Bonifacio took on that title before Aguinaldo did. Some
historians feel that Bonifacio has gotten short shrift, and should be set beside Rizal on
the national pedestal.
Andres Bonifacio has been honored with a national holiday on his birthday, however, just
like Rizal. November 30 is Bonifacio Day in the Philippines.

Sources:
Bonifacio, Andres. The Writings and Trial of Andres Bonifacio, Manila: University of the
Philippines, 1963.
Constantino, Letizia. The Philippines: A Past Revisited, Manila: Tala Publishing
Services, 1975.
Ileta, Reynaldo Clemena. Filipinos and their Revolution: Event, Discourse, and
Historiography, Manila: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1998.

MANILA, Philippines Whether you think he should be the countrys official

national hero or not, knowing more about Andres Bonifacio wont hurt. Consider it
your gift to the Supremo of Katipunan its his 150th birthday, after all.
Rappler compiled 10 facts about Bonifacio: myths we should clarify, trivia we can
refresh our memory with, and of course, his execution one of the most
controversial deaths in Philippine history.

1. Bonifacio was a versatile, young worker

The young Bonifacio, out of necessity, started beefing up his resum at an early
age after his parents died of tuberculosis. As the new head of the family, he
made walking canes and paper fans with his brothers and sisters at night, selling
them at premium prices in Manilas busy streets in the morning.
He also took on other jobs to sustain them:
bodegero (warehouse keeper) in a mosaic tile factory
clerk-messenger for the English firm J.M. Fleming and Company
maker of attractive posters for companies such as clothes dealers (he had
a good penmanship)
bodegero and supply clerk, then promoted as a sales agent at the German
firm Carlos Fressel & Company
Moro-moro performer

2. Is the hero of the masses really poor?

Before Erap, there was Bonifacio a true leader of the masses. But the title does
not mean he was dirt-poor, when his patrons were the rich who bought his canes
and fans.
Bonifacio and his siblings rose to lower middle class status after their parents
death, and the hero even married his second wife Gregoria de Jesus, who
belonged to a lower middle class family.
In the two firms he was employed in, Bonifacio was also promoted. According to
historian Michael Xiao Chua, the heros monthly salary then is equivalent to
P18,000 today.

3. Who dared calling him the 'Bobong Supremo'?

Because he was orphaned and had to support his siblings at a young age, he
was often called uneducated. But according to scholars, he studied in Guillermo
Osmeas school in Cebu, and reached what is now second year high school.

His employer, Doa Elvira Prysler, even remembered Bonifacio holding a book
every lunch time. What does a national hero read? See for yourself:
books by Alexander Dumas, a French writer known for his adventurous
historical novels
Les Miserables (Victor Hugo)
The Wandering Jew (Eugene Sue)
The Ruins of Palmyra: Meditations on the Revolution of the Empire
The Holy Bible
Religion Within the Reach of All
Lives of the Presidents of the United States
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo (Jose Rizal)
History of the French Revolution
law (international law, civil code, penal code) and medical books
Shutting a book, he would announce to Nonay (Espiridiona) that he had just
completed a course in law or in medicine, Sylvia Mendez Ventura wrote.

4. Undress Bonifacio: Why the camisa de chino?

You know what they say: Picture or it didnt happen.
The same may be said of what the national hero really looks like. Most
monuments and history books like dressing him up in a camisa de chino, with a
red handkerchief around the neck and a bolo in one hand. But in his only
surviving photograph, Bonifacio is wearing what looks like a coat and tie.
Historian Isagani Medina also wrote about how Bonifacio dressed neatly and well
in spite of his meager resources, and of his penchant for carrying an umbrella
regardless of the weather.

5. Promising start: Bonifacios Katipunan name

It was a secret society after all. The final test to be a Katipunero was a blood
compact (sandugo) reminiscent of the first one Filipinos shared with the
Spaniards early in history. It was the Katipunans way of capturing the narrative
from the traitors and making brotherhood their own.
But the twist to the Katipunans sandugo was that they wrote their oath in their
own blood. After this, they chose a symbolic name for themselves. Quite
interesting was the Supremos choice of name, and quite telling too, for a leader
of a hopeful nation: MAYPAG-ASA.

6. Bonifacio picked up a pen too

National Artist and Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino chair Virgilio Almario argued that
Bonifacio is a better writer than Rizal because his works dubbed akdang
Katipunero were more easy to grasp for the masses than the writings of the
ilustrados. (READ: His Excellency, President Andres Bonifacio?)
Perhaps the best example of this is Bonifacio's Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Bayan
(Love of Fatherland), a compelling poem about one's love for the nation an
ideology at the very heart of the revolution.
Aling pag-ibig pa ang hihigit kaya / Sa pagkadalisay at pagkadakila / Gaya ng
pag-ibig sa Tinubuang lupa? / Aling pag-ibig pa? Wala na nga, wala.
He also wrote other pieces like Ang Dapat Mabatid ng Mga Tagalog (What the
Filipinos Should Know) and Tapunan ng Lingap (Care a Little)."

7. Is Rizal Bonifacios hero?

Theres no doubt Bonifacio read Rizals work, considering how widely-read the
books were at the time. But to say Bonifacio was merely inspired by Rizal to
revolt is only half the truth, Chua said.
If you look at it, when Bonifacio created the Katipunan, it was so different from
what the Ilustrados are thinking...Bonifacio had a clear concept of who we are as
a people, and I'm sorry to say, even more than Rizal.
In Bonifacios Katipunan...
They revived the indigenous practices of the Filipinos (blood compact
orsandugo, a sign of brotherhood)
Love is the key to his concept of nationhood
Freedom is not a mere declaration of independence but a result of
complete rest coming from goodness within

 They existed not only to fight Spaniards, but also to uphold righteousness
and the unity of Filipinos

8. The tragedies and struggles of 1896

The year 1896 was so tough for Bonifacio that "A Series of Unfortunate Events"
may actually pale in comparison:
Holy Week: The nipa-roofed house of Bonifacio and his wife Gregoria de Jesus
(Katipunan name: Lakangbini or Lakambini) in Sta. Cruz was burned down during
the Holy Week of 1896
Shortly after the loss of their home: Their baby boy Andres died of smallpox
August 19: Katipunan was discovered after Teodoro Patio, an unhappy member
of the Katipunan, told Fr Mariano Gil about the secret society. Many Filipinos
were arrested, jailed, and shot as a result. Andres and Gregoria went into hiding.
August 23: Bonifacio, with other Katipunan leaders, met in Pugadlawin, tore up
their cedulas (residence tax papers) and vowed to fight the Spaniards down to
the last man.
August 30: The first battle of the Philippine Revolution commenced, led by
Andres Bonifacio and his best friend Emilio Jacinto. Out of their 800-man army,
more than 150 Katipuneros died and another 200 were captured.

9. Not your hot-tempered kind of hero

There has been a longstanding debate on who our national hero really should be,
with supporters of Rizal arguing that Bonifacio revolted through violent means
when their hero was a peace-loving man. It doesnt help Bonifacios image either
that he pointed a gun at Daniel Tirona during the Tejeros Convention.

But context is always important, Chua said. At that time, Bonifacio drew his gun
to challenge Tirona to a duel what Chua called "defending [one's] honor with
blood" after Tirona called him an uneducated man.
And if his war strategy during the 1896 Battle of Manila is any indication, it
supports accounts that he doesnt attack aimlessly. E. R. Azicate wrote in
Filipino: Bonifacio had great capacity as a military leader if the basis is planning,
preparing, coordinating, and executing the game plan. In short, he is good at
strategy and tactics.

10. What were the last scenes leading to Bonifacios death? Choose your own
ending.
On April 26, 1897, Bonifacio was arrested. Tried by a military court in
Maragondon, Cavite, for only 12 days, he was charged with treason for trying to
overthrow Emilio Aguinaldo and his government.

As if his trial was not controversial enough, Ambeth Ocampo even mentioned in
his book, Bones of Contention, what he called an ugly bit of history in the
narrative: the supposed rape of Gregoria de Jesus:
Bonifacio in his testimony told the court that Col. Yntong was forcing his wife into
an empty house sa talagang kilos na ilugso ang kapurihan but this was averted
when the other officers objected. Later in Indang, Col. Yntong attempted to rape
Aling Oryang again but this time, Bonifacio pleaded with Tomas Mascardo who
mercifully intervened...It was possible that one of the motives for raping Aling
Oryang was that it would further humiliate Bonifacio.
Yntong is Col. Agapito Bonzon, head of the officers sent by the new government
to arrest Bonifacio.
Bonifacio and his brother Procopio were sentenced to death on May 8, 1897,
supposedly on Aguinaldo's orders. Two days after, they were brought to Mt
Nagpatong, where Gen Lazaro Makapagal carried out the sentence and shot the
brothers. This is the widely-accepted ending to the life of the Father of the
Philippine Revolution.
That is, until the 1950s and 1960s, when Ocampo said another narrative from
Guillermo Masangkay, one of the first members of the Katipunan, claimed
Bonifacio was hacked to death with bolos.
As they did not want to waste precious ammunition they decided to use bladed
weapons. with research by Buena Bernal and Nigel Tan/Rappler.com
Sources: interviews with Michael Xiao Chua and Virgilio Almario; writings of
Digna B. Apilado, E. R. Azicate, Glenn May, Isagani R. Medina, Ambeth
Ocampo, Zeus Salazar, and Sylvia Mendez Ventura.