Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The Treaty of Paris

The end of the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, its short lived hand at
independence, and the beginning of the American colonization that still in a handful
of ways affects Filipino life to this day began in 1898 with the treaty of Paris. On the
10th of December 1898, would mark the end of the Spanish Empire that dominated
and conquered countries for centuries at a time leaving an indelible Spanish mark on
the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Guam. That date would also signal the birth
of the United States of America, once a British colony, as a legitimate world
superpower.

The treaty of Paris was an agreement made in 1898 that involved Spain relinquishing
all of the remaining Spanish Empire outside of Africa, namely the nations of
Cuba Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines were ceded to the United States. The
cession of the Philippines involved a payment of $20 million from the United States
to Spain. It also ended the Spanish–American War1.

The Treaty of Paris provided that Cuba would become independent from Spain but
the U.S. Congress made sure it would be under U.S. control through the Platt
Amendment. Which stated that:

“I.-That the government of Cuba shall never enter into any treaty or other compact
with any foreign power or powers which will impair or tend to impair the
independence of Cuba, nor in any manner authorize or permit any foreign power or
powers to obtain by colonization or for military or naval purposes or otherwise,
lodgement in or control over any portion of said island.

1
Milagros Guerrero, John Schumacher SJ, Reform and Revolution (Asia Publishing

Company, 1995).
II. That said government shall not assume or contract any public debt, to pay the
interest upon which, and to make reasonable sinking fund provision for the ultimate
discharge of which, the ordinary revenues of the island, after defraying the current
expenses of government shall be inadequate.

III. That the government of Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the
right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a
government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty, and
for discharging the obligations with respect to Cuba imposed by the treaty of Paris on
the United States, now to be assumed and undertaken by the government of Cuba.

IV. That all Acts of the United States in Cuba during its military occupancy thereof
are ratified and validated, and all lawful rights acquired thereunder shall be
maintained and protected.

V. That the government of Cuba will execute, and as far as necessary extend, the
plans already devised or other plans to be mutually agreed upon, for the sanitation of
the cities of the island, to the end that a recurrence of epidemic and infectious diseases
may be prevented, thereby assuring protection to the people and commerce of Cuba,
as well as to the commerce of the southern ports of the United States and the people
residing therein.

VI. That the Isle of Pines shall be omitted from the proposed constitutional boundaries
of Cuba, the title thereto being left to future adjustment by treaty.

VII. That to enable the United States to maintain the independence of Cuba, and to
protect the people thereof, as well as for its own defense, the government of Cuba will
sell or lease to the United States lands necessary for coaling or naval stations at
certain specified points to be agreed upon with the President of the United States.

VIII. That by way of further assurance the government of Cuba will embody the
foregoing provisions in a permanent treaty with the United States.”2

2
Milagros Guerrero, John Schumacher SJ, Reform and Revolution (Asia Publishing

Company, 1995).
‘

The treaty assured that Spain would cede to the United States the island of Puerto
Rico and other islands then under Spanish sovereignty in the West Indies, as well as
the island of Guam in the Marianas Islands.

The treaty also specified that Spain would cede to the United States the the
Philippines, and comprehending the islands lying within a specified line.

The treaty of Washington clarified the specifics of the cession stating

“Spain relinquishes to the United States all title and claim of title; which she may
have had at the time of the conclusion of the Treaty of Peace of Paris, to any and all
islands belonging to the Philippine Archipelago, lying outside the lines described in
Article III of that Treaty and particularly to the islands of Cagayan Sulu and Sibutu
and their dependencies, and agrees that all such islands shall be comprehended in the
cession of the Archipelago as fully as if they had been expressly included within those
lines.”3

3
Milagros Guerrero, John Schumacher SJ, Reform and Revolution (Asia Publishing

Company, 1995).
The Spanish, now seeing the chance to save face with the provisions made in the Treaty of Paris
and the chance to surrender to the more dominant and now-rising wold power United States
jumped at the treaty. Thus denying their 3-century long colony the chance to attain their own
freedom and passing ownership to the US. In the wake of US victory against Spain President
William McKinley on December 21, 1898 proclaimed of Benevolent Assimilation in which he
declared the annexation of the Philippines with all possible dispatch.

As Aguinaldo’s forces attempted to enter Manila to proclaim victory, they were blocked by the
Americans who warned them of a shoot out if they insisted. The shooting by an American sentry of
an Aguinaldo soldier on February 4, 1899 resulted in a full blown armed conflict. Feeling betrayed
by the Americans, Aguinaldo waged another armed struggle against his erstwhile ally. Despite the
state of war, he proclaimed victory and independence, and on January 1, 1899 in Malolos, Bulacan
he made himself president of the First Philippine Republic. Aguinaldo declared war on June
2,1899.

In Cagayan de Misamis (the original name of Cagayan de Oro which included the present day
Opol and El Salvador), the Kagay-anons during rebellion against Spain remained loyal to the
Spanish authorities. They even sent personnel to Luzon to help the Spaniards quell the rebellion.
However, the cession of the Philippines to the United States and the departure of the Spanish
authorities made them give their full support and allegiance to the First Philippine Republic of
President Emilio Aguinaldo.

Lieutenant Colonel Cristobal de Aguilar, the last Spanish military governor of Misamis Province
and Cagayan de Misamis organized an interim five-man committee composed of prominent
citizens that would govern those places to fill the void of leadership when the Spanish officials
were gone.  During the advent of the First Philippine Republic, town and provincial officials were
elected in 1898 under the auspices of that government. Some of the officials that were elected
were Pedro Roa y Casas as provincial president and Toribio Chavez as municipal president. The
Philippine flag was flown on January 10, 1899 at the Casa Real, the former admin building and
residence of the Spanish military governor of the province which is now the site of the present day
city hall.

Torn between the issues of American occupation of the Philippines and their allegiance to the First
Philippine Republic under Aguinaldo, civil officials and prominent citizens of Cagayan de Misamis
met on January 1, 1900 in Club Popular, the present day location of Saint Augustine Maternity and
General Hospital, to take a common stand on the matter. In that meeting they agreed to sign the
Pact of Resistance to American colonial rule.