THE 1872 CAVITE MUTINY

The 1872 Cavite Mutiny One hundred and forty years ago, on January 20, 1872, about 200 Filipino
military personnel of Fort San Felipe Arsenal in Cavite, Philippines, staged a mutiny which in a way led
to the Philippine Revolution in 1896. The 1872 Cavite Mutiny was precipitated by the removal of long-
standing personal benefits to the workers such as tax (tribute) and forced labor exemptions on order from
the Governor General Rafael de Izquierdo. Izquierdo replaced Governor General Carlos Maria de la
Torre some months before in 1871 and immediately rescinded Torre’s liberal measures and imposed his
iron-fist rule. He was opposed to any hint of reformist or nationalistic movements in the Philippines. He
was in office for less than two years, but he will be remembered for his cruelty to the Filipinos and the barbaric
execution of the three martyr-priests blamed for the mutiny: Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto
Zamora, later collectively called “Gomburza.” The mutineers were led by Sgt. Fernando La Madrid; they
seized the Fort and killed the Spanish officers. Fearing a general uprising, the Spanish government in
Manila sent a regiment under General Felipe Ginoves to recover the Fort. The besieged mutiny was
quelled, and many mutineers including Sgt. La Madrid were killed. Later, others were sentenced to death or
hard labor. Izquierdo used the mutiny to implicate Gomburza and other notable Filipinos known for their
liberal leanings. Prominent Filipinos such as priests, professionals, and businessmen were arrested on flimsy
and trumped-up charges and sentenced to prison, death, or exile. These include Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, Jose
Basa, and Antonio M. Regidor. It was said that the Cavite mutineers got their cue from Manila when they saw
and heard fireworks across the Manila Bay which was really a celebration of the feast of the Lady of Loreto in
Sampaloc. When the Archbishop of Manila, Rev. Meliton Martinez, refused to cooperate and defrock the
priests, the Spanish court-martial on February 15 went ahead and maliciously found Fathers Gomez, Burgos,
and Zamora guilty of treason for instigating the Cavite mutiny. Two days later, the three priests were put to
death by garrotte in Bagumbayan, now known as Luneta. (Garrote was a barbaric Spanish method of execution
in which an iron collar was tightened around the prisoner’s neck until death occurred.) Father Burgos was of
Spanish descent, born in the Philippines. He was a parish priest of the Manila Cathedral and had been
known to be close to the liberal Governor General de la Torre. He was 35 years old at the time and was
active and outspoken in advocating the Filipinization of the clergy. He was quoted as saying, “Why shall
a young man strive to rise in the profession of law or theology when he can vision no future for himself
but obscurity?” Father Zamora, 37, was also Spanish, born in the Philippines. He was the parish priest of
Marikina and was known to be unfriendly to and would not countenance any arrogance or authoritative
behavior from Spaniards coming from Spain. He once snubbed a Spanish governor who came to visit Marikina.
Father Gomez was an old man in his mid-’70, Chinese-Filipino, born in Cavite. He held the most senior
position of the three as Archbishop’s Vicar in Cavite. He was truly nationalistic and accepted the death penalty
calmly as though it were his penance for being pro-Filipinos. The three priests were stripped of their albs, and
with chained hands and feet were brought to their cells after their sentence. They received numerous visits from
folks coming from Cavite, Bulacan, and elsewhere. Forty thousand Filipinos came to Luneta to witness and
quietly condemn the execution, and Gomburza became a rallying catchword for the down-trodden
Filipinos seeking justice and freedom from Spain. In the dedication page of his second book, El
Filibusterismo, published in 1891, Dr. Jose Rizal wrote, “I dedicate my work to you as victims of the evil which
I undertake to combat…” It is well to remember that the seeds of nationalism that was sown in Cavite
blossomed to the Philippine Revolution and later to the Declaration of Independence by Emilio Aguinaldo
which took place also in Cavite. As for me, the 1872 Cavite Mutiny bolstered the stereotypical belief that
Caviteños were the most courageous of my fellow Filipinos.

THE TWO FACES OF THE 1872 CAVITE MUTINY

      The 12th of June of every year since 1898 is a very important event for all the Filipinos.  In this particular
day, the entire Filipino nation as well as Filipino communities all over the world gathers to celebrate the
Philippines’ Independence Day.  1898 came to be a very significant year for all of us— it is as equally
important as 1896—the year when the Philippine Revolution broke out owing to the Filipinos’ desire to be free
from the abuses of the Spanish colonial regime.  But we should be reminded that another year is as historic as
the two—1872.

       Two major events happened in 1872, first was the 1872 Cavite Mutiny and the other was the martyrdom of
the three martyr priests in the persons of Fathers Mariano Gomes, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora
(GOMBURZA).  However, not all of us knew that there were different accounts in reference to the said event. 
All Filipinos must know the different sides of the story—since this event led to another tragic yet meaningful
part of our history—the execution of GOMBURZA which in effect a major factor in the awakening of
nationalism among the Filipinos.

1872 Cavite Mutiny: Spanish Perspective

       Jose Montero y Vidal, a prolific Spanish historian documented the event and highlighted it as an attempt
of the Indios to overthrow the Spanish government in the Philippines. Meanwhile, Gov. Gen. Rafael
Izquierdo’s official report magnified the event and made use of it to implicate the native clergy, which was
then active in the call for secularization.  The two accounts complimented and corroborated with one other, only
that the general’s report was more spiteful. Initially, both Montero and Izquierdo scored out that the
abolition of privileges enjoyed by the workers of Cavite arsenal such as non-payment of tributes and
exemption from force labor were the main reasons of the “revolution” as how they called it, however, other
causes were enumerated by them including the Spanish Revolution which overthrew the secular throne, dirty
propagandas proliferated by unrestrained press, democratic, liberal and republican books and pamphlets
reaching the Philippines, and most importantly, the presence of the native clergy who out of animosity against
the Spanish friars, “conspired and supported” the rebels and enemies of Spain.  In particular, Izquierdo blamed
the unruly Spanish Press for “stockpiling” malicious propagandas grasped by the Filipinos.  He reported to the
King of Spain that the “rebels” wanted to overthrow the Spanish government to install a new “hari” in the likes
of Fathers Burgos and Zamora.  The general even added that the native clergy enticed other participants by
giving them charismatic assurance that their fight will not fail because God is with them coupled with
handsome promises of rewards such as employment, wealth, and ranks in the army.  Izquierdo, in his report
lambasted the Indios as gullible and possessed an innate propensity for stealing.
       The two Spaniards deemed that the event of 1872 was planned earlier and was thought of it as a big
conspiracy among educated leaders, mestizos, abogadillos or native lawyers, residents of Manila and
Cavite and the native clergy.  They insinuated that the conspirators of Manila and Cavite planned to
liquidate high-ranking Spanish officers to be followed by the massacre of the friars.  The alleged pre-
concerted signal among the conspirators of Manila and Cavite was the firing of rockets from the walls of
Intramuros.

     According to the accounts of the two, on 20 January 1872, the district of Sampaloc celebrated the feast of the
Virgin of Loreto, unfortunately participants to the feast celebrated the occasion with the usual fireworks
displays.  Allegedly, those in Cavite mistook the fireworks as the sign for the attack, and just like what was
agreed upon, the 200-men contingent headed by Sergeant Lamadrid launched an attack targeting Spanish
officers at sight and seized the arsenal.

       When the news reached the iron-fisted Gov. Izquierdo, he readily ordered the reinforcement of the Spanish
forces in Cavite to quell the revolt.  The “revolution” was easily crushed when the expected reinforcement from
Manila did not come ashore.  Major instigators including Sergeant Lamadrid were killed in the skirmish, while
the GOMBURZA were tried by a court-martial and were sentenced to die by strangulation.  Patriots like
Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, Antonio Ma. Regidor, Jose and Pio Basa and other abogadillos were suspended by the
Audencia (High Court) from the practice of law, arrested and were sentenced with life imprisonment at the
Marianas Island.  Furthermore, Gov. Izquierdo dissolved the native regiments of artillery and ordered the
creation of artillery force to be composed exclusively of the Peninsulares.

        On 17 February 1872 in an attempt of the Spanish government and Frailocracia to instill fear among the
Filipinos so that they may never commit such daring act again, the GOMBURZA were executed.  This event
was tragic but served as one of the moving forces that shaped Filipino nationalism.

A Response to Injustice: The Filipino Version of the Incident

        Dr. Trinidad Hermenigildo Pardo de Tavera, a Filipino scholar and researcher, wrote the Filipino
version of the bloody incident in Cavite.  In his point of view, (1) the incident was a mere mutiny by the native
Filipino soldiers and laborers of the Cavite arsenal who turned out to be dissatisfied with the abolition of their
privileges.  Indirectly, (2)Tavera blamed Gov. Izquierdo’s cold-blooded policies such as the abolition of
privileges of the workers and native army members of the arsenal and the (3) prohibition of the founding of
school of arts and trades for the Filipinos, which the general believed as a cover-up for the organization of a
political club.

       On 20 January 1872, about 200 men comprised of soldiers, laborers of the arsenal, and residents of Cavite
headed by Sergeant Lamadrid rose in arms and assassinated the commanding officer and Spanish officers in
sight.  The insurgents were expecting support from the bulk of the army unfortunately, that didn’t happen.  The
news about the mutiny reached authorities in Manila and Gen. Izquierdo immediately ordered the reinforcement
of Spanish troops in Cavite.  After two days, the mutiny was officially declared subdued.

      Tavera believed that the Spanish friars and Izquierdo used the Cavite Mutiny as a powerful lever by
magnifying it as a full-blown conspiracy involving not only the native army but also included residents of
Cavite and Manila, and more importantly the native clergy to overthrow the Spanish government in the
Philippines.  It is noteworthy that during the time, the Central Government in Madrid announced its intention to
deprive the friars of all the powers of intervention in matters of civil government and the direction and
management of educational institutions.  This turnout of events was believed by Tavera, prompted the friars to
do something drastic in their dire sedire to maintain power in the Philippines.

       Meanwhile, in the intention of installing reforms, the Central Government of Spain welcomed an
educational decree authored by Segismundo Moret promoted the fusion of sectarian schools run by the friars
into a school called Philippine Institute.  The decree proposed to improve the standard of education in the
Philippines by requiring teaching positions in such schools to be filled by competitive examinations. This
improvement was warmly received by most Filipinos in spite of the native clergy’s zest for secularization.

       The friars, fearing that their influence in the Philippines would be a thing of the past, took advantage of the
incident and presented it to the Spanish Government as a vast conspiracy organized throughout the archipelago
with the object of destroying Spanish sovereignty. Tavera sadly confirmed that the Madrid government came to
believe that the scheme was true without any attempt to investigate the real facts or extent of the alleged
“revolution” reported by Izquierdo and the friars.

       Convicted educated men who participated in the mutiny were sentenced life imprisonment while members
of the native clergy headed by the GOMBURZA were tried and executed by garrote.  This episode leads to the
awakening of nationalism and eventually to the outbreak of Philippine Revolution of 1896.  The French writer
Edmund Plauchut’s account complimented Tavera’s account by confirming that the event happened due to
discontentment of the arsenal workers and soldiers in Cavite fort.  The Frenchman, however, dwelt more on the
execution of the three martyr priests which he actually witnessed.

Unraveling the Truth

       Considering the four accounts of the 1872 Mutiny, there were some basic facts that remained to be
unvarying:

First, there was dissatisfaction among the workers of the arsenal as well as the members of the native
army after their privileges were drawn back by Gen. Izquierdo;

Second, Gen. Izquierdo introduced rigid and strict policies that made the Filipinos move and turn away
from Spanish government out of disgust;

Third, the Central Government failed to conduct an investigation on what truly transpired but relied on
reports of Izquierdo and the friars and the opinion of the public;

Fourth, the happy days of the friars were already numbered in 1872 when the Central Government in
Spain decided to deprive them of the power to intervene in government affairs as well as in the direction
and management of schools prompting them to commit frantic moves to extend their stay and power;

Fifth,  the Filipino clergy members actively participated in the secularization movement in order to  allow
Filipino priests to take hold of the parishes in the country making them prey to the rage of the friars;

Sixth, Filipinos during the time were active participants, and responded to what they deemed as
injustices; and

Lastly, the execution of GOMBURZA was a blunder on the part of the Spanish government, for the
action severed the ill-feelings of the Filipinos and the event inspired Filipino patriots to call for reforms
and eventually independence. 

There may be different versions of the event, but one thing is certain, the 1872 Cavite Mutiny paved way for a
momentous 1898.

        The road to independence was rough and tough to toddle, many patriots named and unnamed shed
their bloods to attain reforms and achieve independence.  12 June 1898 may be a glorious event for us, but
we should not forget that before we came across to victory, our forefathers suffered enough.  As weenjoy our
freeedom, may we be more historically aware of our past to have a better future ahead of us.  And just like what
Elias said in Noli me Tangere, may we “not forget those who fell during the night.”