Case Study 2:What Happened in the Cavite Mutiny?

The year 1872 in a historic year of 2 events: The Cavite Mutiny and the Martyrdom of the 3
priests: Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, later on immortalized as
GOMBURZA. These events are very important milestones in the Philippine history and have
caused ripples throughout time, directly influencing the decisive events of the Philippine
Revolution toward the end of the century. While the significance is unquestioned, what made
this year controversial are the different sides to the story, and battle of perspective supported
by primary sources. In this case study, welcome zoom in to the events of the Cavite Mutiny, and
major factor in the awakening of nationalism among the Filipino of that time.

Spanish Accounts of the Cavite Mutiny

The documentation of Spanish historian Jose Montero y Vidal centered on how the event was
an attempt in overthrowing the Spanish government in the Philippines. Although regarded as a
historian, his account of the mutiny was criticized as woefully biased and rabid for a scholar.
Another account from the official report written by then Governor General Rafael Izquierdo
implicated the native clergy, who were then, active in the movement toward secularization of
parishes. These two accounts corroborated each other.

Primary Source: Excerpts from Momteros Account of the Cavite Mutiny

Source:Jose Montero y Vidal, "Spanish Version of the Cavite Mutiny of 1872", in Gregorio
Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History, Volume 7,
(Manila:National Book Store, 1990), 269-273.

The abolition of privileges enjoyed by the laborers of the Cavite arsenal of exemption from the
tribute was, according to some, the cause of the insurrection. There were, however, other
causes. The Spanish Revolution which overthrew a secular throne; the propaganda carried on
by an unbridled press against monarchical principles, attentatory [sic] of the most sacred
respect towards the dethroned majesty; the democratic and republican books and pamphlets;
the speeches and preaching of the apostles of these new ideas in Spain; the outburst of the
American publicist and the criminal policy of the senseless Governor whom the revolutionary
government sent to govern the Philippines, and who put into practice these ideas were the
determining circumstances which gave rise, among certain Filipinos, to the idea of attaining
their independence. It was towards this goal that they started to work, with the powerful
assistance of a certain section of the native clergy, who out of spite towards friars, made
common cause with the enemies of the mother country.

At various times but especially in the beginning of year 1872, the authorities received
anonymous communications with the information that a great uprising would break out against
the Spaniards, the minute the fleet at Cavite left for the South, and that all would be
assassinated, including the friars. But nobody gave importance to these notices. The conspiracy
had been going on since the days of La Torre with utmost secrecy. At times, the principal
leaders met either in the house of Filipino Spaniard, D. Juaquin Pardo de Tavera or in that of the
native priest, Jacinto Zamora, and these meeting were usually attended by the curate of
Bacoor, the soul of the movement, those energetic character and immense wealth enabled him
to exercise and strong influence.

Primary Source: Excerpts from the Official Report of Governor Izquierdo on the Cavite Mutiny
of 1872

Source:Rafael Izquierdo, "Official Report on the Cavite Mutiny", in Gregorio Zaide and Sonia
Zaide, Documentary Sources of the Philippine History, Volume 7 (Manila:National Book Store,
1990), 281-286.

It seems definite that the insurrection was motivated and prepared by the native clergy, by the
mestizos and native lawyers, and by those known here as abogadillos.

The instigators, to carry out their criminal project, protested against the injustice of the
government in not paying the provinces for their tobacco crop, and against the usury that some
practice in documents that the Finance department gives crop owners who have to sell them at
a loss. They encouraged the rebellion by protesting what they called the injustice of having
obliged the workers in the Cavite arsenal to pay tribute starting January 1 and to render
personal service, from which they were formerly exempted.

Up to now it has not been clearly determined if they planned to establish a monarchy or a
republic, because the Indios have no word in their language to describe this different form of