7 Un-Heroic Deeds Of Emilio Aguinaldo

By FilipiKnow |

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Unlike Jose Rizal whom we Filipinos have venerated as the ideal Filipino hero, Emilio
Aguinaldos legacy can be described as mixed at best. Although his numerous
accomplishments cannot be denied, the same can also be said of the many
controversies that have continued to hound his name up to this day.
Also Read: Emilio Aguinaldos speech in Spanish [VIDEO]
While we wont argue if he truly was a scheming opportunist or not, well just list down
some of the mistakes Aguinaldo made during his lifetime. If anything, his flaws show
that he was just as human as the rest of us.
NOTE: We wont include the infamous Tejeros Convention election anomaly due to the
fact that Aguinaldo was not actually present when the alleged vote-rigging happened.

1. He could have saved Bonifacios life but didnt.

The execution of Bonifacio brothers. From the artwork The Verdict by Rody Herrera. Source: Fine Artists of the
Philippines 1999 by Marlene Aguilar and Larry Bortles.

We wont go much into the convoluted details behind the bad blood between Emilio
Aguinaldo and Andres Bonifacio. What wed like to point out however, was that
Aguinaldo had the power to stop his rivals execution.
To his credit, he initially did commute Bonifacio and his brother Procopios death
sentences to banishment. However, his War Council and associates persuaded him to
carry out the execution. They claimed that to let Bonifacio alive would be to endanger
Aguinaldos life and the integrity of the revolution.
Also Read: 7 Little-Known Facts About Andres Bonifacio
Needless to say, the Bonifacio brothers were executed. If this terrible tragedy proves
anything, it is that Aguinaldo had the power to save Bonifacios life if he really wanted to.

2. He did not investigate the (alleged) rape of Bonifacios wife.

Family Portrait ca. 1900 L to R: Daughter Julia, only son Juan, and Gregoria de Jesus holding her infant daughter
Francisca on her lap. Photo courtesy of Roberto Taada

One of the lesser-known controversies surrounding the Aguinaldo-Bonifacio rivalry

concerns that of the alleged rape of Gregoria de Jesus by Aguinaldos men shortly after
they captured her husband. Although de Jesus herself never categorically said she was
raped, General Mariano Noriel (a member of the War Council and ironically one of those
who voted for Bonifacios execution) asked Aguinaldo to investigate the incident.
Unfortunately for de Jesus, Aguinaldo never investigated nor punished the offending
officers. Whats worse, this wouldnt be the last act of impunity that Aguinaldo would
allow his men to get away with

3. He let Lunas killers go unpunished.

On June 14, 1899, the San Francisco Call came out with the news of Lunas death, blaming Aguinaldo for the murder.
Source: Philippine-American War, 1899-1902 by Arnaldo Dumindin.

As with Bonifacios execution, we wont discuss the controversy involving whether or not
Aguinaldo ordered the death of Antonio Luna. Instead, well focus on the aftermath,
specifically the fact that not one of Lunas killers was ever punished for the crime.
Also Read: Antonio Lunas Famous Last Word
Instead, a commission designated by Aguinaldo cleared the killers (and himself) from
any culpability. The commissions report blamed Luna for openly insulting the guards
and officers stationed to protect the presidents house. Incidentally, Aguinaldo also had
all Lunas men disarmed and his officers arrested, tortured, or even killed in order to
suppress any revolts by the deceased generals troops.

4. He ignored Lunas advice for guerrilla warfare only to use it in the end.

Aguinaldo boarding USS Vicksburg following his capture in 1901. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Two months before the Philippine-American War broke out, Antonio Luna had proposed
turning the Philippine army into a guerrilla force because he knew that the Filipinos had
no chance against the better-armed Americans in open set-piece battles. On the other
hand, by resorting to protracted guerrilla warfare, he believed that the Filipinos could
wear out the enemy long enough to convince the American public to recall their soldiers
back home.
Also Read: 8 Reasons Why Apolinario Mabini Was More Badass Than You Think
Luna even enlisted the help of Apolinario Mabini to try and convince Aguinaldo;
however, the latter rejected Lunas proposal because he thought that a sovereign nation
should fight a conventional war. Four months later and just as Luna had predicted, the
Americans annihilated countless Filipinos in conventional warfare, consequently forcing
Aguinaldo to order his men to resort to guerrilla tactics.

5. He had a nascent dictatorial streak.

General Aguinaldo (seated, center) and ten of the delegates to the first Assembly of Representatives that passed the
Constitucicn Politica de la Republica Filipina on January 21, 1899 Picture taken in the Barasoain Church, Malolos,
December 8, 1929. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Although he never got to be dictator on the same level as Ferdinand Marcos if only
because time was against him (his dictatorship lasted for only three weeks), Aguinaldo
did possess the makings of a dictatora characteristic recognized at the outset by his
compatriots.
If anything, his personal appearance at the inauguration of the Malolos Constitution on
January 21, 1899 would attest to his latent strongman and elitist streak. During the
proceedings, Aguinaldo carried around an ivory stick with a gold head and gold cord
and tassels.
Also Read: Aguinaldos Visionary Government That Never Was
On the other hand, in his book A Question of Heroes, National Artist for Literature Nick
Joaquin describes Aguinaldo as a leader who lacks imagination. In Malolos, an
American sneered that Aguinaldo was more concerned about what cane to carry and
what breastplate to wear. Its also possible, as Joaquin claims, that Aguinaldo didnt
fully grasp what was involved in the argument on whether he should wear the title of
President or Dictator.

6. He engaged in political mudslinging against Manuel Quezon.

1935 Commonwealth Presidential Campaign Poster. Manuel Quezon and Emilio Aguinaldo vying for the presidency.
Photo Credit: Edward Santos of Pinoy Kollektor.

After Aguinaldo was captured and swore allegiance to the Americans, he retired from
public life and concentrated mostly on the welfare of his veterans. However, sometime in
the 1920s, he again found himself in the public spotlight after openly feuding with
Manuel Quezon who had once served as his staff.

Their political rivalry became a regular staple for the newspapers. Aguinaldo expelled
Quezon from the veterans association he created, to which the latter sarcastically
remarked he never belonged to the group in the first place. Quezon also pulled off his
own dirty tricks against Aguinaldo. Besides reminding him about Bonifacios and Lunas
deaths, he also cut off his government pension.
Also Read: 15 Mesmerizing Facts About President Manuel Quezon
Aguinaldo protested the 1935 presidential election results which he believed was rigged
in Quezons favor; his supporters even planned to disrupt the inauguration and
assassinate the winners although it was never carried out. In the end, the two men
became good friends after a common close friend helped heal the rift between them.

7. He was the first Japanese collaborator.

The Los Angeles Times, issue of Feb. 7, 1942, reports on Aguinaldos alleged collaboration with the Japanese.
Source: Philippine-American War, 1899-1902 by Arnaldo Dumindin.

During World War II, Aguinaldo quickly cemented his reputation as the first Filipino
Quisling (traitor) after he called on General Douglas MacArthur (whose father he once
fought) to surrender.
For the duration of the Japanese occupation, Aguinaldo made public appearances and
speeches on behalf of the enemy. In fairness to him, he later claimed that he only
collaborated with the Japanese because he didnt want his countrymen, especially the
youth, to suffer or die needlessly.
Also Read: 11 Reasons Why Jose P. Laurel Was A Total Badass
During his post-war trial, it was also revealed that the Japanese threatened to murder
his entire family if he didnt cooperate, so maybe we do have to cut him some slack on
this issue.

Bonus Trivia: Aguinaldo and Bonifacio almost had a duel.

Via myneighbor.info

Did you know that Aguinaldo and Bonifacio almost killed each other in a duel?
Although the exact date is not known, the incident happened in San Francisco de
Malabon. Aguinaldo and Bonifacio, along with their parties, met in the house of a Mrs.

Epifania Potente ostensibly to heal the growing rift between the Magdalo and
Magdiwang factions.
Also Read: Emilio Aguinaldo once killed an eighteen-foot crocodile
At some point however, the discussion became heated, and both parties left the house
to engage in a shouting match under a large tree. The confrontation nearly turned
deadly when the men drew their pistols at each other. Fortunately, no blood was shed as
General Santiago Alvarez managed to calm them down.

About the Author: When he isnt deploring the sad state of Philippine politics, Marc V.
likes to skulk around the Internet for new bits of information which he can weave into a
somewhat-average list you might still enjoy. For comments on this article, contact him
at: vaflormarcus@yahoo.com

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References
Brands, H. (1992). Bound to Empire : The United States and the Philippines. 1st ed.
Oxford University Press, p.53.
Brands, H. (1992). Bound to Empire : The United States and the Philippines: The United
States and the Philippines. 1st ed. Oxford University Press, p.44.
Corpuz, O. (2007). The Roots of the Filipino Nation. 1st ed. University of the Philippines
Press, p.292.
De Viana, A. (n.d.). The I Stories: The Events in the Philippine Revolution and the
Filipino-American War as told by Its Eyewitnesses and Participants. 1st ed. University of
Santo Tomas Publishing House and Flipside Publishing.

Diario de Filipinas, (2012). Report: Bonifacio and Aguinaldo in Duel. [online] Available
at: http://goo.gl/URETQs [Accessed 16 Sep. 2014].
Dumindin, A. (n.d.). Aguinaldo In Later Years: 1902-1964. [online] Philippine-American
War, 1899-1902. Available at: http://goo.gl/Eim8Mu [Accessed 16 Sep. 2014].
Dumindin, A. (n.d.). June 5, 1899: Assassination of Gen. Antonio Luna. [online]
Philippine-American War, 1899-1902. Available at: http://goo.gl/O9DlXM [Accessed 16
Sep. 2014].
Joaquin, N. (1977). A Question of Heroes. 1st ed. Filipinas Foundation, Inc.
Presidential Museum and Library, (2013). Transcript of the Trial of Andres Bonifacio.
[online] Available at: http://goo.gl/GxRrP2 [Accessed 16 Sep. 2014].
Quezon III, M. (2006). Reconciliation. Philippine Daily Inquirer, [online] p.13. Available
at: http://goo.gl/x7AWM8 [Accessed 16 Sep. 2014].