Background of the Author:

- Emilio Aguinaldo was born in Kawit, Cavite, on March 22, 1869, the second to youngest
of eight children of Carlos Jamir Aguinaldo and Trinidad Famy- Aguinaldo. His
Grandparents were is Eugenio K. Aguinaldo and Maria Jamir-Aguinaldo and his siblings
were Felicidad Aguinaldo, Crispulo Aguinaldo, Primo Aguinaldo, Ambrosio Aguinaldo,
Tomasa Aguinaldo, Esteban Aguinaldo, and Benigno Aguinaldo. The Aguinaldos were a
wealthy and influential family with Carlos being gobernadicillo (municipal governor) for
several terms.

- On January 1, 1896, he married Hilaria del Rosario (1877–1921), who was his first wife.
They had five children: Carmen Aguinaldo-Melencio, Emilio "Jun" R. Aguinaldo Jr.,
Maria Aguinaldo-Poblete, Cristina Aguinaldo-Suntay, and Miguel Aguinaldo.

- He studied at Colegio de San Juan de Letran but wasn't able to finish his studies due to
outbreak of cholera in 1882 and his father’s death and decided to took up the
responsibility of helping his mother run their farm. Aguinaldo followed his father, Emilio
became the "Cabeza de Barangay '' of Binakayan, a chief barrio of Cavite el Viejo, when
he was only 17 years old to avoid conscription. At the age of 25, Aguinaldo became
Cavite el Viejo's first "gobernadorcillo capitan municipal" (Municipal Governor-Captain)
of Kawit in 1894. Months later, he joined the Katipunan by choosing the Magdalo in
Honor of Mary Magdalene, the patroness of Kawit Cavite.
-
- Aguinaldo was elected as a president in pamahalaang panghimagsikan ng Pilipinas in
Bario Tejeros, San Francisco de Malabon on March 22, 1897. Emilio Aguinaldo was the
1st president in the republic of the Philippines the year of January 20, 1899 - April 1,
1901.He proclaimed philippine independence at kawaa(kawit) on June 12, 1898.
- Aguinaldo was the first and youngest president of the Philippines. In addition to that, he
was also a noted general who played a key role in the country’s revolt against its
Spanish rulers as well as fighting against the occupation by the United States. His
military abilities saw him featured heavily in the Philippine-American War that eventually
led to the country’s independence. His time in power remains controversial as he was
both a renowned freedom fighter and dictatorial leader.

- Unlike many of the other Katipunan rebels, Aguinaldo’s men had the ability to meet the
colonial forces in pitched battle. As a result, they were able to repel them from Cavite.
This, though, brought them into conflict with supporters of Andres Bonifacio, who was by
now the self proclaimed president of the Republic of the Philippines. An election was
held between the two factions in Tejeros in March 1897. Alguinado claimed victory,
although there were suggestions of ballot fraud and Bonifacio rejected the result.
Aguinaldo responded by having Bonifacio and his brother arrested.

- In April 1897, Aguinaldo ordered the arrest of Bonifacio after he received a letter alleging
that Bonifacio had burned down a village and ordered the burning of the church of
Indang after townspeople refused to give him provisions. Bonifacio was surprised and
refused to fight against "fellow Tagalogs", ordering his men to hold their fire, but shots
were nevertheless exchanged. Bonifacio was shot in the arm by Agapito Bonzón, and
Jose Ignacio Paua stabbed him in the neck but was prevented from striking further by
one of Bonifacio's men who offered to die in Bonifacio's place. Andrés's brother Ciriaco
was shot dead, while his other brother Procopio was beaten, and his wife Gregoria may
have been raped by Bonzón. From Indang, a half-starved and wounded Bonifacio was
carried by hammock to Naic, which had become President Aguinaldo's headquarters. On
May 10, 1897, they were executed for treason and sedition on the mountains of
Maragondon, Cavite.

- His presidency was cut short when he was captured by the American soldiers in
Palanan, Isabela which dissolved the First Republic due to his pledge of loyalty to the
American government. In 1935 the commonwealth government of the Philippines was
established. Aguinaldo ran for president, but he was beaten by Manuel L. Quezon that
caused him to retire from political/public life. In 1950 Aguinaldo was appointed by
President Elpidio Quirinoas a member of the Council of State. In his later years he
devoted much attention to veterans’ affairs, the promotion of nationalism and democracy
in the Philippines.

- Due to coronary thrombosis, he was hospitalized on October 25, 1962 in the Veterans
Memorial Hospital (currently known as the Veterans Memorial Medical Center) in
Diliman, Quezon City and was confined for 469 days before he died on the 6th of
February, 1964 at the age of 94 years old.
Historical Background of the Document

Produced between 1928 - 1946

- The original memoirs in Tagalog were prepared by Aguinaldo in his own handwriting
between 1928 to 1946. At the end of 1963 after much deliberation, he decided to publish
his memoirs. It was translated by Luz Colendrino Bucu, The Secretary of the Graduate
School of Education and Faculty member of the University of the East. The ‘Mga Gunita
ng Himagsikan’ was officially released to the public in 1967.
First Volume:
- In his preface Aguinaldo says the memoirs were based on a diary he kept, documents
he preserved, and family lore gathered from his elders. We do not know whether this
diary is extant or whether a promised second volume of the memoirs were fully written
out. All we have is an account from his birth and early years, ending with the 1897
Treaty of Biak-na-Bato.
- Aguinaldo scribed a lot in his old age between 1928 and 1946, he produced in long hand
the first volume of his memoirs, “Mga Gunita ng Himagsikan 1964”, translated from the
original Tagalog as“Memoirs of the Revolution” (1967). In his preface Aguinaldo says the
memoirs were based on a diary he kept, documents he preserved, and family lore
gathered from his elders. We do not know whether this diary is extant or whether a
promised second volume of the memoirs were fully written out. All we have is an account
from his birth and early years, ending with the 1897 Treaty of Biak-na-Bato.
Second Volume (A Presumption):
- In 2017, Ambeth Ocampo, a Filipino public historian, academic, cultural administrator,
journalist, author and curator, presumed that a second volume was also drafted by
Aguinaldo which was probably tucked away in a secret compartment in the Aguinaldo
Shrine.
- The second volume would cover the resumption of the Philippine Revolution against
Spain and the Philippine-American War.--
- Aguinaldo stated that this event took place in Balintawak but the late historian Teodoro
A. Agoncillo took the word of Pio Valenzuela and argued for Pugadlawin.
- To this day, it is still an Assumption if a second volume of the material was written.
Content in the Document

● (1896) Battle of Imus

- On September 1, 1896, Jose Tagle, a Filipino Military Officer, asks Emilio Aguinaldo to
help him in invading the Spaniards in Imus, Cavite where Aguinaldo created his strategy
in invading the Spaniards. He failed on making his first strategy. His first attempt was to
save the rectory, he tasks the group of General Baldomero Aguinaldo, the first cousin of
Emilio Aguinaldo, to go to the north and the group of Captain Municipal Tagle was
tasked to go in south. So, Aguinaldo again gathers his soldiers and divides them again
into three groups to surround the north and south of the hacienda of Imus. The resulting
decisive victory for the Filipino revolutionaries in Imus very much alarmed the Spanish
government in the country. Following the conflict, they attempted to subdue the
revolutionaries in Cavite province with the twin battles in Binakayan and Dalahican,
weeks after the battle in Imus.

● (Dec. 30) Imprisonment of Rizal

- On the other hand, on December 30, 1896, Jose Rizal was imprisoned in Puerto
Santiago, Manila and punished por filibusterismo court-martial. Aguinaldo with the help
of Bonifacio attempted to save Rizal, however Don Paciano Rizal said that they should
not save Rizal to avoid the death of many soldiers. So they didn’t pursue the plan.
- Also on December 30 the Katipunans in pateros ask for help to Aguinaldo to attack the
camp of Cazadores in Tagiik. They entered Pateros but unfortunately Frayle Mariano
Corcuera gave himself up for others to be saved. As their opponents came from Pasig,
the group of Aguinaldo give gunshots which result of the retreat of their enemies.

● (1897) Battle of Zapote Bridge/ Perez Dasmarinas

- General Artemio Ricarte and General Mariano Reigo De Dios have been delayed to
come on the right time to fuse with General Aguinaldo. They arrived in Escribano and
they established three camps. The next day, the Cazadores arrived in Escribano, the
group of Inferteria Filipino was the first to fight in Cazadores. Though a lot of them were
dying they still continued to fight but they soon retreated because of the loss of men.
Therefore, the group of Commander Julian Montalban continues the fight which results
in the decrease of the men of Cazadores. However, the group of Coronel Lucas
Camerino was defeated by General Zabala bringing artillery and they started to invade
Aguinaldo groups. The reason why they retreated from this battle is due to the 400 loss
of their soldiers. Aguinaldo asks the president of Magdalo in Imus for help since they
can’t handle the opponent but no one is coming because there's a nonstop battle in
Zapote. Therefore, Aguinaldo decided to go to San Nicholas to bring some soldiers.
When he arrived, he saw that the town was devastated because the opponents had
entered the Molino. When he saw General Pio Del Pilar, he persuades the general to
come with him to San Nicholas for them to meet the opponent in Molino. They met the
opponent while they were walking and the battle between them started and the opponent
turned back which resulted in the victory of General Del Pilar. Aguinaldo also didn’t fail to
bring some soldiers to Dasmarinas since General Pio Del Pilar dropped his four groups
to Aguinaldo to go to Dasmariñas.
- The invasion and victory of the rebel in Pasong Santol, Aguinaldo with the team of
Coronel Janolino was entering the side area and they started to fire shots but the
opponents fired back which resulted in loss of soldiers, but they still continued to fight.
As they entered the hardest area of the column, Coronel Yenko and General Garcia
started to conquer. And they succeeded in Pasong Santol.
- It’s almost two weeks since they were not being attacked by the opponent it is because
of the battle happened in Pasong Santol and the contra ataque (counter attack) in Silang
and Escribano that drives the Spanish which result to the resignation of Captain General
Polavieja. General Lachambre became the temporary Captain General until the arrival of
new Captain General Don Fernando Primo De Rivera and demanded 15,000 of infantry
of Cazadores in Spain.

● ASSEMBLY AT TEJEROS CONVENTION/HACIENDA TEJEROS;

- The assembly of the Magdiwang and Magdalo which was held in Hacienda of Tejeros,
San Francisco De Malabon on March 22 and was led by Andres Bonifacio. The election
for president has only two candidates: Haring Bayan Andres Bonifacio and General
Emilio Aguinaldo. After the election came out General Emilio Aguinaldo was elected as
the President. For the Vice-President Supremo Andres Bonifacio was nominated again,
but he was defeated by The Minister of Grace and Justice General Mariano Trias.
Following the election for Captain General, former Captain Santiago Alvarez, and
General Artemio Ricarte were nominated. Although General Ricarte objected to his
election, he was withdrawn and after that it follows the proclamation for him. In the
Secretary of War, Supremo Andres Bonifacio was once again a candidate and his rival
was General Mariano Riego de Dios, the Minister of Development in Magdiwang. the
Supremo was defeated, and this was his third defeat in the election.

- In the Secretary of Interior, Supremo Andres Bonifacio once again entered the
candidacy and his opponent was both Magdiwang Ministers who are Mr. Severino De
Las Alas and Mr. Diego Mojica. In this election Supremo Andres Bonifacio succeeded,
and as a custom he was proclaimed as Secretary of Interior. But General Daniel Tirona
opposes and said "It does not suit Supremo Andres Bonifacio, because he is not a
lawyer, and Attorney Jose del Rosario deserve the position” and this is where the
commotion in the assembly started. Bonifacio walked out of the assembly after
proclaiming the results null and invalid.

Key Notes:
- The Magdiwang chapter was started by Mariano Álvarez, related by marriage to
Andrés Bonifacio, the leader of the Katipunan. Both the Magdiwang and the
Magdalo (led by Baldemero Aguinaldo the cousin of Emilio Aguinaldo the famous
leader of Magdalo) were the two major Katipunan factions in Cavite, with the
Magdiwang having control over a larger number of towns and municipalities.
-
- When rivalry grew between the two factions, Bonifacio was invited to mediate,
but he was quickly embroiled in discussions with the Magdalo, who wished to
replace the Katipunan with an insurgent government. The Magdiwang initially
backed Bonifacio's stance that the Katipunan already served as their
government, but at the Tejeros Convention, both factions were combined into
one government body under Aguinaldo.

- Magdiwang and Magdalo Leaders (Summary):

- Magdiwang Leaders:
- Lorenzo Fenoy - Vice President for Batangas
- Pascual Álvarez - Minister of the Interior
- Ariston Villanueva - Minister of War
- Ananias Diokno - Vice Minister of War of Batangas
- Mariano Trías - Minister of Welfare and Justice
- Emiliano Riego de Dios - Minister of Economic Development
- Diego Mojica - Minister of Finance
- Santiago V. Álvarez - Captain General
- Artemio Ricarte - Assistant Captain General
- Miguel Malvar - Assistant Captain General for Batangas
- Mariano Riego de Dios - General, Cavite Division
- Paciano Rizal - General, Batangas Division
- Magdalo Leaders:
- Baldomero Aguinaldo - President
- Edilberto Evangelista - Vice President
- Candido Tirona - Secretary of War
- Felix Cuenca - Secretary of Interior
- Glicerio Topacio - Secretary of Public Works
- Cayetano Topacio - Secretary of Finance
- Emilio Aguinaldo - Flag Officer

● BIAK NA BATO

- After retreating to Montalban, Aguinaldo arrived at Biak-na-bato in San Miguel, Bulacan

and established his own headquarters there.
- On August 9, Manila lawyer Pedro Paterno met with Aguinaldo at Biak-na-Bato with a
proposal for peace based on reforms and amnesty. In succeeding months, Paterno
conducted shuttle diplomacy, acting as an intermediary between de Rivera and
Aguinaldo. On December 14–15, 1897, Aguinaldo signed the Pact of Biak-na-Bato,
under which Aguinaldo effectively agreed to end hostilities and dissolve his government
in exchange for amnesty… II and "₱800,000 (Mexican)" (Aguinaldo's description of the
amount) as an indemnity.

SECOND VOLUME (not officially published) -resumption of the Philippine Revolution

against Spain and the Philippine-American War.

- Fortunately, Aguinaldo joined forces with the US to defeat Spain and drive the Spanish
from the islands, only to be betrayed by the Americans. Notably, Aguinaldo also worked
vigorously to remove the US from the islands and give the Philippines true
independence.
So that’s all for section 5, we’ll be now heading to section 6 that will be reported by
Gilroy Sio and John Avelino

References:

http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/eng/Magdiwang_(Katipunan_faction)
http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/eng/Tejeros_Convention