CONFESSION vs. NARRATION

From Elizabeth Angsioco

Some documents of Gen. and President Emilio Aguinaldo will be auctioned by the Leon Gallery tomorrow (February 23, 2019). These have been maliciously and sensationally labelled as Aguinaldo’s ‘CONFESSION’ on the matter of Andres Bonifacio’s execution. This is wrong and misleading. FAKE NEWS. Is this because of money?

I have read the parts of these papers shown in news accounts and there is NO such confession. On the contrary, the documents (as shown) have in them a NARRATION by Gen. Aguinaldo of how things happened as he knew it.

A ‘confession’ admits to wrongdoing, GUILT. Google the meaning of the word, it’s so easy. The documents do not show this. Aguinaldo bashers are only too eager to ride on this kind of sensationalism to further damage the General’s name. Is it because this year is Aguinaldo’s 150th birth anniversary?

I am showing below another document in the handwriting of Gen. Aguinaldo EXPLAINING Bonifacio’s, execution. I transcribed the document so it’s easier to read. No embellishments, no sensationalism.

STOP THE LIES.
STOP PEDDLING ‘HATE HISTORY’.

#TUKLAS

On Bonifacio and Luna's Death: A Speech by Agoncillo. -From a Private Collection

The "Akta" of Supremo of the Katipunan - Andres Bonifacio

Quezon Deglamorizing Aguinaldo as A War Hero

"It was a misfortune for Aguinaldo to have fought Quezon, for the latter was a veteran politician, with a well-oiled political party organization, with adequate logistical support from well appointed supporters. As in love and war, it is said, so it is in politics - fair and foul - and he came out seriously damaged politically and personally. He was deglamorized as a war hero, and the people, including school children ever regarded him as a villain responsible for the tragic death of Bonifacio and Luna." - Eufronio M. Alip, "In the Days of General Emilio Aguinaldo",( 1969, p. 114).

After the reconciliation, Quezon has this to say about Aguinaldo in the U.S. House of Representatives on October 2, 1941:

" Mr. Chairman, I wish to say a few words in behalf of General Aguinaldo. I was at one time an officer in the Philippine Army. . . . For several months I was on the staff of General Aguinaldo, then President of the Philippine Republic and commanding general of the army. . . .
 I can assert without fear of successful contradiction that he is a man of high character and patriotism. . . .

During the Philippine Revolution against Spain, Aguinaldo was the supreme military chief, with the powers of a dictator . . . . He had the physical power to do with the treasury of the then-independent Philippine government as he pleased. When he was captured by General Funston after having exercised his undisputed authority for more than two years, Aguinaldo was as poor as when the Philippine-American War started.

How many revolutionary chiefs in other parts of the world who have been in the position of General Aguinaldo have done what he did? How many have been willing to go back to their homes as poor as ever after having had in their possession so much money that they could have appropriated without question? Aguinaldo is not a rich man today. He is a modest farmer. He has not accepted any position from the American government. . . . Why?

He wanted to show the world that he fought for his country not because of any desire for personal profit or power but out of patriotism, and that when he could not fight any longer he could go to his home and lead a peaceful and modest-life, the life of a good citizen working on his farm. . . . Thus Aguinaldo has demonstrated that the Filipinos, who [have] known how to fight for their freedom, know likewise how to work in time of peace. I need not say more."

But the damage has been done...

"Isa pang ginamit sa kampanya laban kay Aguinaldo noong labanan niya si Quezon sa pagkapangulo ng "Commonwealth" noong halalan ng 1935 ay ang pagkamatay ni Bonifacio na ibinibintang kay Aguinaldo. Hinukay pa ang mga buto kuno ni Bonifacio sa Cavite at ipinarada sa Maynila na may kasabay na sigaw na ito'y kagagawan ni Aguinaldo. Sa tutuo lang si Bonifacio ay lumaban sa pamahalaan kaya nahatulan ng kamatayan. Ito'y katotohanan na hindi matanggap ng mga bulag o nagbubulag-bulagang mga tagasunod ni Bonifacio." - Basilio Ibabawan

"Hindi lamang sa kanyang lupang nakuha sa programa ng mga Amerikano dinumhan ang pangalan ni Aguinaldo. Ang dating 'aide de camp' ni Aguinaldo sa Malolos, na si Antonio Bautista ay 'niligawan' ni Quezon upang maging pangunahing taga-kampanya sa Bulakan. Isang taktika ang ginamit ni Quezon, ang pagpapakalat ng kuwento tungkol sa 'pagluluksa ng Malolos' sa pagdalaw doon ni Aguinaldo. Nalagyan ng itim na tela ang bawat bahay sa lansangan na sa totoo ay maniobra ni Bautista para mapahiya ang dati niyang kaalyado. [Note 13.] Nang maghalalan, hindi naman ganoon kalaki ang abante ni Quezon kay Aguinaldo. Ang boto ng una na mahigit sa 19,000 ay tinapatan ng higit sa 16,000 ng huli -- isang patotoo na hindi ganoon kababa ang pagtingin ng mga taga-Bulakan sa dating pangulo ng Republika sa Malolos." - Jaime Veneracion, Bulakan ng mga Bayani

And this is what Quezon did to Aguinaldo after the elections: "He (Aguinaldo) was badly beaten in the contest and worse still, following the elections, Aguinaldo lost his P12,000 annual pension which had been granted him by an American controlled Philippine government, at the behest, it is said, by Quezon himself. He also lost the hacienda which had been allotted to him from the former friar lands and which he had been paying in installments. The reason given was that for years he had not been paying the installments due. But as Aguinaldo himself said, there were others similarly situated who did not suffer his fate, because they did not fight Quezon for the Presidency." (page 114, Eufronio M. Alip, "In the Days of General Emilio Aguinaldo", 1969)

Why Blame and Aguinaldo and his men for The San Juan del Monte Debacle ?

Tommy Matic IV, a US-based military researcher observes:

Aguinaldo was only bringing about 30 men including himself to join Bonifacio. They were waiting for General Vicente Fernandez to signal them to join the assault on Manila but the signal was not broadcast. That is no longer Aguinaldo's fault. Furthermore, Bonifacio was leading more than 2,500 men in his group while General Ramon Bernardo was leading some 1,000 men from Makati and Santa Mesa.

What difference do you think 30 Cavitenos will make? It is very clear from ACTUAL reports of the battles of August 29-30, 1896 that Bonifacio and Bernardo failed miserably. Bonifacio's assault on the garrison of the polvorin at San Juan del Monte was driven off by about 30 Spanish artillerymen under Captain Rambaud, armed with the new German-made Mauser bolt-action rifle plus field artillery cannon along with about 100 native Filipino infantrymen armed with the older .43 caliber Remington Rolling-Block rifle.

The Filipinos failed to capture the polvorin or any significant numbers of arms, and despite their overwhelming numbers (2,500+) were stopped by less than 150 men. The same happened to General Bernardo, who was driven away in disarray by Spanish Segundo Cabo Bernard Echaluce y' Jauregui. Bernardo's more than 1,000 Katipuneros were miserably routed by about 100 Spanish troops including cavalry, Guardia Civil Veteranas and infantry from the Manila Garrison.

This is the US Adjutant General's report on the Philippine Revolution based on Manuel Sastron's official history of the "Tagalog Revolt"

and Federico Monteverde's "The Lachambre Division"

According to official Spanish sources, the Manila Garrison in Agosto 1896 has 300 Peninsular (Spanish) artillery - which would be armed with field cannon and the new Mauser rifles (Spanish peninsular troops were armed with Mausers, native conscripts and Guardia Civil were armed with the older single-shot Remington); as well as 400 other European troops, principally Marine Infantry (Spanish Marines - again armed with Mausers) and detachments of sailors from Admiral Patricio Montojo's Philippine Squadron. Along with 2,000 native troops of all kinds ( these would principally be the 70th Regimento Fijo de Infanteria [Indigenas] "Magallanes", the Manila garrison regiment, along with the Guardia Civil Veteranas, the cream of the crop of the Guardia Civil organization including infantry and a small cavalry detachment)

That is what Bonifacio would have to overwhelm.

ANG PAGKAMATAY NG HENERAL ANTONIO LUNA

Ang Pagkamatay ng Heneral Antonio Luna

This paper is the transcription of the original document entitled, “Ang Pagkamatay ng Heneral Luna” by General Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy, the First President of the Republic of the Philippines. The manuscript, typewritten with substantial handwritten edits by Gen. Aguinaldo, is now part of a private collection from Felisa Diokno’s estate. Ms. Diokno was the personal secretary of the first President until he passed on. The parts in yellow (bold) are the edits by Gen. Aguinaldo. The document was transcribed by Elizabeth Angsioco in April 2018.

Museo ni Emilio Aguinaldo February Events In anticipation of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Emilio Aguinaldo on 22 March 2019 and the celebration of the National Arts Month

In anticipation of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Emilio Aguinaldo on 22 March 2019 and the celebration of the National Arts Month, the Museo ni Emilio Aguinaldo presents its line-up of activities for the month of February.

Join us as we celebrate Lolo Miong's 150th Birthday with a month-long activities. For inquiries, you may reach call 046 484 7643 or email museoniemilioaguinaldo@gmail.com.

#Aguinaldo150
#AguinaldoShrine
#MEA2019
#MakeItHistoric

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