ACTIVITY NO.

5
Historical Events leading to the Conflicts and Controversies
A. Physical Features of the Philippines
Falls are among the
famous features we have
in our country. I choose it
as my features of the
Philippines as it has
around hundreds of Falls
behind forest and
“bario's”. Aside from that,
I found it unique because
there were cultures,
legends, folklores, belief and traditions being formed like Maria Cristina
Falls that were once believe to be “beautiful twin sisters named Maria and
Cristina who fell in love with the same man. Because the twin sisters loved
each other so much, they were both willing to sacrifice their lives to give
way to one another. The man buried their bodies under the falls. In the
end, the man decided never to get married to anyone and named a twin
falls in the area in honor of his two loves”.
B. Location of the Philippines based on my Personal View
It is how I see the
Philippines as a country
separated from each other
and has no neighboring
countries besides I
thought Philippines is the
only country in the globe.
Until now I can still
imagine my younger times
thinking we have our own
globe and own sea called
“Pacific Ocean”.
C. Site of the first Mass

The first ever Easter Mass

in the Philippines was held
in 1521 on the island of
Mazaua, known today as
Limasawa Island, Leyte. I
believe that the first mass
took on Limasawa as
evidences shown on
Pigafetta’s account and
some investigatory report
by some historian who really have the passion to study history of the
Philippines and prove what it is.

D. Cry of Balintawak

The Cry of the Rebellion in

Pugad Lawin marked the
beginning of the Philippine
Revolution in 1896 which
ultimately led to Philippine
Independence in 1898. After
Bonifacio's death on May 10,
1897, in Maragondon,
Cavite, General Emilio
Aguinaldo continued the
revolution. The Cry of
Balintawak occurred on August 26, 1896. The Cry, defined as that turning
point when the Filipinos finally refused Spanish colonial dominion over the
Philippine Islands. With tears in their eyes, the people as one man, pulled
out their cedulas and tore them into pieces.
E. Mode of Execution of GOMBURZA

On February 17, 1872, the

three martyred priests
popularly known as
“GomBurZa” were executed
by garrote by the Spaniards
in Bagumbayan (now Rizal
Park) after they were
charged with treason and
sedition in connection with
the 1872 Cavite Mutiny. The
GomBurZa were publicly
executed, by garrote, on the early morning of February 17, 1872 at
Bagumbayan. The Archbishop of Manila refused to defrock them, and
ordered the bells of every church to toll in honor of their deaths; the
Sword, in this instance, denied the moral justification of the Cross.

F. Cavite Mutiny

The mutiny was quickly
crushed, but the Spanish
regime under the reactionary
governor Rafael de Izquierdo
magnified the incident and
used it as an excuse to clamp
down on those Filipinos who
had been calling for
governmental reform. A
number of
Filipino intellectuals were seized and accused of complicity with the
mutineers. After a brief trial, three priests—José Burgos, Jacinto Zamora,
 and Mariano Gómez—were publicly executed. The three subsequently
became martyrs to the cause of Philippine independence.

G. The first Philippine Flag Exist

The first Philippine flag
was the war banner
adopted by Andres
Bonifacio in 1892. It was a
rectangular piece of red
cloth, with three white K’s
arranged to form three
angles of an equilateral
triangle. Several months
before the outbreak of the
revolution in 1896,
Bonifacio had another flag made. It was first raised during the declaration
of Independence on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite. It was made of silk with
a white triangle containing a sunburst of eight rays at the center, a five-
pointed star at each angle of the triangle, a blue field and a red field.

H. Antonio Luna’s
Assassination
On June 5, 1899, he was
assassinated by physical
force and stabbing by his
own people – Filipino
soldiers whom Luna had
either insulted, arrested,
or disarmed for
insubordination. While
investigations were
supposedly made
concerning Luna’s death, not one person was convicted. Later, General
 Pantaleon García said that it was he who was verbally ordered by Aguinaldo
to conduct the assassination of Luna at Cabanatuan.

I. Rizal signing the retraction letter

Jose Rizal’s Retraction
Controversy Many
historians arguing whether
Rizal retracted from what
he had stated about the
Catholic Church or not.
From Rizal’s statement: “I
retract with all my heart
whatever in my words,
writings, publications and
conduct have been
contrary to my character
as a son of the Catholic Church.”, some says that this document is a forgery
and the other are asserting that it’s authentic and Rizal was the only who
wrote and signed the retraction paper. There are arguments found that
depend the both claims. But the only thing is, even Rizal retracted or not,
the knowledge he inculcated to us will not change.

J. Retraction letter shown to

him Fort Santiago cell
The letter, dated
December 29, 1896, was
said to have been signed
by the National Hero
himself.
It stated: “I declare myself
a Catholic and in this
religion in which I was
born and educated I wish
to live and die. I retract
with all my heart whatever in my words, writings, publications and conduct
has been contrary to my character as son of the Catholic Church.”
The controversy whether the National Hero actually wrote a retraction
document only lies in the judgment of its reader, as no amount of proof can
probably make the two opposing groups—the Masonic Rizalists (who firmly
believe that Rizal did not withdraw) and the Catholic Rizalists (who were
convinced Rizal retracted)—agree with each other.