Case Study 2:

What happen in the Cavity Mutiny?

Montero's Account of the Cavite Mutiny

Faith Ann Cortez

BSMT 1
SLIDESMANIA.CO
 Jose Montero y Vidal
He was born in Manila on April 13, 1857, of parents belonging
to the Spanish nobility. A Filipino scholar, scientist and historical
researcher. He was known for his writings about different aspects of
Philippine culture.

Jose Montero y Vidal is a Spanish Historian, who interpreted

that the Mutiny was an attempt to remove and overthrow the Spanish
Colonizers in the Philippines. His account, corroborated with the
account of Governor - General Rafael Izquidero y Gutierrez, the
governor-general of the Philippine Islands during the Mutiny.
SLIDESMANIA.CO
 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 Philippines Revolution toward the end of
the century. While the significance is unquestioned, what made
this year controversial are the different sides to the story, a
battle of perspectives supported by primary sources. ln this case
study, we zoom in to the events of the Cavite Mutiny, a major
SLIDESMANIA.CO

factor in the awakening of nationalism among the Filipinos of that

time.
 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.
SLIDESMANIA.CO
 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.
SLIDESMANIA.CO
 The Spanish revolution which overthrew a secular throne, the
propaganda carried on by an unbridled press against monarchical
principles, attentatory of the most sacred respects towards the
dethroned majesty; the democratic and republican books and
pamphlets; the speeches and preachings 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
SLIDESMANIA.CO

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.
SLIDESMANIA.CO
 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.
SLIDESMANIA.CO
 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.
SLIDESMANIA.CO
 ANALYSIS:
CAVITE MUTINY
By: Montero’s Account
SLIDESMANIA.CO
 Spanish Perspective
- The event was an attempt in overthrowing the Spanish
government
- Woefully biased
- The abolition of privileges enjoyed by the Laborers of the
Cavite
arsenal of exemption from the tribute cause the insurrection,
according to some.
- 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
SLIDESMANIA.CO

importance to these notices.

Jose Montero y Vidal - Principal leaders – meeting at D. Joaquin Pardo de Tavera or
in
 Governor General Rafael Izquierdo
- Secularization of the parishes
- Instigators encouraged rebellion by protesting what
they called the injustice of having obliged the
workers in the Cavite arsenal to pay tribute
- Filipinos want to revolt to install a new hari in the
likes of Zamora or Burgos
- In Spaniard’s account, the event of 1872 was
premediated, they allegedly plan to overthrow
officials including the friars, the signal was
identified the rockets fired from Intramuros
(fireworks display in Sampaloc for the feast of
Virgin of Loreto)
SLIDESMANIA.CO

- - February 17, 1872 – GOMBURZA executed

 Dr. Trinidad Hermenegildo Pardo de Tavera

- that they revolt against the Spaniard because of

the unfair treatment that they experience during
the reign of Gov. Izquierdo, abolishing their
privileges and prohibiting the establishment of
schools for arts and trades

- 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.
SLIDESMANIA.CO

Filipino
 Edmund Plauchut
- The friars used the incident as a part of
a larger conspiracy to cement their
dominance, which had 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.
SLIDESMANIA.CO
 GOMBURZA
- Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos,
Jacinto Zamora
- - Spanish clergy connected the
priests to the mutiny as part of a
conspiracy to stifle the movement of
secular priests who desired to have
their own parishes instead of being
merely assistants to the regular
friars.
SLIDESMANIA.CO
 - On February 15, 1872, the Spanish colonial
authorities sentenced three martyr Fathers 
Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez and Jacinto Zamora to
death by garrote at Bagumbayan, Philippines and
charged with treason and sedition, and subversion.
Two days after their verdict, they were executed.
The charges against Fathers Gomez, Burgos and
Zamora was their alleged complicity in the uprising
of workers at the Cavite Naval Yard. It was believed
by Governor Rafael Izquierdo that the Filipinos will
create its own government and allegedly, the three
priests were nominated as the leader of the planned
government in order to break free of the Spanish
government.
SLIDESMANIA.CO
 Source:

Jose Montero y Vidal, “Spanish Version of

the Cavite Mutiny of 1872” in Gregorio
Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Documentary
Sources of Philippine History, Volume 7
(Manila: National Book Store, 1990), 269-
273.
SLIDESMANIA.CO