Bonifacio Day

Leanne Joie B. Lozano

2nd. Yr. Block 3
Sr. Peralta
Bonifacio Day marks start of political ‘circus’
November 30, 2009 18:16:00
Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines--This year's Bonifacio Day turned into a “political festival” complete
with bands, thousands of cheering crowds and three of the top presidential bets for next
year's elections - former president Joseph Estrada, Senator Manny Villar and evangelist
Bro. Eddie Villanueva.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) legal chief Ferdinand Rafanan described it as an

attempt by candidates to attach a symbolic meaning to their filing of certificate of
candidacy.

“Bonifacio is known to be the revolutionary hero who rose among the masses, maybe
that is why they wanted to file their candidacies today (Monday) so it becomes
symbolic,” said Rafanan.

The use of gimmicks, such as cycling or driving a jeep to the Comelec main office as
done by re-electionist Senator Pia Cayetano of Nationalist People's Party and Estrada,
including the use of jingles and bands mark the start of the “circus” mood of the
elections, said the official.

“This signals the beginning of the campaign circus as 2010 candidates would soon
become entertainers themselves—singing and dancing in front of voters during
campaigns,” said Rafanan.

He noted: “Aside from the TV actors and actresses that they get for their campaigns,
they also become singers or dancers. This is expected after the Supreme Court ruling
said that there are no laws banning political candidates from the election offense
premature campaigning.”

The official also noted the use of party colors to show unity and identity of the party.

From this day on, it seems only three or four colors will be seen after several parties
sport similar colors identified with other parties.

Orange was the party color of Estrada and Villar, yellow for Senator Benigno “Noynoy”
Aquino and Jesus is Lord founder Villanueva; and green for actor-turned-politician
Vicente “Tito” Sotto III
Nationalist People's Coalition, which is also the color of Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard
bearer Gilbert Teodoro.

“Maybe some voters would be confused on the use of similar colors by two parties but
the more sensible ones will not be mislead,” said Rafanan.
He added next year's face-off between top opposition and administration bets can be
likened as a continuation of the UAAP clash between Ateneo and De La Salle
universities since the Liberal Party's Aquino and Mar Roxas, who both filed their bids on
Saturday, are alumni of Ateneo de Manila University while administration bets former
defense chief Gilbert Gibo Teodoro and Edu Manzano are graduates of DLSU.

The official said Comelec expected top contenders to file their candidacies toward the
deadline due to talks and alliances being finalized for the national slate.

“Until today, all parties have submitted an incomplete slate of “senatoriables” for
reasons that until now, they are still finalizing talks with their possible party members. It
is much difficult for more established parties to file their list immediately because talks
are still underway as most of them have stated unlike with nuisance candidates who
runs as independent and have no plan to ally with other candidates,” said Rafanan.

Re-election issues

Issues regarding the legitimacy of Estrada to take another shot at the presidency after
he was “disrupted” from his term in 2001 and for Arroyo to seek a lower position as
representative of the second district of Pampanga have been raised.

The re-election bid of Estrada is among the top issues that might affect the final turnout
of the May 2010 elections for several reasons, said Rafanan.

“It must also be noted that all candidacies can be challenged by any person. While it is
true that Comelec has a ministerial duty to accept all candidacies filed, the Comelec en
banc is also mandated to include only those qualified on the official list of candidates for
the 2010 elections. The legal department would make recommendations for the
prospective candidates but the en banc has a final say on who gets disqualified or not,”
he told INQUIRER.net.

“As for Estrada's case, this is not a simple case of disqualification that can be attributed
to lack of financial capacity and manpower to launch a nationwide campaign. In invokes
a clear interpretation of the constitutional provision, 'The President shall not be eligible
for any re-election' found under Article VII Section 4,” said Rafanan.

Rafanan said legal luminaries are divided as to whether the provision only applies to an
incumbent president or all presidents. Another issue is the specific position that the
president cannot seek re-election: one school of thought believes this involves all
positions, from president down to the local and barangay government while another camp
believes it is only referring to the presidential post.

Petitions for disqualification may be filed against Estrada and even Arroyo, but for the
national elections, the greater impact would be if Estrada is allowed to run or not by the
Comelec en banc or the Supreme Court.
“Both cases are similar actually. However, in the case of Estrada, this is the first time
that a former president would want to get re-elected as president. We believe appeals to
this case would be elevated up to the Supreme Court and the final resolution of which,
may not be issued before January when we print the ballots,” said Rafanan.

Prior to Estrada's filing of candidacy, lawyer Oliver Lozano who is also another
presidential bet filed a motion on October seeking the disqualification of the former
president.

It was denied by the second division as a “premature motion” since Estrada has not yet
filed then his candidacy. Immediately after Estrada's filing, Lozano announced he is set
to file December 1 with the Commission Secretariat the same petition for disqualification
citing the now controversial constitutional provision.

In the case of Arroyo, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said there is no legal
impediment blocking the president from formalizing her Congressional bid. As an
elected official, she is also not considered resigned from her position, even after she
files her candidacy.

“There is no legal impediment for President Arroyo to file her bid as second district
congresswoman of Pampanga,” said Jimenez. “However, it is up for the Comelec en
banc to decide such case should it be elevated to them later.”
Bonifacio Day, November 30

Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro is regarded as the

“Father of the Philippine Revolution”. He was the
founder of the Katipunan which aimed to gain
independence from Spain. On August 23, 1896,
Bonifacio led his men to Pugadlawin in Balintawak
and in a stirring ceremony shouted “Mabuhay ang
Bayang Pilipinas!” (Long live the Philippines!), and
they raised the KKK flag. The Philippine
Revolution started and was the first revolution in
Asia against colonial rule.

Bonifacio was born on November 30, 1863 to

cabeza de barangay Santiago Bonifacio and
Spanish mestiza Catalina de Castro in Tondo,
Manila. He was orphaned at the age of eighteen. Being the oldest of six children, he
peddled canes, hats and fans to support the family. Later, he worked as a clerk in a
British firm in Manila.

Though described by detractors as being uneducated, Bonifacio was in fact very

literate. He was quite intellectual to be owning political books and novels. He read on
the French Revolution, Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, and José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo among others. He also wrote articles and poems.

He joined Rizal’s La Liga Filipina, a society that called for reforms in the Spanish
regime. But the Liga was disbanded after Rizal was arrested and deported to Dapitan
in Zamboanga.

On July 7, 1892, the eve of Rizal’s arrest, Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, a secret
society seeking independence. It’s here where he met his second wife, Gregoria de
Jesus, who was a rebel leader herself. His right-hand man was Emilio Jacinto who was
editor of Kalayaan (Freedom), the Katipunan paper. Bonifacio’s nom de guerre was
Maypagasa (there’s hope) and he held the title of Supremo.

He wrote the poem, Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa (Love for the Motherland), which
appeared in the only issue of the Kalayaan. He also translated Rizal’s final poem, Mi
Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell) into Tagalog.

While Bonifacio’s skirmishes with the Spaniards were so-so, the revolutionaries in
Cavite had greater success, led by Emilio Aguinaldo and other ilustrados (Filipino
elite). The latter called for a revolutionary government of their own, ignoring Bonifacio’s
leadership.

The Katipunan had two factions, namely, the Magdiwang headed by Mariano Alvarez,
an in-law of Bonifacio, and the Magdalo headed by the Aguinaldo cousins, Baldomero
and Emilio. To minimize the rivalry and to present a united front, a convention was
held in Tejeros, Cavite on March 29, 1879. With Bonifacio presiding, they formed a
revolutionary government by electing officers from both factions, including Bonifacio as
a Director of Interior. In the elections, the Cavitenos voted their own Emilio Aguinaldo
as President.

However, a member of the Magdalo faction, Daniel Tirona, questioned Bonifacio’s

qualifications for high office, declaring him uneducated and unfit for the position.
Bonifacio was slighted. Invoking his authority as Supremo, he declared the results of the
Tejeros Convention as null and void and left in a rage.

Afraid that two rival governments might arise with an ongoing revolution, Aguinaldo
ordered the arrest of Bonifacio and his brothers. The Magdalo soldiers caught up with
them in the town of Indang. They surrounded the house and asked Bonifacio and his
men to disarm and come out peacefully. Bonifacio refused and stated that bullets would
settle this matter. The stand off lasted through the night.

At dawn, the soldiers closed in and opened fire. Bonifacio ordered his men not to shoot.
The soldiers made their way in. Procopio Bonifacio was tied up and beaten with a
revolver. Ciriaco Bonifacio was held down by two soldiers and shot to death. Bonifacio
was stabbed and beaten with a rifle butt. Gregoria de Jesus recounted that after the
capture of the Supremo, the leading officer approached her, asking where they had
stashed the Treasury money.

The brothers were taken to Naic and tried in a kangaroo court headed by General
Mariano Noriel. Both were found guilty of treason and sedition with the punishment of
death by firing squad. In Emilio Aguinaldo’s biography, Aguinaldo claims he superseded
this judgment and ordered the Supremo to be exiled and banished to Mt. Nagpatong.
Major Lazaro Makapagal, along with four soldiers, was given orders to lead the
Bonifacio brothers to Mt. Nagpatong. Makapagal was also given a sealed envelope with
strict orders not to open it until they reached the mountains.

On May 10, 1897, at Mt. Nagpatong, Major Makapagal opened the letter, faced the
Supremo and his brother, and read its contents aloud. Andres and Procopio were to be
executed by firing squad or he himself would be shot. It was signed by General Noriel.
Makapagal turned his back and his soldiers opened fire on the Bonifacio brothers. The
Supremo was only 34 years old. Fearing their gunfire might be heard by Spanish forces,
they quickly dug a shallow grave and covered the two bodies with twigs and branches.
Historians regarded this as an ugly cross on Aguinaldo’s shoulder, although Aguinaldo
originally wanted them banished instead.

In 1918, an expedition lead by one of the former soldiers found the grave of Andrés
Bonifacio. His remains were exhumed and placed in an urn at the Legislative Building in
Manila. In 1945, near the end of World War II, the building was completely destroyed.
Bonifacio’s remains are lost forever.

Bonifacio’s birthday on November 30 is celebrated as Bonifacio Day and is a public

holiday in the Philippines. There are many monuments to Bonifacio across the nation,
with the most famous being two sculptures by National Artists Napoleon Abueva and
Guillermo Tolentino.

It is the height of irony that the Father of the Philippine Revolution against the
oppressive Spanish rule met his death not at the hands of the Spaniards but at those of
his own people. The least we can do is remember our great hero, Andres Bonifacio.

Bonifacio Day (November 30): In Honor of Andress

Bonifacio
Posted on November 28, 2008 and filed under Holidays, Tips and Reminders. Follow responses to this
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Among the legal holidays in the Philippines is Bonifacio Day, traditionally celebrated
every November 30. This was changed, however, under Republic Act 9492 (an Act
rationalizing the celebration of national holidays), which moved the official holiday to the
Monday nearest November 30 (which is why December 1, 2008, a Monday, is a
holiday).

Andres Bonifacio was born to the couple Santiago Bonifacio and Catalina de Castro on
November 30, 1863. Holidays in honor of heroes or very important figures in the
Philippines are usually fixed on the date of death.
Rizal Day, in honor of the national hero Dr. Jose
Rizal, is traditionally celebrated on the day of his
execution — December 30. (See the rest of
official/declared Philippine holidays for 2008, 2009
and 2010)

Bonifacio is considered as the “Father of the

Philippine Revolution”. He is the founder and
“Supremo” (leader) of the independence movement
against Spain, the Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan nang nga Anak ng
Bayan (KKK), or simply known as the Katipunan. He is also a member of La Liga
Filipina, just like Jose Rizal. La Liga is a movement to achieve reforms in the Philippines
through peaceful means. When these efforts did not bear fruit, Bonifacio subsequently
came to believe that independence could be achieved through an armed revolution,
thus creating the Katipunan in 1892.

Bonifacio died on May 10, 1897, upon orders of the first President of the Philippine
Republic, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. Bonifacio then was considered an enemy of the state,
charged with treason, although the circumstances surrounding Bonifacio’s death remain
unresolved to this day. (Andres Bonifacio photo engraving from Wikimedia)