Filibusterismo, Exposed The Cruelties of The Spanish Colonisers. Before Katipunan Was

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The Philippine Revolution is one of the most important events in the country’s history,
awakening a proud sense of nationalism for generations of Filipinos to come. In a period of
heavy struggle and conflict, Filipinos of different backgrounds united with a common goal: to
resist colonialism. The revolution against Spain was sparked in 1896 after Spanish authorities
discovered the “Katipunan,” a Filipino revolutionary society plotting against their colonisers. It
ended in 1902, where Spain lost and ceded sovereignty of the Philippines to the United States.
Andres Bonifacio was the Supreme of the Katipunan (association), or as it was also known:
Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan. The organization drew
inspiration from Dr. Jose Rizal, whose literary works, particularly Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, exposed the cruelties of the Spanish colonisers. Before Katipunan was
established, both Bonifacio and Rizal were part of ‘La Liga Filipina’ – a progressive organization
initiated by Rizal that sought peaceful reforms. After Rizal’s arrest and deportation to Dapitan,
La Liga Filipina dissolved. This was later replaced by a call for aggressive reforms, put forward
and favored by Bonifacio. Upon hearing of Rizal’s arrest, Bonifacio and his fellows founded the
Katipunan. The anti-colonial secret organization eventually attracted people from lower and
middle classes across the country, enjoining them in an armed revolt against Spain.
Rizal, the country’s national hero, refused to participate. He believed timing wasn’t on their side
and the nation was still unprepared. In spite of his friend’s reservations, Bonifacio and his
fellow Katipuneros continued with their plan. Yet on August 1896, a Spanish friar found them
out. After the discovery of the Katipunan, Spanish authorities made several arrests to identify
their members. Bonifacio and his fellows were planning a nationwide revolt. This led to an
event called the ‘Cry of Pugad Lawin’, where revolutionaries took part in a mass tearing of
cedulas (community tax certificates), symbolizing their fight against Spain. Bonifacio
simultaneously planned an attack on Manila. However they were caught off guard, as though
1
Valdeavilla, Ronica (2018), The History of the Philippine Revolution, retrieved from https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/the-
history-of-the-philippine-revolution/
2
Abad, Levi (2015), Rizal on Reform and Revolution (part 1 of 4), retrieved from https://filipinojournal.com/rizal-on-reform-and-revolution-part-
1-of-4/
3
Pugay, Chris Antonette (2012), Jose Rizal and the Revolution, retrieved from http://nhcp.gov.ph/jose-rizal-and-the-revolution/
4
Studysneer (2020), Rizal is not radical, retrieved from https://www.studocu.com/hk/document/our-lady-of-fatima-university/philippine-history-
and-culture/essays/rizal-is-not-a-radical-grade-a/2653798/view
5
Philippine Studies (1978), Rizal and the Revolutionary and the Ateneo, retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/42632435?read-
now=1&seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents
the revolutionaries were greater in number, the Spanish authorities were more armed.
According to historical accounts, Bonifacio continued with his plan despite the failure in his
first attempt. The revolt flared up in the surrounding provinces, including Central Luzon, San
Juan del Monte and Southern Tagalog (which is why this is also known as the Tagalog War).
After several unsuccessful revolts, rebels in Cavite finally had a taste of victory. Under Emilio
Aguinaldo (mayor of Cavite El Viejo) and Mariano Alvarez (Bonifacio’s uncle), the Philippine
Revolution was in full swing. The revolution dragged down the name of Rizal. He was accused
of being associated with the secret militant society. Charged with sedition, conspiracy and
rebellion, Rizal was sentenced to death by firing squad.
There are numerous debates about Rizal whether Reformist or Revolutionist. The
opinions of this topic vary in different perspectives. Some people believed that Jose Rizal
dedicated his life and labor for the cause of the revolution and venerated him to a certain
extent. He is most well-known for his works to enlighten the Filipino and his attempts in giving
his country more freedom from Spain. He expressed the growing national consciousness of
many Filipinos who opposed Spanish colonial tyranny and aspired to attain democratic rights.
The Filipino culture prides Rizal as a peaceful revolutionist whose weapons were the papel at
pluma. His writings, particularly the Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo were viewed as the
guiding force for other patriots to rally for the country’s cause. On the other hand, there were
also some historians who refuted this idea and presented a stand that Rizal was not an actual
leader of the Philippine Revolution. They cannot deny that Rizal played a major part in the
country’s struggle for reforms and independence. It has become the fashion recently to speak
of Rizal as a reformist. Sometimes the words are spoken deprecatingly; he was a mere
reformist who had to be supplanted by Bonifacio, the man of direct action, by those who do not
want to see too much of a shaking up of the status quo, and find in Rizal a sanction for their
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position. In his writings, he did call for reforms, to be sure, a whole series of them – reforms in
the government, reforms in the church, reforms in the friars, reforms in the attitudes of the
Spaniards, and above all, reforms in the Filipinos themselves.
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The ideas of Rizal exposed the ills of Spanish colonial rule. Renato Constantino, in his
1968 essay “Veneration without Understanding,” pointed out that Rizal was just propped up by
the U.S. colonial government as a tool to pacify the revolutionary aspiration of the Filipino
people by playing up his reformist calls. He tried to disclose the real Rizal and the truth of his
heroism stripping off the superficial novelty adorned on him by hagiographers and hero-
worshippers.
The very striking fact that Constantino forwarded was the notion that Rizal was not a
leader of the Philippine Revolution, but a leading opponent of it. [3] Accordingly, in the manifesto
of 15 December 1896 written by Rizal himself which he addressed to the Filipino people, he
declared that when the plan of revolution came into his knowledge, he opposed its absolute
impossibility and state his utmost willingness to offer anything he could to stifle the rebellion.
Rizal thought of it as absurd, and abhorred its alleged criminal methods. Rizal in his manifesto
put into premise the necessity of education in the achievement of liberties. [4] Most importantly
he believed that reforms to be fruitful must come from above and that those that come from
below are shaky, irregular, and uncertain.
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However, reforms alone would never satisfy Rizal; neither would independence alone;
that is why he only parted company with those Filipinos who thought that lobbying with Spanish
politicians and publishing fiery newspaper articles in Madrid would bring about the happiness
of the Filipino people, but he likewise refused to let himself be persuaded to lead an armed
revolt which he knew, even if it should by some chance succeed militarily, would not essentially
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change the situation in which the Filipinos found themselves. Jose Maria Sison wrote a book
entitled, “National Democracy (1967),” he made an emphasis that Rizal’s novels demonstrated
that revolution was collateral of reform. The character of Ibarra showed his frustration in
reformist efforts, but the other forces represented by Elias, struggled to fight the oppressors. In
Noli Me Tangere, Pilosopo Tasyo told Ibarra: “Change will ultimately come with the coming of
fresh ideas from abroad.” He did not rule out revolution on the last resort; as Padre Florentino
put in the Fili: “oppression I know that His arm has never been wanting when, with justice
trampled underfoot and all other resources at an end, the oppressed have taken up a sword and
fought for their homes, wives, children, and those inalienable rights… No, God is justice and He
cannot abandon His own cause, the cause of freedom without which no justice is possible.”
But whether or not revolution will come is in the end not what is important to Rizal.
What is important, Padre Florentino goes on, is “to endure and work.” And he adds, “I do not
mean to say that our freedom must be won at the point of the sword… but I do say that our
freedom must be won by deserving it, by exalting the mind and enhancing the dignity of the
individual, loving what is just, what is good, what is great, even to the point of dying for it.”
Rizal’s reformism prepared the condition and set the stage for the revolution to grow.
Therefore, Rizal is both a reformist and a revolutionist because revolution is an offshoot of
reform.
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