READINGS IN

PHILIPPINE HISTORY
MAKING SENSE OF THE
PAST: HISTORICAL
INTERPRETATION.
Case Study 2: What happened
in the Cavite Mutiny?
The year 1872 is a historic year of two events: the Cavite Mutiny
and the martyrdom of the three priests, Mariano Gomez, Jose
Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, later on immortalized as GOMBURZA.
These events are very important milestones in Philippine history and
have caused ripples throughout time, directly influencing the
decisive events of the Philippine Revolution toward the end of the
century. While the significance is unquestioned, what made this year
controversial is the different sides to the story, a battle of
perspectives supported by primary sources. In this case study, we
zoom in to the events of the Cavite Mutiny, a major factor in the
awakening of nationalism among the Filipinos of that time.
SPANISH ACCOUNTS OF THE CAVITE MUTINY
The documentation of Spanish historian Jose Montero y Vidal
centered on how the event was an attempt in overthrowing the
Spanish government in the Philippines. Although regarded as a
historian, his account of the mutiny was criticized as woefully
biased and rabid for a scholar. Another account from the official
report written by then Governor General Rafael Izquierdo
implicated the native clergy, who were then, active in the:
movement toward secularization of parishes. These two accounts
corroborated each other.
Primary Source: Excerpts from Montero’s
Account of the Cavite Mutiny
The abolition of privileges enjoyed by the
laborers of the Cavite arsenal of
exemption from the tribute was, according
to some, the cause of the insurrection.
There were, however, other causes.
The Spanish revolution which overthrew a secular throne; the propaganda
carried on by an unbridled press against monarchical principles,
attentatory [sic] of the most sacred respects towards the dethroned
majesty; the democratic and republican books and pamphlets; the
speeches and preaching’s of the apostles of these new ideas in Spain;
the outbursts of the American publicists and the criminal policy of the
senseless Governor whom the Revolutionary government sent to govern
the Philippines, and who put into practice these ideas were the
determining circumstances which gave rise, among certain Filipinos, to
the idea of attaining their independence. It was towards this goal that they
started to work, with the powerful assistance of a certain section of the
native clergy, who out of spite toward friars, made common cause with the
enemies of the mother country.
At various times but especially in the beginning of year 1872, the
authorities received anonymous communications with the information
that a great uprising would break out against the Spaniards, the minute
the fleet at Cavite left for the South, and that all would be assassinated,
including the friars. But nobody gave importance to these notices. The
conspiracy had been going on since the days of La Torre with utmost
secrecy. At times, the principal leaders met either in the house of Filipino
Spaniard, D. Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, or in that of the native priest,
Jacinto Zamora, and these meetings were usually attended by the curate
of Bacoor, the soul of the movement, whose energetic character and
immense wealth enabled him to exercise a strong influence.
 Primary Source: Excerpts from the
Official Report of Governor Izquierdo
on the Cavite Mutiny of 1872
...It seems definite that the insurrection was motivated and prepared
by the native clergy, by the mestizos and native lawyers, and by
those known here as abogadillos...
The instigators, to carry out their criminal project, protested against
the injustice of the government in not paying the provinces for their
tobacco crop, and against the usury that some practice in documents
that the Finance department gives crop owners who have to sell
them at a loss. They encouraged the rebellion by protesting what
they called the injustice of having obliged the workers in the Cavite
arsenal to pay tribute starting January 1 and to render personal
service, from which they were formerly exempted...
Up to now it has not been clearly determined if they planned
to establish a monarchy or a republic, because the indios
have no word in their language to describe this different
form of government. whose head in Tagalog would be called
hari; but it turns out that they would place at the head of the
government a priest... that the head selected would be D.
Jose Burgos, or D. Jacinto Zamora...

Such is... the plan of the rebels, those who guided them,
and the means they counted upon for its realization.
It is apparent that the accounts underscore the reason for the
“revolution”: the abolition of privileges enjoyed by the workers of
the Cavite arsenal such as exemption from payment of tribute
and being employed in Polos y Servicios, or force labor. They
also identified other reasons which seemingly made the issue a
lot more serious, which included the presence of the native
clergy, who, out of spite against the Spanish friars, “conspired
and supported” the rebels. Izquierdo, in an obviously biased
report, highlighted that attempt to overthrow the Spanish
government in the Philippines, to install a new “hari” in the
persons of Fathers Burgos and Zamora.
According to him, native clergy attracted
supporters by giving them charismatic
assurance that their fight will not fail
because they have God’s support, aside
from promises of lofty rewards such as
employment, wealth, and ranks in the
army.
In the Spaniard’s accounts, the event of 1872 was
premeditated, and is part of a big conspiracy among the
educated leaders, mestizos, lawyers, and residents of
Manila and Cavite. They allegedly plan to liquidate high-
ranking Spanish officers, then kill the friars. The signal
they identify among these conspirators of Manila and
Cavite was the rockets fired from Intramuros.
The accounts detail that on 20 January 1872, the
district of Sampaloc celebrated the feast of the Virgin of
Loreto, and came with it were some fireworks display.
The Cavitenios allegedly mistook this as the signal to
commence with the attack, The 200-men contingent led
by Sergeant Lamadrid attacked Spanish officers at
sight and seized the arsenal. Izquierdo, upon learning
of the attack, ordered the reinforcement of the Spanish
forces in Cavite to quell the revolt.
The “revolution” was easily crushed, when the Manilenios who were
expected to aid the Cavitenos did not arrive. Leaders of the plot were
killed in the resulting skirmish, while Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and
Zamora were tried by a court-martial and sentenced to be executed.
Others who were implicated such as Joaquin Pardo de Tavera,
Antonio Ma,Regidor, Jose and Pio Basa, and other Filipino lawyers
were suspended from the practice of law, arrested, and sentenced to
life imprisonment at the Marianas Island. Izquierdo dissolved the
native regiments of artillery and ordered the creation of an artillery
force composed exclusively by Peninsulares.
On 17 February 1872, the GOMBURZA
were executed to serve as a threat to
Filipinos never to attempt to fight the
Spaniards again.
A Spaniard born in Spain was referred as a
peninsular, meaning born in the Spanish peninsula.

In contrast, a Spaniard born in the Philippines was

referred as an insular if in the Philippines, or a Filipino
if in Spain.

Those persons of mixed race - Indian and Spaniard -

known as mestizos, were one of the most rapidly
growing groups in frontier society
Examples of the regular priest, the Franciscans,
Recollects, Dominicans, and Augustinians.

Secular priests did not belong to any religious

order. They were trained specifically to run the
parishes and were under the supervision of the
bishops
In the Philippine context, "secularization" meant
merely "nationalizing" the Catholic Church by replacing the
friars with native secular priests. This was a reaction to the
Spanish friars who were perceived as obstacles to education,
progress, and freedom.

The secularization movement in the Philippines was a movement in

the Philippines under Spanish colonial administration from the 18th
to late 19th century for greater rights for native Filipino Roman
Catholic clergymen. The movement had significant implications to
Filipino nationalism and the Philippine Revolution.
DIFFERING ACCOUNTS OF THE EVENTS OF 1872

Two other primary accounts exist that seem to

counter the accounts of Izquierdo and
Montero. First, the account of Dr. Trinidad
Hermenigildo Pardo de Tavera, a Filipino
scholar and researcher, who wrote a Filipino
version of the bloody incident in Cavite.
Primary Source: Excerpt from
Pardo de Tavera’s Account of
the Cavite Mutiny
This uprising among the soldiers in Cavite was used as a
powerful level by the Spanish residents and by the
friars...the Central Government in Madrid had announced its
intention to deprive the friars in these islands of powers of
intervention in matters of civil government and of the
direction and management of the university... it was due to
these facts and promises that the Filipinos had great hopes
of an improvement in the affairs of their country, while the
friars, on the other hand, feared that their power in the
colony would soon be complete a thing of the past.
…Up to that time there had been no intention
of recession from Spain, and the only
aspiration of the people was to secure the
material and education advancement of the
country...
According to this account, the incident was merely a
mutiny by Filipino soldiers and laborers of the Cavite
arsenal. Soldiers and laborers of the arsenal to the
dissatisfaction arising from the draconian policies of
Izquierdo, such as the abolition of privileges and the
prohibition of the founding of the school of arts and
trades for Filipinos, which the General saw as a
smokescreen to creating a political club.
 Draconian laws or measures
are extremely harsh and severe.
Tavera is of the opinion that the Spanish friars and
Izquierdo used the Cavite Mutiny as a way to address
other issues by blowing out of proportion the isolated
mutiny attempt. During this time, the Central Government
in Madrid was planning to deprive the friars of all the
powers of intervention in matters of civil government and
direction and management of educational institutions. The
friars needed something to justify their continuing
dominance in the country, and the mutiny provided such
opportunity.
However, the Central Spanish Government introduced an education
decree fusing sectarian schools run by the friars into a school called
the Philippine Institute. The decree aimed to improve the standard
of education in the Philippines by requiring teaching positions in
these schools to be filled by competitive examinations, an
improvement welcomed by most Filipinos.

Another account, this time by French writer Edmund Plauchut

complemented Tavera’s account and analyzed the motivations
of the 1872 Cavite Mutiny.
 Primary Source: Excerpts from
Plauchut’s Account of the Cavite
Mutiny
General La Torre... created a junta composed of
high officials... including some friars and six
Spanish officials.... At the same time there was
created by the government in Madrid a committee
to investigate the same problems submitted to the
Manila committee. When the two finished work, it
was found that they came to the same conclusions.
Here is the summary of the reforms they
considered necessary to introduce:
It's from the Spanish junta, for a military or
political group ruling the country after it
has been taken over. Spanish got junta from
the Latin jungere, to join. Remember, all the
players in the junta must join together to
overthrow the government.
1. Changes in tariff rates at customs, and the methods of collection.
2. Removal of surcharges on foreign importations.
3. Reduction of export fees.
4. Permission for foreigners to reside in the Philippines, buy real
estate, enjoy freedom of worship, and operate commercial transports
flying the Spanish flag.
5. Establishment of an advisory council to inform the Minister of
Overseas Affairs in Madrid on the necessary reforms to be
implemented.
6. Changes in primary and secondary education.
7. Establishment of an Institute of Civil
Administration in the Philippines, rendering
unnecessary the sending home of short- term civil
officials every time there is a change of ministry.
8. Study of direct-tax system.
9. Abolition of the tobacco monopoly.
…The arrival in Manila of General Izquierdo...
put a sudden end to all dreams of reforms...
the prosecutions instituted by the new
Governor General were probably expected as
a result of the bitter disputes between the
Filipino clerics and the friars. Such a policy
must really end in a strong desire on the part
of the other to repress cruelly.
In regard to schools, it was previously decreed
that there should be in Manila a Society of Arts
and Trades to be opened in March of 1871... to
repress the growth of liberal teachings, General
Izquierdo suspended the opening of the
school... the day previous to the scheduled
inauguration...
The Filipinos had a duty to render service on public roads
construction and pay taxes every year. But those who were
employed at the maestranza of the artillery, in the
engineering shops and arsenal Cavite, were exempted
from this obligation from time immemorial. Without
preliminaries of any kind, a decree by the Governor
withdrew from such old employees their retirement
privileges and declassified the into the ranks of those who
work on public roads.
The friars used the incident as a part of a larger conspiracy
to cement their dominance, which has started to show
cracks because of the discontent of the Filipinos. They
showcased the mutiny as part of a greater conspiracy in the
Philippines by Filipinos to overthrow the Spanish
Government. Unintentionally, and more so, prophetically,
the Cavite Mutiny of 1872 resulted to the martyrdom of
GOMBURZA, and paved the way to the revolution
culminating in 1898.
Secularization is a cultural transition in which religious values are gradually
replaced with nonreligious values. In the process, religious figureheads such as
church leaders lose their authority and influence over society.

Examples of the regular priest, the Franciscans,

Recollects, Dominicans, and Augustinians.
Secular priests did not belong to any religious order.
They were trained specifically to run the parishes and
were under the supervision of the bishops
Secularization is a cultural transition in which religious values are gradually
replaced with nonreligious values. In the process, religious figureheads such as
church leaders lose their authority and influence over society.

Examples of the regular priest, the Franciscans,

Recollects, Dominicans, and Augustinians.
Secular priests did not belong to any religious order.
They were trained specifically to run the parishes and
were under the supervision of the bishops
 END OF
DISCUSSION