Lesson 3 Cavite Mutiny

The Two Faces of the 1872 Cavite Mutiny

by Chris Antonette Piedad-Pugay
National Historical Commission of the Philippines

MANY BELIEVED that one of the factors that ignited the Filipino sense of
nationhood and eventually led to the Philippine Revolution in 1896 was the Cavite
Mutiny. This event has been remarkable among Filipinos because it prompted to the
martyrdom of Gomburza who were executed on February 17, 1872

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 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 Cavity Mutiny and the
other was the martyrdom of the three martyr priests in the persons of Fathers Mariano
Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora (GOMBURZA0. However, not all of us know
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.

a. Spanish Version: Planned Conspiracy

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 complicated and corroborated with one another, only
that the general’s report was more spiteful. Initially, both Montero and Izquierdo
scored out that the abolition of the privileges 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.

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 Seargent 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
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 LaMadrid were killed in the skirmish, while the GOMBURZA
were tried by a court-martial and were sentenced to die by strangulation.

b. Filipino Version: A response to Injustice

 Dr. Trinidad Herminigildo Pardo de Tavera, a Filipino scholar and researcher,
wrote the Filipino version of the bloody incident in Cavite. In his point of view, 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, 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 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 ha in
Cavite. 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.

Let us check if you have

understood the lesson,
answer the exercises
below.