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The Execution of Bonifacio: My Historical Analysis

Up to now it is still an argument if Bonifacio was executed or was just murdered.


Perhaps magdalos would say that it is just an execution since it is there best resource
for the welfare of the katipunan during that time because Bonifacio has an ambition of
overthrowing Aguinaldo in the revolutionary government which is an act of treason. But
why did it ended up killing their own brother (Bonifacio) in the katipunan? Before gaining
a conviction one must first carefully weigh different sides of the story because just like a
coin stories may always have two sides.
The magdiwangs side of the story was mainly based on the eyewitnesses of the
story. Gregoria, wife of Bonifacio, declared: They shot my husband and when he fell,
stabbed him repeatedly and clobbered by their rifle butts. as well as General Santiago
Alvarez declared in his memoirs that Colonel Bonzon shot Bonifacio. The Chinese Paua
then stabbed Bonifacio at the right side of the neck, which caused blood to spurt out.
Aside from it, Capt. Mariano Salvador, an officer of Bonifacio and an eyewitness,
supported General Alvarezs story. We were surrounded Col. Ntong (Bonzon) shot
the Supremo who was hit in his right arm and stomach and then was stabbed in the
throat with a sharpened bamboo. In addition Francisco Carreon, another officer of
Bonifacio, made a similar declaration. Carreon declared that the group of Bonzon
forcibly entered Bonifacios camp, shot and killed Ciriaco Bonifacio. Then Paua shot
Bonifacio and hit him in his left arm. Bonzon rushed to Bonifacio and stabbed him in the
neck, pinning the latter to the ground.
The magdiwangs side of the story clearly portrayed that Bonifacio might have no
plan of overthrowing Aguinaldos govt. since why at the first place he was surprised on
the attack of the magdalo armies in his camp? If Bonifacio has a plan of overthrowing
Aguinaldo he should be aware that Aguinaldo will intercept him and he should be
prepared of the coming attack of Aguinaldos troop and he might not been killed.
On the other hand, the story of magdalo is different .Based on Transcript of the
trial of Andres Bonifacio, Bonifacio was portrayed as a leader aiming for power and
wants Aguinaldo dead. Pedro Giron attested in the transcript that he was given by

Bonifacio 10 pesos to kill Aguinaldo. It is also stated in the transcript that Bonifacio and
his brother was planning to overthrow the government of Aguinaldo and that they are
gathering people to help for the destruction of Aguinaldos government.
Based on the Transcript of record of the trial of Andres Bonifacio, Bonifacio
attended the trial and the dated execution of Bonifacio was May 10 1897.However
When Aguinaldo was personally interviewed by Manuel Artigas y Cuerva he confessed
that Bonifacio was actually killed on April 23 1897 thus the stories presented in the
Transcript of the trial of Andres Bonifacio was clearly untrue. Therefore Bonifacio did not
died because of treason but I believed that what murdered him was politics. Emilio
Aguinaldo who was very young at that time more or less 30 years old was not ready for
the position of President. Moreover Aguinaldo was bounded with traditional politicians
and this politicians might influenced him. However despite the fact that Aguinaldo was
just influenced by his colleagues he can never deny that he has lapses regarding with
the execution of Bonifacio.
References
The trial and death of Andres Bonifacio: A myth.Mb.com. Retrieved on April 26, 2016
from http://www.mb.com.ph/the-trial-and-death-of-andres-bonifacio-a-myth/
Transcript of the Trial of Andres Bonifacio. (Ateneo de Manila University,1963).

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