On Gregoria de Jesus Alleged Tejeros Convention Election Rigging

by Tommy Matic IV

Compare Oryang's hearsay nonsense (or should I say Bonifacio's sour-grape nonsense) to Ricarte's straightforward narrative of the Tejeros Convention:

"The presence of Andres Bonifacio in Cavite until his death which occurred on the 10th of May, 1897, is described in the Memoirs of General Artemio "El Vibora" Ricarte. Andres Bonifacio, the "Supremo" (Supreme head) of the Katipunan arrived there about the latter half of December, 1896. He was called by the Magdiwang government which, with the Magdalo government, had just given battle to the Spanish forces in the province."

https://kahimyang.com/.../the-tejeros-convention...


Here are Oryang's assertions. Let's remember that she was 1) the wife of Bonifacio and therefore biased in his favor and is very likely simply repeating the story she heard from him because 2) she was NOT A FIRSTHAND WITNESS to the internal drama of the Tejeros election. 

From the PDI article: 
https://lifestyle-inquirer-net.cdn.ampproject.org/.../...

“The election was rigged to favor the Magdalos,” De Jesus writes. “Those who entered the hacienda were asked (by Aguinaldo’s men) who they would vote for. Even those who did not know how to write were given ballots already filled up apparently signed by the voters.”

‘Fraudulent machinations’

She adds that Apolonio Santos, who belonged to the rival faction Magdiwang, was “mistaken for Magdalo” and “forced to vote for Emilio.”

“All those fraudulent machinations were tolerated,” De Jesus declares.

Aguinaldo was voted president in absentia. When Bonifacio was voted interior minister, De Jesus writes, there were shouts of “Viva!”

But “the Minister of War,” writes De Jesus, apparently referring to Daniel Tirona, a Caviteño and supporter of Aguinaldo, opposed the election of Bonifacio and argued that the interior minister should be “an intellectual or lawyer.”

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Already one sees a lot of errors of fact and reason when compared to other accounts of the Tejeros election. 

The Magdalo were not out in force that day. To the contrary most were at the battlefront including Emilio and his brother Crispulo Aguinaldo. If the 'Magdalo men' were passing out pre-filled ballots with Emilio's name, why did the Magdiwang membership (which vastly outnumbered them both at the convention and in terms of land/troops/power throughout Cavite province) not put a stop to it? 

"All those fraudulent machinations were tolerated" De Jesus declares. BY WHOM, with all due respect Oryang, BY WHOM. By your HUSBAND who was PRESIDENT OF THE CONVENTION? By your IN-LAWS who were the majority represented at the Convention? 

I would invite ANY and ALL readers to compare these assertions with others, notably RICARTE's (who, unlike Oryang, WAS a firsthand eyewitness and intimately involved in the proceedings AND was a Bonifacio supporter so he cannot be said to be biased in favor of Aguinaldo).

https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1258/the-tejeros-convention-according-to-general-artemio-ricarte

Between Oryang and Ricarte, Ricartes account is more credible, he was the election officer at that time, the vice chair actually.....and he said "Lumabas na nakaraming halal sa pagkapangulo ng pamahalaan ng Republica ng Pilipinas, ay si G. Emilio Aguinaldo, laban kay G. Andres Bonifacio, at G. Mariano Trias. 

Ipinahayag ang nahalal sa pamamagitan ng mga palakpakan at sigawang mabuhay!"(The Viva Voce confirms the votes)....

Ricarte, the vice chair of the election, confirms in his account that Aguinaldo won the election.....in absentia!