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Cavite Mutiny of 1872 as Told in Two Ways
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Cebu Normal University)
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Cavite Mutiny of 1872 as Told in Two Ways
Jose Fermin B. Crave
As told and as heard, every story has at least two angles to consider. Each angle or side of the
story has its own contentions, merits, or claims. Biases and prejudices may be noticeable but
they are undeniably inevitable as they form part of the limitations of the one telling the story.
To limit distortion, exaggeration or perversion of facts, the need to expose oneself to differing
versions of any event is a necessary step in historical analysis in forming up with an informed
historical consciousness.
One historical issue worth visiting Philippine history is the Cavite Mutiny of 1872. The
increasing interest given to historical events has triggered the call to unearth historical data,
documents which are of great value mainly because of their proximity to the time and place
the event happened, and the credibility of the one telling the account. has been enticing
people in the academe to change the way learning history from simple gathering or
accumulating of basic historical facts which commonly answered the questions on “who”,
“when” and “where” and learning its historical details responding exclusively to the “how”
questions to historical analysis which enables any learner or historian-to-be to answer the
primordial question of the “why”.
The Cavite Mutiny of 1872 has two extant versions coming from two opposing camps namely:
Spanish version and Filipino version.
The Spanish version of Cavite Mutiny of 1872 is narrated by Jose Montero y Vidal. His account
anchored on the thesis that the fateful event of the 2oth of January 1872 happens due to the
concerted effort of disgruntled native soldiers and laborers of Cavite arsenal who willfully
revolted to overthrow the Spanish rule, and thus, guilty of rebellion and sedition. By such acts,
the execution of prominent critics of the Spaniards and friars by the Spanish officials are
justified, and the sentence of life imprisonment and deportation of some natives critical of
their incongruous rule is unquestionably legit if not morally blurred. The account of Jose
Montero y Vidal was even made credibly possible by no less than Rafael de Izquierdo, the
governor-general of the time when the revolt of 1872 happened.
The Filipino version is told by Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera. For him, the so-called Cavite Mutiny
is a mere incident of mutiny orchestrated by native soldiers and laborers who reacted to the
harsh policy of the new governor-general, Rafael de Izquierdo, who whimsically terminated the
old-time privileges such as exempting them from paying annual tribute and from rendering
forced labor or polo. As accounted, it is made clear that the mutiny is blown-up by the Spanish
officials and friars into a revolt as a way for Filipinos to gain independence from Spanish
monarchy.
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Below is the comparison of historical details of the same event, Cavite Mutiny of 1872, as taken
from two contending versions:
Spanish Version Circumstances Filipino Version
20 January 1872 at 9:30 in the In the night of 20 January 1872
Date happened
evening
Native clergy: Jose Burgos, Jacinto Sergeant La Madrid,(clergy) Jose
Zamora, Mariano Gomez, Francisco Burgos, Jacinto Zamora, Mariano
Saldua and several other Filipino Gomez, P. Mendoza, Guevarra,
priests Mariano Sevilla, Feliciano Gomez,
Antonio Maria Regidor, Joaquin Ballesteros, Jose Basa,
Pardo de Tavera, Pedro Carillo, People involved (lawyers) Carillo, Basa, Enriquez,
Gervacio Sanchez, Jose Mauricio de Crisanto Reyes, Maximo Paterno,
Leon, Enrique Paraiso, Jose Basa, Antonio M. Regidor, Joaquin
Pio Basa, Crisanto Reyes, Maximo Pardo de Tavera and others
Paterno and several other Filipinos
Sergeant La Madrid
Liberal ideas from Europe Harsh policy of the despotic
disseminated by the illustrados governor and captain general
studying in Spain. Rafael de Izquierdo abolishing
Revolt to overthrow the Spanish their privilege of exemption
rule to gain independence from from paying annual tribute and
monarchial control. rendering forced labor or polo.
Reason/s of
Abolition of the privileges
mutiny
enjoyed by the native soldiers
and laborers of the Cavite arsenal
such as exemption from paying
annual tribute and forced labor
(polo)
Sentence by execution: Sentence by execution:
41 rebels (27 January 1872) Sergeant La Madrid
Camerino (08 February GomBurZa
1872) Sentence to life imprisonment to
Jose Burgos, Jacinto the Marianas Islands:
Zamora, Mariano Gomez, Antonio M. Regidor
Francisco Saldua (15 Casualties Joaquin Pardo de Tavera
February 1872) P. Mendoza
Sentence to life imprisonment: Guevarra
11 rebels (06 February 1872) Mariano Sevilla
Sentence to ten years Feliciano Gomez
imprisonment: Ballesteros
Jose Basa
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11 individuals in Guias de la Carillo
Torre Basa
Suspended from the practice of Enriquez
law: Crisanto Reyes
Jose Basa y Enriquez Maximo Paterno
Joaquin Pardo de Tavera
Antonio M. Regidor
Pedro Carillo
Gervasio Sanchez
Jose Mauricio de Leon
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